Health Services

www.smu.edu/healthcenter

The Dr. Bob Smith Health Center provides SMU students with quality, comprehensive and student-centered medical care, pharmacy services, dental services, mental health services, and outreach programs designed to promote students' health and wellbeing. The 33,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art clinic facility is centrally located on campus at 6211 Bishop Boulevard. The Health Center is certified by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC) and the International Accreditation of Counseling Services (IACS) for meeting rigorous nationally recognized standards and committing to delivering the highest quality of care.

Medical Services

Primary care expertise is available in a full-service clinic offering a broad spectrum of health services to students. Services include physicals, preventive care check-ups, vaccinations, allergy injections, chronic disease management, sick visits and acute care. Additional specialty care is available for women's health and dermatology. The clinic maintains an on-site medical laboratory, pharmacy, X-ray services, and a part-time sports medicine clinic. For appointments and health information, call 214-768-2141 or visit www.smu.edu/healthcenter.

Acute/After Hours Care

Students with life-threatening injuries or illnesses should call 911. For non-life-threatening urgent concerns, students may seek a local hospital or urgent care center, a list of which is maintained on the Health Center website. Students may also call 214-768-2141 to speak to a nurse or a professional counselor 24/7.

Costs

The Health Services Fee, included in general student fees, covers routine medical visits and counseling appointments at the Health Center. Charges are assessed for lab testing, x-rays, immunizations, medical supplies, pharmacy and dermatology. Claims for services incurring a fee are filed for students participating in the SMU Student Health Insurance Plan. Students with other insurance plans may request an itemized receipt to submit a claim for insurance reimbursement. The Pharmacy files claims for most insurance plans.

Mandatory Health Insurance Policy

All SMU students are required to maintain insurance coverage as a condition of their enrollment. The University offers the SMU Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP), which is administered by the Health Center's Student Insurance Office and provides coverage at a reasonable cost.

Domestic students taking nine or more credit hours and international students taking one credit hour or more are automatically enrolled in SHIP each semester unless they expressly waive with existing coverage in their my.SMU account. Information about the waiver deadline and waiver process can be found at smu.edu/healthinsurance.
Domestic students taking between four and eight credit hours are eligible to enroll in the Student Health Insurance Plan on a voluntary basis.

An optional student dental plan is also available. Information about student health insurance at SMU is available at smu.edu/healthinsurance or by contacting the Student Health Insurance Office in the Health Center.

Pharmacy

A full-service pharmacy is conveniently located in the Health Center to meet students' prescription needs. The Pharmacy operates from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, and it is in network with most insurance plans. Prescriptions and refills may be transmitted directly to the pharmacy from the student's physician. The Pharmacy offers a full range of prescription and over-the-counter medications, and it also stocks a small retail area with everyday items like groceries, snacks, ready-to-eat food products, toiletries and soft drinks.

Required Immunizations

Texas state law requires all new students entering an institution of higher education under the age of 22 to provide proof of immunization for bacterial meningitis. The meningitis vaccine or a booster dose must have been received during the five-year period prior to enrollment and not less than ten days before the start of classes. Students seeking exemption from this requirement due to health risk or conscience, including religious belief, must review the second page of the SMU medical history health form. Find more information under the Final Matriculation to the University in the Admission to the University section of this catalog.

All required immunizations may be obtained at the Health Center.

Class Absence Due to Illness

The Health Center does not issue excuses from classes for illness, though students may print out their list of appointments from the student portal as evidence of their appointment. Refer to the Health Center website for the Class Excuse Policy.

Confidentiality and Privacy

Confidentiality and privacy of student health information is of paramount importance at the Dr. Bob Smith Health Center. All applicable state and federal laws related to the disclosure of medical and mental health information are adhered and ascribed to. All student-patient health records are confidential and may not be shared with a third party without receiving written permission from the patient. The Dr. Bob Smith Health Center operates as an integrated health care center, and student health records can be accessed by all providers (medical and mental health).

Release of Medical Information

Student health records cannot be released without the written consent of the student. Students may authorize disclosure of their confidential information by signing a release form available from the Dr. Bob Smith Health Center.

Counseling Services

Within the Health Center, Counseling Services provides individual and group therapy, medication management, crisis intervention, and counseling referrals for SMU students. Students can seek support for concerns such as anxiety, depression, relationships, career/life planning, sexual identity, academic distress, and sexual assault/sexual harassment. Free and confidential alcohol and drug prevention services, addressing issues related to substance abuse and addiction, are also offered. Use of all counseling services is voluntary and strictly confidential, and there is no charge to students who have paid the SMU Health Services Fee. Any laboratory tests or pharmaceutical orders are charged to the student. For more information about Counseling Services, call 214-768-2277 or visit www.smu.edu/counseling. To schedule an appointment, use the student health portal located on the homepage of the Health Center website.

Dental Services

The Campus Smiles Dental Office, located on the first floor of the Health Center, offers comprehensive dentistry for the entire SMU campus--students, faculty and staff. Campus Smiles accepts most dental insurance plans. Contact them at 214-768-3384 or smudentist@campus-smiles.com.

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