Trevecca clinic still without a medical practitioner

By Lydia Chapman

Contributor

When Bayram Espinoza Cilingiroglu came down with Covid a few weeks ago, he could not seek help from the on-campus clinic because there was no provider. With no clinic provider he has turned to TimelyCare.

“I was given a COVID self-test kit by my RD. I reported back to him the results were positive and I was connected with a school official about what to do next,” said Espinoza Cilingiroglu, a sophomore. 

TimelyCare is a telehealth app designed to provide mental and physical health care. Users have access to doctors and counselors 24/7 and the app offers free meditation, yoga, and other self-care tips as well.

The university clinic has been without a provider since the summer of 2023. Officials say they are looking for a replacement but have not been able to find one because of a shortage of healthcare workers in the Nashville area.

“Since the fall, 1,101 students have used TimelyCare. This includes both traditional and graduate students,” said Jessica Dykes, assistant vice president and dean of student development.

Despite having the option of TimelyCare, some students have trouble getting healthcare on campus. For an international student like Daira Santos, healthcare is more problematic.

“I tried turning to TimelyCare but it’s not as useful as the clinic used to be. For medical reasons I prefer having online treatment from my home country instead of here,” said Daira Santos, a sophomore. 

TimelyCare  is an app designed for telehealth care whenever needed. It aims to be a resource for students who need healthcare during the weekend or breaks.

“We launched TimelyCare when we had a clinician, so we launched it last year. We wanted to make sure we could provide some holistic support. We thought that TimelyCare was an excellent addition to our already available offerings,” said Dykes.

Despite access to TimelyCare, the school is still looking to fill the position for a full-time clinic director. 

According to Chuck Seaman, director of financial services, there is nothing new to report. The university continues its search to try and find a director for the clinic.

Currently, the clinic is being run by Tina Fish, the clinic receptionist. While the clinic is not available for in-person visits, students can reach out to her via email if they have any questions. 

Hopefully more students will take advantage of TimelyCare’s offerings. TimelyCare is meant to be a resource available to students who need help and can’t go to an actual doctor, said Dykes.