The University opened the new Falcon Health Center in the fall of 2013 and with it came new changes and procedures.
In comparison to the old health center, Deb Busdeker, director of the Falcon Health Center, said she is noticing some changes in how busy the center is, especially during the winter months.
She said the number of students and staff visiting the health center primarily relies on the season and what viruses or infections, if any, are prominent.
Busdeker said last school year, in the old health center, there was a lot of attendance in December through mid-January for upper respiratory infections, whereas this year, the new health center did not see many of these cases.
“With college health, there are ups and downs,” she said. “Now this year, students started coming in with respiratory issues more in January than December.”
Busdeker said there are new advantages to the new health center that the old building did not have.
“We have more providers than what we had in the [old health center],” she said.
Students are now able to come in to see a nurse or practitioner quicker, even same day appointments, Busdeker said. The new health center allows walk-ins, but encourages students to make appointments to ensure that they will be able to see a professional.
Freshman Jessica McCuen said when she went for her visit this past January, her wait did not take long at all.
“The waiting room and offices had a fresh look and I really liked the fact that it just felt clean in there; it felt like a doctor’s office should,” she said.
Stephen Miller, a sophomore at the University, also said he liked the new look of the offices and that he liked how the individual rooms were bright and open.
McCuen said the practitioners she saw on her visit were very professional and helpful to suit her needs.
Busdeker said she has heard very positive feedback from students about the look of the building, as well as how short the waiting times are to see a doctor.
“If you call in with a sore throat, our plan is to get you in that day,” she said. “At the old health center, we couldn’t do that because we didn’t have the space or enough providers.”
According to Busdeker, more students have also been contacting the new health center regarding injuries.
“If someone falls off their skateboard and hurts their ankle, instead of going to the emergency room, they’re coming to see us,” she said.
The new health center is closer to on-campus students and their services should be cheaper than a hospital, which is more convenient for students, Busdeker said.
The new health center is now able to do X-rays, cover minor injuries and also provide radiology services, which the old health center did not have due to space.
Busdeker said she has heard positive feedback, specifically about the women’s health nurse practitioners and how female visitors have been able to easily relate to them during their visits.
“They have a really big interest in the student population,” she said.
Some events are being coordinated with the women’s health nurse practitioners on-campus to cover specific issues in a college setting. Busdeker said she expects the events to take place this month and in April.
Busdeker said the health center is always open to comments and feedback. She said they are hoping to have surveys attached to the online student portal starting later this fall.
