In response to increasing student demand, the Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate has spearheaded an initiative to create a 24-hour health services option.
The primary goal is to create a call center that would give students around-the-clock access to nurses, who could answer questions and direct callers, when necessary, to a doctor or open treatment center.
Tufts' Health Service office already has a doctor who is on-call for emergencies at all hours, but students typically call in with non-pressing issues. As a result, the current system places a strain on Health Service medical professionals.
"Students don't quite realize that they're actually waking someone up to ask [about] something that isn't an emergency," Senior Director of Health and Wellness Service Michelle Bowdler said.
TCU President Duncan Pickard has been leading the initiative and has worked with Bowdler to determine its feasibility.
"We're just in the research phase right now," Bowdler said, citing the many factors that have to be considered.
"What you're weighing is: Is it improving service to students? Is it affordable? And is it safe?'" she said. "We're beginning to have conversations around campus about whether this is a prudent thing to do and an affordable thing to do for next year."
The project would cost an approximated $10,000 annually, according to Bowdler, but Health Service is not looking to pass the fees along to students.
"We're trying to see if there's enough discretionary money to pay for this," Pickard said.
Health Service would have to employ an off-campus service in order to implement the call center. The project's leaders are currently considering a company that works with over a dozen schools, including Boston University and Columbia University, according to Bowdler.
According to Pickard and Bowdler, nurses at the call center would respond to alcohol-related issues without directly involving local authorities.
"Calling the nurses won't [by itself] trigger any kind of disciplinary action from the university," Pickard said.
If the nurses or students call TEMS, however, "the typical disciplinary procedures would go into effect," Pickard added.
