Health Services

• If you live in a residence hall and have a fever over 100°.
• If you live in a residence hall and have a contagious illness.
• If you live in a residence hall and have an illness lasting over 3 days.
• If you are a day student, need non-emergency care, and do not have a family physician in town. (If you have a physician in town, you should see him.)
• If you feel ill, but do not know how to treat your symptoms.
• If your parents or residence hall leaders advise you to be evaluated by a nurse.
• If you have an injury in which you need additional evaluation and treatment.

There is no charge to see the outpatient nurse between 7:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. A nurse is available for outpatients 24 hours/day, but there is a $15 fee to see her during off hours. (Note: If you need to be seen after hours, please come to the back door of Barge and ring the doorbell).

The nurse will ask you questions regarding your illness, evaluate you, and determine a plan of care. She may give you basic advice based on our physicians’ standing orders and allow you to return to your residence hall, she may make an appointment for you to see one of our doctors, or she may admit you to the infirmary.

Because day students are not generally admitted to the infirmary, the outpatient nurse may give you basic advice and send you home if you are not feeling able to go to class. She will make an appointment for you to see a University Medical Associates physician if she determines you need to be seen by a doctor.

It is best for you to wear school attire when you come to University Health Services for several reasons. Except for an emergency, patients are usually seen on a first come, first served basis. This may require a wait before you are seen. The hospital outpatient department on first floor is a public place and proper dress is expected. Another reason for you to wear school attire is that not all patients who are seen in the outpatient area are admitted. If you are seen, but not admitted, you may want to return to class as soon as possible without having to return to your residence hall. Finally, if the nurse determines that you need to go to University Medical Associates to see a doctor, you are expected to be dressed in appropriate class attire. Under no circumstances should you arrive at Barge in your pajamas.

Most admissions are overnight. If you are seen in the outpatient department with any illness that is considered contagious, you will be encouraged to stay overnight. If you have a fever upon admission or develop one during your stay, you will be required to stay until your temperature is under 100° for 12 hours. You will not be allowed to go to work either on campus or off campus during your stay. As you begin to feel better, you may be allowed to sign out of the hospital in order to go to a class.

Depending on your condition, you may be required to stay overnight, but not necessarily 24 hours. After staying overnight, if you and the medical staff consider your condition to have improved enough that you can resume regular activity or treat yourself in your residence hall, you may be released from the infirmary the following morning before or after breakfast.

On occasion, the outpatient nurse will admit a patient on a “Short Stay” (not overnight) basis. The doctors have given specific diagnoses that fit under this category, such as simple headaches, dysmenorrhea, injuries, or other non-contagious medical conditions. The outpatient nurse will advise you, based on your condition, hospital policy and doctor’s orders, as to whether you will be admitted short stay or overnight. Patients who are admitted short stay will be required to stay three hours, but may stay longer if deemed necessary by the patient and/or the nurse.

Because chapel is a required activity, students will not be allowed to stay in their residence halls during chapel. If you are unable to go to chapel due to illness, you will be required to come to Barge to be assessed by the outpatient nurse. If you are admitted, the minimum amount of time you will be required to stay is three hours (see short stay admission description).

It is your responsibility to contact your work supervisor if you are unable to work. The hospital has computer availability for you to email your teachers as needed regarding assignments missed, especially if your illness is extended.

Not everyone admitted as an infirmary patient has to have blood work. However, all patients presenting with specific symptoms predetermined by our doctors will be required to have basic blood work done. Our physicians order the blood work. It is not a choice made by the nurses or the patients.

You should bring basic toiletries, comfortable clothing/pajamas, and your medications. It is necessary for the medical staff to see what medications you are on or have taken before coming to Barge. If you have run out of medication or used someone else’s, please know the names of anything you have taken. You may bring books to study as you are beginning to feel better. The facility is equipped with wireless internet access.

Visiting hours for overnight infirmary patients are from after chapel to 8:00 p.m. daily. Only visitors of the same gender may visit on the patient floors. If you have a visitor of the opposite gender, you may visit on the first floor in the lobby from after chapel to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. You must be fully dressed in school attire. Visits on the patient floor or in the lobby should be limited to 15 minutes. Visits may be restricted by nursing staff as necessary for your health and safety as well as your visitors’. If you are admitted for a Short Stay, you may not have visitors.

South Carolina State Law requires that any person in a “hospital/infirmary” longer than 24 hours be seen by a physician. Physicians from University Medical Associates may see you in the morning during your stay, or you may be sent to their offices if necessary. Charges to be seen by a doctor will be billed to your school account. If you stay overnight and feel well enough to return to your normal routine or your residence hall before 24 hours, you are not required to see a doctor. If you or your parents want you to be seen by a doctor, the nursing staff can make an appointment at University Medical Associates for you. If you have your own doctor in town, you may make an appointment to see him/her.

Students who come to Barge are classified as either infirmary or hospital patients. An infirmary patient is one who has a minor illness or injury not requiring hospitalization. He would be staying home from school if he were still at home and would not require inpatient care. An infirmary patient at Barge is not charged a daily room rate, but is charged for medicine, supplies, lab tests, and doctor’s visits if needed. These charges are billed to his school account.

Occasionally when a student has a more serious illness that requires a higher level of care, our doctors will admit the student as a hospital patient. A doctor’s order is required for a hospital admission and a daily room charge would apply, just like at any other hospital.

If you are in Barge as an infirmary patient, most insurance companies view you as receiving outpatient care and would provide reimbursement according to your policy.

If the physician determines that you need to be admitted as a hospital patient, you or your parents should check with your insurance company to be sure that hospitalization at Barge would be covered under your plan (pre-certification). Many insurance policies require the patient to go to their specified list of doctors or hospitals for care. If the physician determines you need hospitalization and your insurance stipulates that you need to go to another local hospital, we will assist in making arrangements for transport there. If you are admitted to Barge as a hospital patient, all charges are placed on your school bill and the necessary paperwork is sent to your home address for your parents to file with your insurance company.