Do you know that on average 300,000 people visit Emergency Departments across the United States every DAY… that's over 1 billion visits per year in this country. Often those visits are for illness or minor injuries that could have been treated in an urgent care or physician office setting. Not only do unnecessary visits clog up hospital emergency departments, resulting in the average wait time to see a provider being at least one hour and in many cases up to six hours, but the expense for the patient is sometimes cost prohibitive. An average visit to an Emergency Department in NC for UNC system students covered on the student health insurance was $2,000 in 2011.
EDUCATE YOURSELF and GET THE FACTS so that if the need arises for health care at night after 5:00pm, or on the weekend, you can make the right choice of services for you. Health Services is pleased to be able to offer you a variety of resources and options for after-hours care.
From your cell phone dial 828-227-8911 or from any campus land line dial 911 and your WCU EMS team will be dispatched to your on-campus location to provide you with medical assistance, and if that means a trip to the local Emergency Department, Campus EMS service provides that as well. There is not a cost for this service; it has been made available for you through your student health fees if the transport is made by the WCU EMS service.
Campus EMS workers are trained and certified as Basic Life Support (BLS) EMTs. If your emergency is more advanced, Harris EMS is the local Advanced Life Support ambulance service and provides back up assistance for that level of care.
Harris Regional Hospital Urgent Care is located at 176 Walmart Plaza, just off Highway 107 in Sylva, NC. The National Association for Ambulatory Care offers guidance to patients that are trying to determine if a visit to the Urgent Care or the Emergency Department is appropriate. Get the facts.
Common illnesses that may only need primary care or Urgent Care:
Harris Regional Hospital Urgent Care is open 7 days a week from 8:00am-6:30pm. You can call them at 828-631-9462.
Harris Regional Hospital is located in Sylva NC, 7 miles from campus and is the closest hospital emergency department. If you are experiencing an emergency situation, do not hesitate to go to the Emergency Department. Call 911 if you need ambulance transportation.
The American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) offers a list of warning signs that indicate a medical emergency.
When in doubt seek assistance from one of the resources listed above immediately. If your illness or injury occurs during Health Services' normal operating hours, please visit us in Bird that day. Call 828-227-7640 if you have any questions.