Urgent Medical Care

The Urgent Care area of Medical Services assists Columbia students with urgent medical concerns. While we encourage all students to make an appointment with their primary care provider for routine medical care and illnesses, there are times when a sudden, serious illness or injury may require the immediate care that the Urgent Care area provides.

Urgent Care is located on the 3rd floor of John Jay Hall.

What to Expect When You Come to Urgent Care
 
Understanding how services are provided in the Urgent Care area will help you to obtain the most effective and appropriate medical care.
 
Upon your arrival:
  1. Sign in and complete a brief registration form at the front desk.
  2. If you are experiencing an acute condition (e.g., chest pain, shortness of breath, or severe abdominal pain), you should inform the front desk before completing the form.
 
Students are seen in order of severity of illness in the Urgent Care area. Depending on the nature of your medical concern, this may result in a significant wait time. It is likely that an extended wait time will occur during the busiest hours of the Urgent Care area (generally 11 a.m. - 2 p.m., and after 5 p.m.). Your cooperation and patience while waiting are appreciated.
 
If your condition does not require immediate care, a nurse may schedule a same-day appointment for you in one of our practice groups. Rarely, students have conditions that cannot be fully evaluated or treated in the Urgent Care area. In these instances arrangements are promptly made for you to be transferred to St. Luke’s Hospital Emergency Room or you may be given a referral to see a specialist located outside of Columbia Health.
 
Students should be familiar with their insurance coverage for emergency care.

After Hours Emergencies and Urgent Health Concerns
  • Dial 911 if you are off campus.
  • St. Luke’s Hospital Emergency Room at 113th Street and Amsterdam Avenue is the nearest emergency room to the Morningside campus, and is open 24 hours a day.
  • If you have an urgent concern after clinical hours, contact the clinician-on-call at (212) 854-9797. Your concern will be assessed by one of our expert telephone triage specialists and recommendations for care will be provided.
Laboratory Services

Many laboratory tests for routine medical conditions are completed on-site in the Medical Services laboratory. Specialized testing is sent to an off-site laboratory (LabCorp) and is subject to co-payments and fees determined by your insurance carrier.


Radiology Services

X-rays and other types of diagnostic imaging are usually performed at a nearby location of West Side Radiology, and the cost to the student depends on their individual insurance coverage.


Fees

Visits to the Urgent Care area and Medical Services are covered by the Columbia Health Program Fee. For those students who have not enrolled in the Columbia Health Program, a fee will be charged per visit. For more information about the costs for care, go to Fees.
 

Insurance Coverage

Medical Services serves as the primary care provider for all students who carry the Columbia Student Medical Insurance Plan (Columbia Plan) and also for all students enrolled in the Columbia Health Program.
 

All visits to Medical Services, including the Urgent Care area, may be covered under the Columbia Health Program. There is no limit to the frequency or total number of visits. Visits to outside specialists, if necessary, should be arranged in consultation with a Primary Care Provider and is covered under the Columbia Plan. A referral is required in advance of an off-campus visit.

To obtain a referral, make an appointment to be evaluated by a Primary Care Provider. Referrals are written at the discretion of providers at the time of your visit, based on your medical condition.

Students who have their own medical insurance will be covered for off-campus medical services as determined by their individual carrier.

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General Information (212) 854-2284
After-hours urgent health concerns (212) 854-9797
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