USG looks to reduce Ritenour wait time

By TRACY WILSON
Collegian Staff Writer

Students are still waiting, but they might not see a solution for the waiting time at University Health Services for a while, said Undergraduate Student Government Vice President Brian Olivo.

Decreasing the waiting time at UHS is a Spring Semester goal, Olivo said.

"I don't think they are ever going to solve it, but we are going to try to make it better," said Trevor Gibbs, USG student health services director.

Even though more staff is needed to meet the demand, the problem is lack of office space, said Doris Guanowsky, associate director for Ancillary Services at UHS. The possibility of expanding Ritenour Building once the Paul Robeson Cultural Center is torn down has been discussed, Guanowsky said, but a science center most likely will be built on the site.

USG will lobby the university administration to convince it more space is needed at University Health Services, Olivo said.

"Whenever you ask for more funding, staff or space you cannot expect to get it accomplished within a few months," he said.

Students who have passed time in the waiting room in Ritenour believe USG should make decreasing the wait time a top priority.

"I just want to get in and out," Kristen Fitzergerald (junior-theatre arts) said while waiting to be seen at UHS. "I'm going to be missing a class here pretty soon."

University Health Services have a target wait time of 15 minutes to see a nurse and one hour to see a clinician, said Kathy Petroff, nurse manager of urgent care at University Health Services. They usually are able to meet these times, she added.

For now, Gibbs said USG aims to keep the number of patients at UHS down through referral services, and possibly a health fair where students could receive physicals and immunizations.

The USG Student Health Services committee has met with UHS administrators and they have not disputed any of USG's ideas, Olivo said.

Guanowsky advises students to take advantage of UHS satellite clinics in Johnson Hall in East Halls for general medicine and Schulze Hall in Pollock Halls for the women's care.

To avoid a wait, Neil Weingarten (senior-accounting) said the last time he visited Ritenour, he arrived at 7 a.m. and was seen right away. In the mean time, he offers a more viable solution for late risers.

"Just don't get sick."