The Echo

Issue date: 9/18/08 Section: News

Media Credit: Cara Dodd Playing doctor: Elizabeth Eves, graduate student, and Dr. Carmen Plott, school of nursing, go over an examination chart. The partnership between UTC and Erlanger will provide learning opportunities for students in the health sciences.

UTC health services will soon have a new look, new services and a new home when its partnering with Erlanger Hospital is complete, Dr. Chris Smith, an interim director of the UTC student health center, said.

"[The partnering came when] the student health center and the department of athletics decided to work together to find a way in which healthcare needs of both groups could be met," Smith said.

Dawn Blackwell, the project coordinator employed by Erlanger, said a request for proposal was sent to several hospitals to request that faculty, staff and student healthcare be provided, and from the hospitals that responded to the proposal, Erlanger was chosen. A contract was signed for Erlanger to be the health care provider for the campus.

Health services will now be called university health services, and will be located in the UT Family Practice Center at Erlanger on the corner of Central Ave. and Third Street, Blackwell said.

Nikki Hunter, a freshman from Nashville, said she was not happy with health services when she got sick last week with a sore throat.

"I called and they said they were full. I was sent across town," Hunter said. "They do need a new one to replace the old building. They were going to send me to Erlanger anyway. "

Blackwell said the largest benefit of this partnership would be the access to resources.

The physicians and staff at Erlanger will identify a student's particular need and put the student with a specialist physician, Blackwell said. Most students who need doctors and are unfamiliar with the area don't know who to call, and the university health services at Erlanger will address this need among others.

"Students don't have time to shop around for a doctor," Blackwell said.

Smith said: "When university health services relocates we will have access to expanded diagnostic capabilities-on site X-Ray, ultrasound, lab procedures area as well as access to the Family Practice Physician Faculty. Any student who presents to the ER can say they are UTC students and the staff will notify UT Family Practice that the student needs evaluation and treatment. Additionally, at some point in the future, there will be extended hours for weeknights and possibly weekends for non-emergent care."

Continued...

Page 1 of 2 next >

Article Tools