Hoping to cut down on wait times for walk-in patients, Searle Health Services officials said new hirings will help alleviate their staffing shortage and bring more adequate service to students.

Searle recently hired two physicians and a pharmacy technician, and Counseling and Psychological Services hired a temporary psychologist for December to May, said William Banis, vice president for student affairs.

“The (scheduled) appointments work well, generally speaking,” Banis said. “You can’t always plan when you get sick and you need to see a doctor or nurse.”

More students come to Searle during colder weather and around finals, although turnout is always “robust,” Banis said.

Music and Weinberg sophomore Tony Lin said that although he waited only 20 minutes to get a flu shot in late November, he saw a sign warning students that waits could be anywhere between 45 and 60 minutes.

Lin, who is also a health aide, said that students complain of waiting problems, and sometimes assume that their appointment will be an hour later, come back to Searle and then find out the time slot has passed.

“When they come back an hour later, their number has already been called, so they have to wait all over again,” Lin said.

Last week Searle also received wireless Internet connections like the ones at Norris University Center for students to use while they wait. Music and McCormick junior Susan Chou said she has a laptop and might purchase a wireless network card, which costs between $85 and $116.

“If I came to see a doctor I know I would be waiting at least an hour, and then another half-hour to wait for my prescription,” said Chou. “The (Internet access) is going to be very useful.”

Officials said that the hiring of a pharmacy technician, who assists the pharmacist in filling prescriptions for patients, already has helped reduce the wait time.

“Students have had waiting time issues but we feel fortunate that we were given flexibility to hire another technician,” said Brian Druley, associate director for health services and information at Searle. “The new person has only been here a month but it’s already having a positive impact on decreasing student waiting time.”

The nursing staff also decided to add an evening patient representative, who will help check in students and handle medical records. An afternoon worker was moved to the later shift at his request, director of nursing Elizabeth Fleckenstein said.

“We’ve never had a patient representative on the evening staff before,” Fleckenstein said. “It will provide more consistency in the continuity of care.”

Searle is accepting and interviewing applicants for a patient representative who would work in the afternoons, which is traditionally a busy time for patients, Fleckenstein said.

Several of the students working in the medical records department during the evening have been switched to a weekend shift as a result of the personnel change, Fleckenstein said.

Amid these staffing transitions, Searle continues to deal with a change in leadership.

Director of Health Services Mark Gardner has been on leave since the beginning of Fall Quarter. Banis declined to comment on Gardner’s absence, citing university policy not to discuss personnel issues.

Associate Director Pengwynne Blevins is fulfilling his duties until he returns.

Health education also has undergone transitions. Ken Papineau has assumed control of the health education program and is in charge of several student groups, including the peer health educator program, said Patti Lubin, a health educator.