New Student Health pharmacy location to provide better access to students

Attention, UC Santa Barbara students: Getting your meds just got a whole lot easier. Student Health Services'newly relocated student pharmacy celebrated its grand opening on Friday, in a place that's expected to be more accessible to students and provide more flexibility to the pharmacy in meeting students' needs.

"We moved to make it easier for students to get to the pharmacy," said SHS Executive Director Dr. Vejas Skripkus.

The pharmacy is still located at the Student Health Services building at the corner of El Colegio and Ocean roads, but it now has its own dedicated entrance and room at the Isla Vista-facing side of the building. The relocation and separate entrance does away with the need for students to walk through the building's administrative office area to find the pharmacy as they had in the past, as well as any confusion on the part of staff between patients who have medical appointments and those who just need to pick up their meds.

"Pharmacy patients should know that they're able to just come in," said SHS Pharmacy Director Dr. Randy Lina. "Whether it's for obtaining emergency contraception, seeking professional advice or discussing their medications, we want to ensure that our services are readily accessible and convenient for our students." Students can access pharmacists for consultation on any of their medications in person, over the phone or via secure messaging through the patient portal, he added

The new digs provide more space for pharmacy-related activities, Dr. Lina added, as well as easier access to over-the-counter meds and other wellness sundries - offered to students, faculty and staff at a lower cost than at other local pharmacies and drugstores. The SHS pharmacy sees more than 150 students on a daily basis, he estimated.

According to Dr. Skripkus, the space will allow them to increase their services. Currently, he said, they currently only bill the UC SHIPstudent health insurance, though they are "expanding our ability to accept other insurances and are planning on accepting faculty and staff insurance plans in the future."

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The University of California, Santa Barbara is a leading research institution that also provides a comprehensive liberal arts learning experience. Our academic community of faculty, students, and staff is characterized by a culture of interdisciplinary collaboration that is responsive to the needs of our multicultural and global society. All of this takes place within a living and learning environment like no other, as we draw inspiration from the beauty and resources of our extraordinary location at the edge of the Pacific Ocean.