When UHS is Closed

Whenever UHS offices are closed, a UHS staff member is on-call and available by phone for urgent concerns that cannot wait until the offices re-open. If your concern is an emergency, please call Public Safety at 585-275-2662 for assistance. If you are off campus, call 911.

Determining if your concern is urgent or not is an important first step when deciding whether to call the UHS staff member or whether to wait until the offices re-open. Below we provide examples of concerns that are urgent and those that are not to help you decide if you need to speak with the UHS staff member or if waiting to call UHS when the offices are open is more appropriate. You might find it helpful to check UHS Locations and Hours to see when UHS offices are open.

1. Decide if the medical condition is urgent.

URGENT CONCERNS:

It would be appropriate to call the UHS physician on-call for these types of concerns.

Real shortness of breath or trouble breathing.
Abdominal pain severe enough to wake you up and cannot be relieved by an over-the-counter medication (e.g., Tylenol).
A foreign body in the eye.
A headache followed by a high fever, or the worst headache you have ever had.
You are vomiting blood.

NON-URGENT CONCERNS:

These concerns are not considered urgent. Waiting to call UHS when the offices re-open is recommended. Call UHS at 585-275-2662 to schedule an appointment.

You have had a cold or bad sore throat for the past few days.
You are vomiting or you have diarrhea for less than 8 hours.
You have a cut that is less than 1″ long and not deep. Apply pressure to stop the bleeding.
You think you have sprained your ankle or other body part. Rest, ice, and elevate the sprained area.
You need a prescription refilled.

IN AN EMERGENCY:

Call Public Safety at 585-275-3333. Public Safety will send the Medical Emergency Response Team (MERT) to assist you.

2. If the condition is urgent, call UHS at 585-275-2662.

Whenever the UHS offices are closed, a UHS staff member is on-call and available by phone from home for urgent concerns that cannot wait until the offices re-open. In an emergency on campus, call 585-275-3333 to reach Public Safety. Call 911 if off campus.

When you call UHS after hours, here is what you can expect:

You will reach the after-hours answering service for the University Health Service.The answering service will page the UHS staff member on call who will return your call, usually within 10-15 minutes. If you do not hear from the physician within 20 minutes, call again.
When talking with the physician, be clear when explaining your symptoms. Be prepared to describe your symptoms and when they started. If you are in pain, you will be asked where the pain is and whether it is a dull ache or a stabbing pain. You may be asked if you have a temperature and if you have had this type of problem before.
Follow the physician’s recommendation(s). The physician may suggest taking an over-the-counter medication, applying heat, gargling, calling UHS first thing in the morning to schedule an appointment for that day, or going to the emergency department.

DO NOT go to the emergency department unless your situation is life threatening or you have been in a serious accident. Call UHS at 585-275-2662 first, even if you think UHS is closed. If UHS is closed, you can speak with the UHS staff member on-call who will talk with you about what you should do.

REMEMBER

To schedule an appointment at any UHS office, call 585-275-2662. If you are unsure when UHS offices are open, the phone message will tell you when you call. You can also check Location & Hours.
When UHS is closed, call 585-275-2662 to reach the UHS staff member on-call.
In a mental health emergency, contact the University Counseling Center (UCC) by calling 585-275-3113. A mental health professional is on call 24 hours a day throughout the year. If UCC is closed when you call, you will reach the answering service. The mental health professional will be paged and will then call you.
In an emergency, call Public Safety at 585-275-3333 for assistance. If off-campus, dial 911.