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East Carolina University Student Health Services (SHS) is comprised of dedicated professionals offering comprehensive health care to enrolled students. SHS specializes in the well-being of ECU students by offering affordable, convenient, and high quality services as recognized by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC).

What to Send with Your Student

Students should keep a list of their current medications as well as any known allergies. A good idea is to have them enter the information into a note on their phone so they are never without it.

Many do not know their insurance carrier or any basic information about how to use their policy. Make sure they have a basic understanding of their coverage and that they possess a copy of their current insurance card or a picture of the front and back of the card.

Student Health offers a variety of over the counter items for purchase, and we strongly recommend that students keep some basic health care supplies on hand. A good “first aid kit”would include:

• Digital thermometer
• Band-Aids
• Topical antibiotic ointment
• Pain reliever (Tylenol or ibuprofen)
• Over the counter medications for minor illness symptoms such as upset stomach, cough, sore throat, and runny nose
• Gatorade/bottled water
• Soup or other easy to make meal
• Cleaning wipes, for sanitizing commonly used surfaces like door knobs, keyboards and telephones

Keeping Healthy on Campus

Communicable diseases such as influenza spread quickly on college campuses and vaccination is the best way students can protect themselves. Encourage your student to get an annual flu shot. Student Health offers several on campus flu clinics in the fall months, both at our health centers and out on campus, and also by appointment into the spring while supplies last.

The meningitis vaccines, while not required for enrollment, are strongly advised particularly for freshmen and students living in residence halls. Meningitis can be life altering or even fatal; although rare, cases can spread quickly, and the results can be devastating. Student Health offers vaccines for both serotypes ACYW and B by appointment or you may prefer to have your student vaccinated at your home healthcare provider office prior to coming to campus.

For more information on meningitis, visit the Centers for Disease Control.

Encourage students to practice good hygiene practices to help control germs and keep themselves healthy. College environments can provide for easy transmission of many viral, bacterial, and other communicable diseases such as colds, staph infections (MRSA), noroviruses(e.g. “stomach flu”), scabies infestations, and many others. The best prevention for these types of problems is through good hand washing, avoidance of shared utensils/cups/towels/linens, and cleaning of commonly touched surfaces.

Privacy & Confidentiality

Student Health Services (SHS) respects and preserves the privacy and confidentiality of all patient information. Information whether written, spoken, recorded electronically, or printed will receive the highest level of confidentiality.

We are committed to protecting our patients’ privacy and maintaining our organization’s security of information. At SHS, we continue to comply with state and federal regulations. We strive to maintain the confidentiality, security, and integrity of our patients’ health information.

We also know that you also are very interested in the health of your student. Although parents and families often feel it's unfair, we are unable to discuss information relating to a student's health care--including appointments, billing, provider visits, lab test results, etc. Except in life threatening emergencies, or unless required by federal, state, or local law(s), your student’s health information will not be disclosed without the student’s authorization.

On occasion, SHS receives telephone calls from parents about their students’ medical care. Our health care providers are unable to disclose or discuss any medical information without the student’s verbal or written permission. In certain medical situations, SHS is also unable to disclose medical information regarding a minor.

The Buckley Form

FERPA (Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act of 1974) guarantees certain rights to students. A couple of these rights are: the right to inspect and review their educational records, the right to seek to amend their educational records, and the right to limit the disclosure of their educational records.

East Carolina University can only provide confidential information about a student to a third party when the student completes the Buckley Form (accessed from PiratePort), and as long as the parent/guardian presents tax information demonstrating the student is claimed as a dependent. The Buckley Form only authorizes ECU to share information related to the student’s academic, judicial, and/or financial records (to a third party). The Buckley Form does not permit ECU, or specifically Student Health Service, to release any medical or health information about a student/patient.

Similar to FERPA, HIPAA is the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act which protects patient rights regarding personal health information. Medical records are completely confidential. In most situations, unless a student provides permission, we cannot disclose any health information to anyone, including parents, friends, or professors. There is a specific medical authorization form that must be completed by the patient in order for Student Health Service to provide health information to a third party.

What if SHS is closed?

When SHS is closed, your student still has access to medical advice. Call 911 for emergencies, but if they just want to talk to a nurse about an issue, call (252) 328-6841 for instructions to use our free, 24 hour nurse line. Self care information for treating problems can be found on our self care page, or students can submit a question to gotquestions@ecu.edu.