Jan. 29, 2024 — On the heels of opening a new state-of-the-art facility last spring to better serve its patients, the University of Florida Student Health Care Center recently earned accreditation by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care, illustrating that it has undergone a thorough, independent survey of its policies and practices as they comply with nationally recognized standards.

As part of the department of community health and family medicine within the College of Medicine, the UF Student Health Care Center aims to help students achieve optimal health in the pursuit of personal and academic success, and this accreditation recognizes the center for reaching or exceeding benchmarks in its services and operations.

“This accreditation shows we are committed to delivering high-quality care and demonstrating excellence in patient safety,” said Jocelyn Gravlee, M.D., director of the Student Health Care Center. “The rigorous evaluation process encompasses all aspects of patient care, and successful accreditation has been linked to better patient outcomes. Accreditation is one of many standards we pursue as a top 10 public university to meet the needs of students in an ever-evolving health care system.”

Formerly located on Fletcher Drive, the Student Health Care Center opened a new facility next to the Stephen C. O’Connell Center on Stadium Road in May. The three-story building is home to primary care, specialty and urgent care services, including sports medicine and acute care, gynecology and sexual health, psychiatry, nutrition and radiology. The center also includes a full-service pharmacy where students have access to prescription and over-the-counter medications along with basic health and wellness products.

Photos by Seamus Payne

“Our department is intended to provide for our community and for all the members of our family — a large proportion of which are our students,” said Aaron Saguil, M.D., chair of the department of community health and family medicine. “This building will allow us to partner with our students even more to achieve the health outcomes they need while studying at a world-class institution.”

The new facility also marks the university’s first building using the WELL Building Standard, a framework for the creation and certification of spaces to enhance human health and well-being. Grounded in scientific research, WELL establishes performance standards for design, operations and policies to promote health and wellness.

“The old infirmary building was no longer a reflection of the quality of care we were delivering,” Gravlee said. “In our new facility, we wanted to include features that benefited all occupants, including students. The state-of-the-art facility now matches the high-quality care delivered by our experienced providers, some of whom are nationally and internationally known for their work.”