Skip to main content
uta
Campus Operations Banner

History

Over the years, UT Arlington Health Services has continued to offer excellent health care services to the University community. Health Services originally opened on campus in its present building in 1963. Health Services was initially staffed by nine registered nurses and five physicians. The facility housed a medical laboratory, a diagnostic radiology department and a pharmacy that was directed by a nurse until 1982 when a pharmacist was hired. In the '60s and '70s, Health Services was an inpatient and outpatient facility, open 24/7 throughout the year. A nurse was always on duty. In fact, after 5:00 p.m., the nurse on duty was responsible for urgent care, patient meals, laboratory tests, dispensing medications, performing X-rays, and so on. Most in-patients were student athletes.

In the early 1980s, the UT Arlington football team was disbanded. This created a dramatic drop in the inpatient census and the resulting closure of the inpatient nursing unit. Concentrating on outpatient or ambulatory care, Health Services adjusted its hours from 24/7 to 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. and then down to a closing time of 6:00 p.m. due to lack of demand for evening care.

Until 1992, Health Services was funded by the Student Service Fee Advisory Committee. Then in 1992, the Texas Legislature passed a bill creating a Medical Services Fee. Funds to operate Health Services now come from student tuition per student per term. The Texas Administrative Code requires these funds be used for healthcare to enrolled students only.

In 1998, a pilot program was initiated to evaluate faculty and staff members on an urgent basis. This program was formalized in 2000. Since Health Services was no longer seeing students only, the University changed its name to UT Arlington Health Services. Subsequent re-evaluation of the costs versus the benefits of using University resoures to treat University employees who are already provided with state-funded health care led to the decision to stop providing treatment of University employees for non-work related purposes. Faculty and staff are no longer eligible to utilize Health Services as of September 1, 2011.

In January 2007, Health Services changed the medical clinic from all walk-ins to all appointments. Patients must call to make an appointment or schedule one online prior to arriving to Health Services.

As of August 2008, Health Services offers the following services: general medical clinic, women's health, mental health (psychiatry and psychology), immunization clinic, medical laboratory, diagnostic radiology, and pharmacy. In addition, we offer a health promotion and substance abuse prevention program.