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Patient Education and Information

Please note that prices and medical information are subject to change This information is for resource information only. Please schedule an appointment with a provider for evaluation and treatment.


 

Staff Members of Student Medical Services

 


  • Board Certified Family Practitioner - James Gibbs, MD
  • Director - LuAnne Rickwartz, RN
  • Candy Marshall, FNP, Teresa Smoot FNP, Michelle Smith FNP, Shravan Devkota FNP, Sherri Drinnon FNP and Angela Phillips FNP. 
    • FNP's - A nurse practitioner (FNP) is a registered nurse who has completed advanced education (a minimum of a master's degree) and training in the diagnosis and management of common medical conditions, including chronic illnesses.­ Nurse practitioners provide a broad range of health care services.­ They provide some of the same care provided by physicians and maintain close working relationships with physicians.­ A FNP can serve as a patient's regular health care provider.­  
  • Registered Nurses - Hayley Robinson, RN and LuAnne Rickwartz, RN
  • X-ray Tech - Donna Adams-Stevens

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­ Appointments, Eligibility and Billing

  • Appointments are required.­ Call 806-651-3287.­   Please keep your appointment  or call to cancel or reschedule the appointment so that others may be able to get an appointment.­ There will be a $30 charge for no shows/non cancellations within one hour of the appointment, a $45 no show charge for a specialist and a $45 no show fee for students that have more than 3 no shows per occurrence.
  • Minors - If the patient is 17 years old or younger, they need parental consent before treatment.
  • Billing - Students are responsible for payment of any additional medical services other than the office visit, which is covered by the Student Health Fee.­ Any unpaid balance not paid within 90 days or by the close of the semester is subject to collection fees assessed by an outside agency.­

  • Payments Student Medical Services Accepts: personal check (please include driver's license, telephone number and address).  All payments made with major credit cards must be processed in person in Student Medical Services. Buff Cash through Buffalo Gold Card. SMS no longer accepts cash payments. 

  • Dependents - SMS does not provide services for dependents or spouses.
  • Holidays - Student Medical Services follows the holiday schedule of WTAMU.­ If classes are closed but the university is open, Student Medical Services will be open.
  • Severe Weather - If the University closes due to severe weather, Student Medical Services will also be closed.­ Please contact Student Medical Services on the following day to reschedule your appointment.­
  • Intersession - no services are available to the students during intersession.­ No health fees are charged.­ .

Emergencies

  • Emergencies - Sudden Life Threatening Illnesses or Injuries - Please call 911.­ This can include severe chest pain, difficulty breathing or not breathing, bleeding severe or profuse, loss of consciousness - severe,­ shock, seizures - serious, suicidal attempts, chemical eye injuries, rape, sexual assault, uncontrollable behavior, violent behavior, drug overdose - including alcohol, poisoning, and drowning.­ Call 911, start CPR if necessary.­
  • Minor Emergencies - Urgent Care can include accidents, burns, falls, chemical injuries, lacerations, concussions, eye injuries, chemical burns - provide first aid to the patient, call 911 if the emergency is severe.­ SMS is available for any minor emergency or urgent care.­­
  • Hospitals - BSA Health Systems Northwest Texas Healthcare System, Quail Creek Surgical Hospital and Amarillo VA Hospital are located in Amarillo, TX.

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Allergy Injections

  • Allergy Injections - Allergy Injections are administered in our office.­ SMS does not provide allergy testing.­ We can administer the serum from your allergy specialist.­ You will be required to wait at least 15 minutes after your injection. Please send or bring in your serum,­ allergist's guidelines and current allergy injection record to Student Medical Services - WTAMU Box 61401, Canyon, TX­ 79016.­­ For a seasonal allergy­ prescription or injection, please schedule an appointment with a provider.­

Prescriptions and Medications

  • Class D Pharmacy - Student Medical Services has a Class D Pharmacy.­ We sell approximately 40 medications. We cannot transfer a prescription from another pharmacy to ours. The patient can transfer medical records from his or her primary care provider.­ If we do not have the medication in stock we will write a prescription or call the prescription in to a local pharmacy.­
  • Cold Packs­ - Cold packs are offered free to students upon request, no appointment required. These packages include:­ decongestants, antihistamines, cough drops, and a tea bag. ­
  • Refills - If you have a current prescription on file through the SMS Pharmacy, please call 806-651-3287 to refill your prescription. If you have completed your prescription and have no further refills, you will need to reschedule an appointment with your provider to get a new prescription.­

Mental Health­

  • Attention Deficit Disorder - Student Medical Services does not perform ADD or ADHD testing in our office.­ A diagnosis from a psychiatrist or other health care professional is required. This will require providing copies of medical records prior to the appointment.­ ADHD medications will not be prescribed for anyone with a history of cardiac disease, including arrhythmias, or to anyone with a history of substance abuse. The patient will be required to get an EKG, CBC and CMP.­ There will be charges for these procedures.­
  • Counseling Services­ please call 806-651-2340

