Policies

Students who arrive more than 10 minutes late for their scheduled appointments will be rescheduled for a future date and time. Late students will not be permitted to reschedule for the same day. Students being late causes other scheduled appointments to be delayed, and this is not fair to our other patients. Student Health and Counseling Services advises that students arrive 10 to 15 minutes prior to their scheduled appointment to ensure they have plenty of time to find parking, check in for their appointment and complete any necessary paperwork.

Student Health and Counseling Services encourages the development of responsible health care habits by holding students accountable for their decisions regarding class attendance. Therefore, we will not issue notes, excuses or medical documentation of illness for routine clinic or counseling visits. However, in cases of severe illnesses or illness requiring an extended recovery period (for example: influenza or mono), we will provide a written statement. It remains the responsibility of the student to communicate directly with faculty. All decisions about the impact of the absence on the student’s grade, as well as any arrangements for making up work are at the discretion of the instructor.

The staff of the Student Health and Counseling Services welcomes your contact. For this reason, we offer the following information to help you decide on the best method of communication. We also respect your privacy and time. Since we take your time and confidentiality very seriously, we consider it imperative that you understand the limitations of e-mail technology. Your use of e-mail constitutes your acknowledgement of these confidentiality and security limitations.

E-mail is not an appropriate means of communication for medical or mental health advisement. Therefore, we do not offer on-line treatment, consultation, diagnosis or assessment. If you are a UTM student seeking assistance with a problem, please visit our office or call to make an appointment. We also do not accept e-mail requests for medical records or appointments.

We try to check our e-mail regularly; however, due to circumstances such as illness, university closing, vacation or the network difficulty, your message may not be received immediately. This means that our response may be delayed. If you have a time sensitive question or request, you should consider calling our office at (731) 881-7750.

The General Assembly of Tennessee requires first time students to provide proof of immunity or immunization for measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) and Varicella (Chicken Pox). State law also mandates that incoming students be informed of risk factors and dangers of meningococcal disease and hepatitis B.

Please click here for complete policy information.

Student Health and Counseling Services (SHCS) respects the right to privacy of all our clients and patients and we maintain strict confidentiality of health related information. We do not share individual medical/counseling information or information regarding patient utilization with family members, or faculty/staff/university administrators outside of SHCS without formal authorization/consent from the patient. There are some exceptions, however:

• To report suspected child abuse (sexual, emotional, or physical) and neglect.
• To report suspected elder abuse to the proper authorities.
• To comply with a judicial order or lawful subpoena.
• If knowledge of the information is necessary to protect the health and safety of you or other persons.
• To report communicable diseases and events to public health officials as required by state law.

In accordance with privacy laws and ethical practice, SHCS also restricts access to individual health information to staff who are involved in the provision of the patient's care on a minimum necessary - need to know basis.

SHCS records are covered by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Federal regulations state that university education records and treatment records are excluded from coverage under the HIPPA Privacy and Security Rules. Treatment records are records that are made or maintained by a healthcare professional; used only for your medical treatment; and are only available to treatment providers.

Students can make a written request to see their treatment records or release their records to entities outside of SHCS. However, when your records are disclosed to you they are considered education records (and are no longer treatment records). In this circumstance, the confidentiality protections under FERPA, though stringent, could allow further access to campus entities that are not a student's medical or mental health provider.

Students can print a consent to release information form. The consent to release treatment information is legally limited to circumstances that have already happened. Blanket consent can't be given in advance for circumstances that have not yet occurred. A patient may terminate a consent to release treatment records/information at any time. This must be done in writing. It is not possible for this to apply to records that have already been released as authorized.

SHCS will release medical information when requested in the following manner:

1. An Authorization for Release of and/or Verbal Exchange of Medical Information Form must be completed and signed by the patient for whom the records are requested.
2. The form must comply with the following:
   • Be accompanied by a photocopy of a current photo ID of the patient.
   • Include the patient’s full name, student ID, and the years wherein care was received from SHCS.
   • Include the address to which the records should be forwarded.
   • Include a current phone number whereby contact can be made with the patient.
   • Be signed by the patient.
3. If the records are to be released to a third party entity other than an individual, then a specific name, contact number and address of the receiving entity must be provided.
4. When requesting only limited information from the records, the time period and information to be released must be listed. We will release only the information requested.
5. You may submit your request by one of the following methods:
   • In person at SHCS,
   • By mail to:
     University of Tennessee at Martin
     Student Health and Counseling Services
     609 Lee Street
     Martin, TN 38238
   • By fax at 731-881-7752

Patients have the right to file a complaint or make inquires if they believe privacy rights have been violated.

Please contact one of the following:

Gina McClure, Interim Director for Student Health and Counseling Services

Stephanie Gray, CFNP, Certified Nurse Practitioner for Student Health

Jenifer Hart, LMSW, Clinical Coordinator of Counseling Services

Patient/Client Rights

• To be treated with respect, dignity, and consideration of the individual patient's/client’s cultural, psychosocial, spiritual, and personal values, beliefs, and preferences.
• To be free from mental, physical, sexual, and verbal abuse, neglect, and exploitation while under the care of Student Health and Counseling Services.
• To receive the best care available for your problem in a courteous and considerate manner without regard to national origin, race, age, gender, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, disability, or illness.
• To know the identity and professional status of individuals providing your care.
•  To obtain from the provider, to the degree known, information concerning your diagnosis, treatment, prognosis, possible risks, side effects and alternative methods of treatment.
• To be informed (along with your family when appropriate) about the outcomes of care, including unanticipated outcomes. 
• To be informed of the personal responsibilities involved in seeking medical/counseling treatment and maintaining health and well-being thereafter.
• To have your pain assessed, treated and managed appropriately.
• To participate in decisions involving your health care and in resolving conflicts about care decisions.
• To refuse care, treatment, or services in accordance with law and regulation and to be informed of the medical consequences of such action.
• To refuse participation in research studies.
• To confidential treatment of disclosures and records, and to approve or refuse the release of such information, except where release is required by law.
• To a safe and accessible environment.
• To have access to resource persons and information concerning wellness education, self-care and prevention of illness.
• To receive an itemized statement of the services provided by Student Health and Counseling Services and information about fees and payment policies upon request.
• To voice concerns and/or recommend changes in policies and services.

Patient/Client Responsibilities

• To provide, to the best of your ability, accurate and complete information needed to assure your proper evaluation and treatment.
• To follow treatment plans recommended by your provider and to ask questions or discuss concerns with the provider when you do not understand or agree with the plan of treatment.
• To be respectful, cooperative, and considerate of other patients/clients, Student Health and Counseling Services staff and facility.
• To follow appropriate rules and regulations.
• To keep appointments reliably and promptly.
• To cancel appointments only when absolutely necessary and far enough in advance so that other patients/clients might utilize the time.
• To fulfill financial obligations for your care in a timely manner.
• To be familiar with your health insurance coverage and provide information necessary for appropriate provider referral, if needed.
• To accept consequences as a result of your actions.

Except in a few instances (for example, treatment related to sexually transmitted diseases, drug or alcohol abuse, or emergencies), the State of Tennessee requires that a person be 18 years of age before he/she can receive medical treatment without the consent of a parent or guardian. It is often difficult to reach a parent or guardian to obtain consent each time that a student under 18 requires treatment, and it can be frustrating for the minor student awaiting treatment. Therefore, parents/guardians are given an opportunity to provide the information to facilitate treatment should a need arise by completing Consent for Treatment of Minors form.