Ways to Receive Care

Why are most appointments only scheduled for same day service?

ECU Student Health Service works just like private doctors’ offices do—most patients are seen by appointment. While we will certainly see urgent problems like asthma attacks, lacerations, acute injuries, allergic reactions, and burns as walk in triage patients, all routine illnesses and medical issues must have an appointment. SHS cares for between 150-250 patients every day so our appointments are in high demand.

Make an appointment

There are two ways to schedule, depending on what type of appointment you need:

by phone, by calling (252) 328-6841 option 1, from 8am-5pm Monday-Friday.
in person, by visiting SHS, 8am-5pm Monday-Friday.

Canceling appointments
If you cannot keep your appointment, please make sure you cancel as soon as possible, as far ahead of your appointment time as you can. You can cancel by calling (252) 328-6841 option 1, or you can cancel online as well via our myPIRATEchart. If you miss your appointment without canceling at least 1 hour in advance of your scheduled time, you will be considered a “no show/late cancellation” and will be assessed a $20.00 charge to your university account at the cashier’s office.

Important information to know about SHS appointments

Patients must present their ECU 1Card or valid official photo ID upon arrival. Patients who do not have an ECU 1Card will be directed to the ECU 1Card office for a temporary card.

Arrive 15 minutes early for appointments. You will be asked to reschedule if you are late as it is SHS policy to cancel appointments if the patient is tardy.

We want you to be as comfortable as possible during your visit so if you prefer either a male or female provider, tell the appointment staff your preference when you schedule or pay attention to provider names if scheduling online (our providers are also listed with pictures on our Meet Our Team page if you are looking for a particular provider).

For physicals, bring any necessary forms or paperwork you need filled out. If any areas require your answers, come to your appointment having already filled in the information.

For a Pap smear or gyn exam, avoid intercourse, douching or vaginal creams for 24-48 hours prior to your appointment.

For appointments involving screening of sexually transmitted infections, do NOT urinate for at least one hour before your appointment.

Triage, Self-Care, Phone Messages

If the appointment schedule is full for the day and/or you have an emergent issue (i.e. asthma attack, allergic reaction, laceration, burn, acute vomiting, urinary tract infection, fevers greater than 102 degrees, sexual assault, or acute mental health problem) ask to see the Triage Nurse at our Main Campus SHS. Triage issues are handled in order of seriousness of the presenting problem, but our staff is adept at handling serious issues and will work quickly to assess your problem and provide appropriate treatment. Please note: Triage is not available at our Health Sciences SHS.

If you find yourself needing medication or supplies to self treat minor illnesses and injuries, you can utilize our over the counter pharmacy service at our Main Campus SHS. A wide array of products and medicines are available at a reduced cost; we have cough and cold medications, elastic bandages, cold packs, thermometers, dressing change items, topical lotions, vaginal yeast treatments, pain relievers, and more. Just stop by the pharmacy and fill out a request form letting us know what items or medications you would like to purchase. Unsure about what you need? Our pharmacists are happy to help, providing advice and recommendations on how to treat your problem.

Unsure if you need an appointment? Unsure how to self treat your illness or injury? Give us a call and let us help. You can leave a message for a registered nurse to call you back to discuss your problem. We return calls as quickly as we can, often within an hour of your message.

Need care or advice when Student Health is closed? We can help you then too! Visit our After Hours Care page to find out what to do if our office is not open.

Why are most appointments only scheduled for same day service?

SHS operates with an Open Access scheduling model, which means the majority of our appointments are reserved for same day use. This enables us to see a large number of students the same day they are sick or injured, instead of having to wait several days to get an appointment. Some visits, such as Pap smears, physicals, nutrition consults, allergy injections, and immunization visits can be scheduled for future dates, but any illness or injury visit must be made the same day you desire to be seen at SHS.

To ensure that you will get an appointment at the time of day that is most convenient for you, we strongly encourage you to make your appointment as early in the day as possible. Be advised that if you wait until the afternoon to try to be seen at SHS there is a possibility our appointments will be completely booked for that day.