Women's Health  

These appointments could take at least 30 minutes.­ Please plan accordingly.­
  • Breast Exams
  • Depo Provera Injections As with any contraceptive prescription, the patient will be required to schedule an appointment with a provider for evaluation.­ This may include a pap smear and/or STD testing.­ Please plan on at least 30 minutes for the appointment if this is your first visit.­
  • Emergency Contraception is prescribed at SMS -­ Plan B One-Step® is a backup plan that helps prevent pregnancy after unprotected sex or birth control failure. Plan B One-Step® is not regular birth control and should not be used that way as it is not as effective. It contains levonorgestrel, the same ingredient found in many birth control pills. It should not affect or terminate an existing pregnancy.
  • OB Maternity Care Student Medical Services does not provide OB or Maternity Care.­ We can do­ pregnancy testing,­ and make referrals.
  • Pap Smear Information - What is a pap smear?­ The Pap test, also called a Pap smear, checks for changes in the cells of your cervix. The cervix is the lower part of the uterus (womb) that opens into the vagina (birth canal). The Pap test can tell if you have an infection, abnormal (unhealthy) cervical cells, or cervical cancer. SMS offers a women's annual health exam which includes the pap smear and a STD test (gonorrhea and chlamydia).­ The exam takes about 30 minutes.
  • Pregnancy Testing - SMS performs pregnancy testing both urine and blood testing.­ Appointments with a provider are required.
  • STD Testing - Confidential ­ Gonorrhea and Chlamydia, Syphilis, HPV , HIV , Hepatitis A­ , Hepatitis B , Hepatitis C -­ and Herpes testing are available at SMS. ­­ Appointment time for females - at least 30 minutes. ­
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Men's Health

  • Condoms are free.­ The patient can take a small handful at no charge.­­ The condoms are provided to Student Medical Services by the Texas Department of State Health Services.­
  • STD Testing - Confidential Gonorrhea and Chlamydia, Syphilis , HPV,­ HIV, Hepatitis A , Hepatitis B,­­­­ Hepatitis C, and Herpes­ testing are available at SMS. ­­ ­
  • Testicular and prostate exams
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Medical Equipment­

Medical equipment can be loaned for a two week period or purchased.­­ The student may purchase the equipment at a reasonable charge.­ A restriction or hold will be placed on the student after two weeks if the equipment is not returned or purchased.­

  • Crutches 
  • Ace Bandages
  • Ankle Brace
  • Arm Sling
  • Walking Boot
  • Boot Liners­ (must be purchased)
  • Nebulizers
  • Post Op Shoe
  • Sling
  • Splint
  • Wrist Splint
  • Wheelchairs - SMS can no longer loan out the wheelchairs.­

Lab Testing, X-rays and EKG

You may need to be fasting (nothing to eat or drink at least 12 hours prior to the test).­ Please schedule these tests in the morning, if possible. All lab testing, (except for TB testing), X-rays and EKG's require an appointment with a provider or orders from a provider.­­ This is not a complete list of lab testing.­ Please contact SMS at 806-651-3287 for a specific lab test price.­ Appointments are required.

  • EKG -an appointment with a provider is required..
  • Lab Results - please check your Healthy Buffs account for results.­ You should receive an e-mail or you can login by going to www.wtamu.edu/appointments
  • Lab Testing - You will need to schedule your appointment with a provider unless you have orders to get a lab test.­ There will be a charge for all lab tests.
  • TB Testing - Tuberculosis Testing­ - The patient must return within 48 to 72 hours, therefore no TB testing will be administered on Thursdays.­­ Appointments required - please call to be screened priot to entering the building. 
  • Pregnancy Testing Pregnancy testing is available at SMS.­ Appointments with a provider is required.­ Urine lab test Serum Lab Test -
  • X-rays - Patients must be seen first by a provider or have orders to have X-rays.­

Immunizations and Vaccines

Insurance

  • Insurance - The Texas A&M University System Student health Insurance Program offers an optional health insurance plan for students to purchase through­ Academic Health Plans underwritten by BlueCross Blue Shield for enrollment or more information go to the ­ West Texas A&M University Student Health Insurance Web Page or call 855-247-2273.­
  • Insurance Billing - Student Medical Services can file your insurance claim.­ Please provide a copy of your insurance card at the time of your appointment or as soon as possible after your appointment.­
  • Worker's Comp - Student Medical Services does not file Worker's Comp.
  • Medicaid - Student Medical services does not bill Medicaid and are not Medicaid Providers.

Medical Records

Referrals

  • Referrals - The patient can request a referral to a specialist.­ The patient will need to make an appointment with a provider first to be evaluated.

Updated 9/17/2024