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The results show that students without appointments spend an average of 22 minutes longer at Campus Health than those with appointments.

The Campus Health Center completed time studies last week to determine and evaluate the amount of time students spend at the center, from the time they check in at the reception desk to the time they are discharged by a doctor.

The studies, which were conducted throughout the month of April, are part of the continuing Quality Improvement program at the center, said Joyce Meder, assistant director for Health and Wellness at Campus Health Services.

The center monitored 743 students who came to the health center with an appointment to see a specific doctor, and 923 students who walked in without an appointment, Meder said.

Yesterday, Gail Thomas, a quality improvement nurse at Campus Health, calculated a preliminary average amount of time students spent in the health center.

Thomas estimated that students with an appointment spent an average of 45 minutes at the health center, including time spent in lab testing and pharmacy. About 700 students were analyzed for the preliminary estimate.

Students without an appointment spent an estimated average of 67 minutes at the health center, based on 34 percent of the total number of students monitored.

"We need to ask what do we need to do to change that," she said.

Thomas said the amount of time was monitored from the moment students clocked in at the reception desk to the moment they were discharged by a doctor.

Jennifer Dickson, a psychology junior, said she spent 10 to 15 minutes from the time she signed in to when she was able to see a triage nurse Thursday.

Yesterday, Dickson said she had an appointment and was able to see the doctor right away.

"They do a pretty good job of getting people in and out," Dickson said.

Marilena Stimpel, a researcher from Italy visiting the Geosciences Department, said once she signed in, she was able to get her vaccination from a nurse right away.

Stimpel said she did not have an appointment.

"I just paid, and they walked me in," she said.

Stimpel said she had to wait about a hour at the business office to provide health insurance information, but she thought that was pretty normal.

Meder said the center wants to continue providing quality care, which includes meeting the students' needs in getting through the system.

The studies involved an extra form paperclipped at the top of each patient's clipboard. The form stated the time each individual clocked in, the time that person was able to see a triage nurse, and the discharge time.

Meder said the center paid particular attention to the times of day with the heaviest case loads.

Once all the results are calculated, Thomas said the data can be evaluated according to several parameters.

"We can look at it from a lot of different ways," she said.

The day of the week and the time of day will be evaluated in terms of case load, Thomas said.

Thomas said she has not found any other health care providers in the Tucson area with which she can compare the health center's results.

"They said it's too time consuming and too difficult to analyze," she said.

Meder added the time studies do not cost the university any extra money. The process simply involved an extra form and a nurse tallying the information, she said.

The final results of the survey are expected to be released at the end of May.