Searle Student Health Service — in a move to use its staff and budget more efficiently — has scaled back its hours of operation significantly this year.

Unlike last year when Searle was open for business from 8 a.m. until 11 p.m. seven days a week, Searle now closes at 4:30 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays; 5:30 p.m. Tuesdays; 11:30 a.m. Saturdays and is closed on Sundays.

According to Director of Health Services Donald Misch, most students did not use the late hours. He said that during the 2003-04 school year, Searle averaged one and a half patients per night.

Searle closed its overnight infirmary in late 2003 and stayed open nightly until 11 p.m. last year “mostly out of guilt” of terminating the overnight program, Misch said.

Misch added that most of Northwestern’s peer institutions have shortened the daily hours of operations at their student health centers in recent years.

As in the past, a physician will be on call at all times and students are encouraged to go to the hospital for serious medical emergencies, he added.

“We thought, ‘Golly, we have to have three people working to serve only one and a half visitors, most of whom were healthy and just came because we were open,” Misch said. “We wanted to utilize our resources more effectively.”

Misch said Searle has not heard much of a reaction from students since the change in hours has been implemented.

Although there was a slight budget cut for the health center, the budget has remained relatively flat. The evening nursing and front desk staff has been shifted to work during Searle’s daytime hours.

This change allows Women’s Health Services — a branch of Searle — to add a staff member and extend its hours.

Searle also hopes to restart a medical clinic for overseas preparation, so students leaving the country can receive their immunizations on campus.

Students attending Searle on Wednesday afternoon largely were unaware of the change in hours but commented on the change and differed in their opinions on the overall quality of patient care.

Jenny Kaminer, a fifth-year graduate student in the Slavic department, said she was disappointed with the change in hours and said that she sees it as a pattern of Searle’s inaccessibility to students.

“One time I had the misfortune of being sick on a Saturday and the medicine was much more expensive,” Kaminer said. “The health insurance for graduate students is also incredibly expensive. I’m tired of getting less for more.”

Busy students don’t always have time to go to Searle during the day, Weinberg senior Katie Hoemann said.

“I can never go in there to just ask one simple question,” Hoemann said. “And if I don’t have time so many other students probably don’t.”

But Emily Hinkens said she thinks the shortening of Searle’s hours was a move of practicality.

“Most people can fit appointments in around classes,” said Hinkens, a Weinberg sophomore. “Most people don’t go to the doctor at 10 o’clock at night.”

Reach Diana Scholl at [email protected].

Searle?s hours

Last Year:

? 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. seven days a week

This Year:

? 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays

? 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Tuesdays

? 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Saturdays

? Closed on Sundays