After students express QuickCare concerns, UIHC responds
After over two dozen students voiced their concerns in a Twitter thread, the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics responded, urging disgruntled patients to contact the Office of Patient Experience.
The Exterior to UI QuickCare is pictured in the Old Capitol Center on Tuesday, February 5, 2019.
February 7, 2019
Dozens of University of Iowa students took to Twitter to voice concerns about their experiences at UI QuickCare following a post that went viral in the campus community.
In a thread started by UI sophomore Payten Little, students described alleged incidents with UI QuickCare ranging from long waiting times to misdiagnoses.
According to the QuickCare website, the clinic serves patients with minor illnesses and injuries and urges patients with more severe conditions, such as seizures or prolonged bleeding, to visit an emergency room.
Quote this with your worst Uiowa Quick Care story
— Pay ♡ (@Paytenmarie11) February 1, 2019
Little said she decided to ask for people’s experiences with QuickCare because she and a friend were discussing their experiences.
“I’m not the only one that has a terrible experience with [QuickCare],” Little said, and she believes the professionals at QuickCare don’t listen to her.
Tom Moore, a spokesperson for the UI Hospitals & Clinics, responded to the online complaints in a statement to The Daily Iowan:
“Our goal is for each patient to have a good experience every time they come to us. We are sorry to hear about cases where we have not met the expectations of the patient. We ask patients to let us know how we can do better. Our staff takes that feedback seriously and works to help make sure we are doing all we can to provide high quality care in a friendly and helpful way. We also offer patients the option of contacting the Office of the Patient Experience, a team of people dedicated addressing concerns about patient care.”
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Little said that through the Twitter thread, she came to believe that QuickCare should listen to patients’ health-care concerns rather than assuming diagnoses.
UI sophomore Gabby Epperson echoed Little, saying she waited for care at QuickCare for an extended period of time. Epperson also said she preferred the more holistic care that Student Health & Wellness provides.
“I prefer Student Health 100 percent,” she said. “I go to the same doctor every time, and she is super awesome at recommending solutions. She checks in on everything in my life, not just the pressing problems.”
Student Health acts as a primary medical-care service for students, similar to the care people receive from their hometown health-care providers.
Some students in the thread alleged receiving inadequate care at QuickCare for medical conditions such as seizures.
There are five QuickCare clinics, with locations in Coralville, Iowa City, and North Liberty.
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QuickCare is staffed with nurses and nurse practitioners who have completed at least master’s degrees and more training than registered nurses.
UIHC also opened an urgent-care clinic in Iowa City in August 2018. According to a 2018 UIHC news release, the Urgent Care clinic is equipped to provide more extensive medical care and exists to assist patients who are too sick for QuickCare but want to avoid an unnecessary trip to the emergency room.
Clinical Associate Professor Katherine Imborek, the UI Health Care director of off-site primary care, said in the news release that Urgent Care can treat a broader range of afflictions than can QuickCare.
“Our advanced practice providers at Urgent Care use X-rays, lab tests, IV fluids, and medications to diagnose and treat more complex issues such as broken bones, dehydration, and migraine headaches,” Imborek said.
