Frequently Asked Questions

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What can I do if there's an emergency and the Health and Wellness Center is closed?

  • In a medical emergency, call Campus Safety (X7911).
  • In a counseling emergency call ProtoCall, the on-call counseling service, at 610-526-7778.

What constitutes an “urgent” health problem?

An “urgent” medical problem (which would need a trip to the ER when the Health and Wellness Center is closed) is one that could result in harm occurring or a significant deterioration of the medical condition before 9am the next morning when the Health and Wellness Center opens. Usually these are conditions that are fairly recent in onset and quickly deteriorating.

Are there pharmacies in the area I can use?

Yes. Here is a list of local pharmacies:

  • Tepper Pharmacy (delivers), 333 Lancaster Ave. #5, Wynnewood, Pa 19096, 610-649-0390
  • CVS  (delivers), 1218 E Lancaster Ave., Bryn Mawr, Pa 19010, 610-519-1920
  • Rite Aid, 708 W Lancaster Ave., Bryn Mawr, PA 19010, 610-527-3603
  • Parvins Pharmacy (delivers), 30 N Bryn Mawr Ave., Bryn Mawr, PA 19010, 610-525-0443

If I suspect another student has alcohol poisoning, whom should I contact?

Call Campus Safety.

If the person is unresponsive, requires substantial assistance to walk and/or cannot stand upright, call Campus Safety (X7911) and tell them there is an emergency situation. If it is apparent an ambulance is needed, let them know. Campus Safety is best able to contact emergency services to direct them to the correct location.

What are the costs of different services that the Health and Wellness Center provides?

Our fee schedule is on our “Services” page. All Physician, Nurse and Nurse Practitioner evaluations for a problem or question are free of charge to all undergraduate students and to graduate students who have the college insurance. There is no charge for short-term counseling visits for undergraduates.

No student is ever denied needed care due to an inability to pay.

What does student health insurance cover?

Each student should have received information about the College insurance plan which describes the services covered by the student health insurance. The student health care plan is considered the primary insurance for the student unless the student has their own primary insurance.

If the student cannot pay for testing (HIV, pregnancy, etc), can the Health and Wellness Center help in any way?

We encourage students to come see us and we will work with them to overcome financial barriers to care.

Cost should never be a barrier for a student seeking needed care at the Health and Wellness Center.

 Are all records, visits, and medical information kept confidential? Can families request them without a student’s permission?

Medical and counseling records are completely confidential. We cannot release any information to family members, a dean, or other college officials without a student’s permission. The only time we can break that confidentiality is if the student or others are in a life-threatening situation. We can also release information to other treating professionals. 

Students sometimes worry about receiving care for some issues, e.g., birth control, sexually transmitted diseases, drug and alcohol issues etc. because they do not want it to appear on their parents’ insurance. Is there a way around this?

We will gladly work with students on any issues of insurance confidentiality and/or cost. Please encourage them to come discuss it with us if it presents a barrier to care.

If a student is not on the athletic teams but suffers an athletic injury, can they see the athletic trainer?

The Athletic trainers can only treat athletes on Bryn Mawr athletic teams.

What is the relationship between the student EMS service and the Health and Wellness Center?

There is no relationship. They work with Campus safety.

What is the Health and Wellness Center policy on responding to phone calls from parents about a student?

For both legal and ethical reasons Health and Wellness Center providers cannot share any information with a parent, dean, friend, etc without the student's permission. Generally a parent is asked to contact the student to call the Health and Wellness Center to tell us to give permission to talk to the parent. Occasionally the Health and Wellness Center provider will try to contact the student and ask if the student wants us to share information with the parent. 

We do tell parents they are welcome to share any concerns they have with us.

If a student is in an imminent life threatening situation, however, or if the student is physically unable to give permission (e.g., unconscious) it may be necessary to talk to the parent without permission.  In such a case every effort is made to have the student be part of that conversation.

If I'm seen at the Health and Wellness Center and need a prescription medication, how do I get it?

The Health and Wellness Center has many common medications on site. They can be dispensed by the nurses at the time of your visit.

If the medication needs to be obtained from an outside pharmacy, the student may be given a prescription or the prescription may be called in to an outside pharmacy. Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. the nurse can work with the student to help them understand how to utilize their prescription plan and can find a nearby pharmacy.

If I charge something at the Health and Wellness Center, will my parents know?

Charges from the Health and Wellness Center will appear on a student’s tuition bill as a “Health and Wellness Center charge,” but will not include information about the specific medication, test or other service which was provided.

Can I have prescriptions that are filled by an outside pharmacy delivered to the Health and Wellness Center?

If you get your prescriptions filled at CVS (in Bryn Mawr), Rite Aid (in Bryn Mawr), Tepper Pharmacy (Wynnewood), or Parvins Pharmacy (in Bryn Mawr), arrangements can be made to have prescriptions delivered or students can pick-up at each pharmacy. Student should have insurance information, credit card, and telephone number available when arranging for delivery of medications. No prescriptions from outside pharmacies will be accepted at the Health and Wellness Center.

If I need to transfer an existing prescription medication, how do I do it?

