On Aug. 2, Taylor began a partnership with Indiana University (IU) Health to provide full-time in-person care to students.
Student health care had been previously operated through Marion General Hospital (MGH), but Taylor adopted TimelyMD during the summer of 2020 and following school year due to COVID-19 limitations.
The service offered virtual appointments until an agreement could be made with IU Health, which have now moved into the health center building directly across the street from campus.
Telehealth can still be accessed under special circumstances. Normal consultation, however, is available at TU Health Clinic through Taylor’s nurse practitioner Jennifer Bosley.
Jesse Brown, dean of students at Taylor, has supervised the health clinic and worked in student development since the summer of 2017.
Full-time students have access to the Upland Family Pharmacy and next-door Lucid Labs with payment of the health center fee, Brown said. Unless students need treatment by a specialist or additional lab work, personal medical insurance is not required.
“I’ve received a couple responses just grateful for face-to-face care,” Brown said. “There’s a familiarity with virtual medical care, especially in a COVID reality, but I do think that there’s some things our students would rather be face-to-face with somebody … Being able to provide that service feels like a strength of our campus.”
If a Taylor student is unable to pay for care, Brown said they can utilize Student Development’s access to the Parent’s Assistance Fund.
“So, if they get sent for a lab work and the lab is $65 and they just don’t have the $65, they can reach out to (Bev Guffey and I), and we’ll work with them to get that covered,” Brown said.
Additionally, Dan Vanderbilt at Upland Family Pharmacy said the pharmacy currently has Moderna vaccines and is in the process of getting Pfizer vaccinations. Lucid Labs conducts antibody or COVID-19 tests for Taylor students and now serves any walk-in customers.
The flu season is also approaching, and flu shots will be made available soon.
“We start offering shots Oct. 5,” Vanderbilt said. “We’ll offer them in the mornings on Tuesdays and the afternoons on Wednesdays.”
Upland resident and sophomore Andrew Bruner has gone to Upland Family Pharmacy since he was 3 years old. He said the staff have always been professional and able to help.
Bruner also said he thinks in-person medical appointments are a great option, especially because of the virtual reality the pandemic forced upon the world.
“The ability to go back (to in-person) might actually have a lot more positive health benefits, even though COVID is still a thing,” Bruner said. “Although, it’s hard to say … I kind of have guarded optimism.”
The TU Health Clinic may have changed partnership, but Brown affirms its intended purpose.
“We recognize that students are away from parents, understanding their illnesses maybe the first time away from family,” Brown said. “We want to provide them someplace that’s close and accessible to get some of that attention and get some answers if they need them.”
To schedule an appointment, call 765-770-0650 and hit option 4 to speak with Bosley. Hours of operation are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday-Friday and are closed on the weekend.
For more information on TU Health Clinic’s services and medication offered, visit taylor.edu/life-at-taylor/health-services.
