The Princeton Review has ranked University Health Services (UHS), part of the Division of Student Affairs at The University of Texas at Austin, as the third-best college health service in the United States. The ranking is part of the Princeton Review’s newly released 2013 edition of The Best 377 Colleges. University Health Services moves up from fourth in the 2012 rankings.
“Everything we do is done with the well-being of our students in mind,” says Jamie Shutter, director of UHS. “So it’s great when they report the good job we’re doing. It shows how highly students value our services.”
The Best 377 Colleges edition lists the top 20 colleges for each of 62 categories including academics, campus life and student services. According to Princeton Review’s website, approximately 122,000 students (an average of 324 per school) from the 377 top colleges in the nation were invited to respond to an 80-question survey.
UHS’s Patient Satisfaction Survey, a Web-based survey that is sent to every 10th patient visiting UHS, confirms what The Princeton Review reports. Spring 2012 results show that 96 percent of patients were either satisfied or very satisfied with UHS health care providers and their overall experience at UHS. “We’re constantly working to make sure our students have everything they need to go out and change the world,” says Gage Paine, vice president for the Division of Student Affairs. “That includes good health and well-being.”
During the past academic year, UHS staffers cared for students through almost 59,000 patient visits to UHS general medicine, women’s health, sports medicine, allergy shot/immunization, urgent care, integrated health and nutrition education clinics. Additionally, nurses fielded more than 26,500 phone calls on the 24-hour Nurse Advice Line from ill or injured students.
“We don’t limit our services to those within our building,” explains Susan Hochman, assistant director for health promotion and public information. “We continually assess the health-related needs and behaviors of our students and implement health promotion and prevention initiatives to meet students where they are.” Current initiatives include those aimed at reducing the misuse of study drugs, encouraging better sleep, preventing high-risk drinking, reducing colds, flu and sore throats, and other health-related issues that affect academic performance.
“It’s an honor to be ranked third-best among the terrific college health services that exist across the nation,” says Shutter, “and next year we’re aiming for number one.”
For more information about the rankings, visit www.princetonreview.com
