Students who feel under the weather can look forward to faster, quality service at the Student Health Center.

With a record number of students enrolled at Iowa State the past two years, the Student Health Center has taken steps to ensure students receive quality medical care.

Before last year, the Student Health Center operated on a first-come, first-serve basis. This system posed problems for students trying to juggle classes, homework, jobs and most importantly, getting well.

“Students were having to wait too long,” said Misti Birkmann, quality improvement coordinator for the Student Health Center. “Under the old system, it didn’t matter who was the sickest. It was first come, first serve, and some students had an hour and a half wait.”

A new triage system was put into practice last year to decrease wait time and guarantee students with the most serious medical conditions would see physicians first.

Students can call in advance and make an appointment to see a physician.

Students may call 294-5801 to schedule an appointment, whether they are sick, injured, or need to schedule routine procedures such as vaccinations and physicals.

Students and staff are enjoying the benefits of the new system.

“The wait time is now more like 10 to 15 minutes instead of an hour,” said Sarah Cooney, supervisor of nursing services. “The majority of students wait five minutes.”

When students arrive for appointments, they check in and are given a parking permit to place in their car. Cooney said often a nurse will call a patient from the waiting room before the student even returns from the parking lot.

The Student Health Center has worked hard to accommodate the increasing number of students enrolled at Iowa State, Birkmann said. Last year, about 14,000 students visited the Student Health Center – about half the student body. There are nine physicians that see 20 to 30 patients a day.

The appointment system has made it easier for students to connect with the staff, Birkmann said.

“We’re getting better, more individualized service to students,” she said.

“At times, it feels like our demand has gone up, but our number of staff has stayed the same.”

Birkmann said student satisfaction has been high at the Student Health Center, based on recent surveys students have completed.

“Overall, 95 percent of the surveys are very, very positive,” she said

With the winter season approaching, Student Health Center staff expect to be treating greater numbers of students, Birkmann said.

“We want to be serving students the best that we can,” Cooney said.