Students should contact their prescribing physician to transfer to CVS  (610) 519-1920, Rite Aid (610) 527-3603, Tepper Pharmacy 610-649-0390, or Parvins Pharmacy, (610) 525-0443.

If a student is referred from the Health and Wellness Center to the hospital emergency room for evaluation how are they transported there?

Campus Safety is called to transport the student unless they have their own transportation or their condition requires an ambulance. 

What is "the flu"?

While people often refer to a variety of viral illnesses as "the flu", the medical term "flu" (or influenza) refers to a specific illness which is seasonal in nature and generally occurs in this area between December and March. Classically it is sudden in onset, almost always results in a cough, fever and body aches, and can have other symptoms such as sore throat, stuffy head, nausea and vomiting. The flu shot helps protects you from this specific illness.

The Health and Wellness Center will send out a community email when flu is first diagnosed on campus with reminders of what to do if you develop symptoms.

When are flu shots available?

A campus wide announcement will be sent when the “flu shots” are available

What is the average wait time at the Health and Wellness Center?

Visits are by appointment only. Provider will speak to you, evaluate your concerns, and make an appointment if needed. Provider will see you immediately at the health center when you arrive. There will no wait time in the health center.

Is it possible to come to the Health and Wellness Center just to get information on health issues?

Health Education and empowering the student to be actively involved in their medical care is an important part of our mission. If a student wants information about a medical issue, they can call and ask to speak with the nurse about a medical issue, or make an appointment with any of our providers.

What care can the nurses provide on weekends 9 a.m.-1 p.m.?

Team Health is available to answer questions and concerns by phone at 844-973-1590. Call campus safety for any emergency at 610-526-7911.

Do I have to have a pelvic exam in order to receive gyn care?

Anyone can make a gyn visit for any reason, even just to talk. The recommendations for gyn exams have changed and you can discuss that with the nurse practitioner when you meet with her. 

Where can students get emergency contraception?

Emergency contraception is available any local pharmacy. Student must show proof of being 18 years old or older at pharmacy counter.

Can hormonal contraception be given to people with depression?

Depression is considered a condition in which it is safe to use any form of hormonal contraception.

Is it okay for people with migraine headaches to use hormonal contraception?

It depends. When a student with migraine headaches wants to start birth control pills, they will be asked for more information about their headaches. For those who have an "aura" (i.e. a neurologic symptom that precedes the headache), a deeper discussion will take place about the risks of contraceptive use. While there is a very small risk of blood clots or stroke in all people who use hormonal contraception, studies indicate that risk may be greater in people with migraines with aura.

What are the costs for services at the Health and Wellness Center?

All undergraduate students can be seen by the physician, nurse practitioner, nurse, and short-term counseling for free. There are charges for some services such as laboratory tests and medications. The fee schedule is on our website. However, no student is ever denied needed care due to an inability to pay.

What Health and Wellness Center costs are covered by the student health insurance?

You should have received information about the student health insurance program. Please note that it should be used as a “secondary” insurance.  Family insurance should be used as the primary insurance. If part or all of the bill is not covered by the primary insurance it should be submitted to the college insurance.

Please note: the Health and Wellness Center does not administer the insurance program. You should have received information on it separately.

How will I find out about my lab test results?

A provider from the Health and Wellness Center may notify you of your lab results via secure message. If that happens, you will receive an email directing you to Online Student Health. The sender will be noreply and the subject line will be: Online Student Health:  New Message. In Online Student Health, you will enter your college username and password in order to view your results securely.

If you have not received a message from the Health and Wellness Center about your lab test results within a week, you can call the Health and Wellness Center to request that information.

I was seen at the Health and Wellness Center, I did what I was told, but now I feel even worse (or no better)! What should I do?

Ideally each patient should be told at the end of the visit that if they feel worse or there is no improvement in a reasonable period of time they should call.

The practice of medicine is a combination of science and art. We use the “history” of the illness which the patient tells us and the physical exam of the patient to develop a “differential diagnosis”—which is a list of possible illnesses the patient could have. Most of the time we use this information along with the knowledge of what is most likely to occur to make a working diagnosis and create a treatment plan. The “course” of the illness is another important diagnosis tool. If, for instance, it appears an individual has a “cold”, then symptoms should abate after a few days. If the symptoms don’t improve or additional symptoms occur it may suggest allergies or complications such as sinusitis, ear infection, mono or bronchitis. Could these illnesses have been diagnosed on the first visit? Sometimes expensive, inconvenient, and /or uncomfortable testing may have given an indication, but not always. Many times the course of the illness indicates the diagnosis more quickly than testing would anyway.  It may also be that a new problem developed after you left the Health and Wellness Center, e.g., when a viral illness (like a cold) sets up a great environment for bacteria to grow leading to the development of sinusitis or bronchitis which then needs antibiotics.

Regular Health and Wellness Center Hours

Monday-Friday: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. by appointment only. No walk-in services available. Call 610-526-7360 for an appointment.

There are no weekend appointments. Call campus safety for any emergency.

After Hours Counseling Services

When the College is in session, to speak with a counselor when the Health and Wellness Center is closed, call the Counseling Line at 610-526-7778.