Pepperdine University Expands Access to Healthcare Support With TimelyCare
For Pepperdine University, ensuring student well-being meant solving a complex geographic and logistical challenge. While more than 60% of the student body resides on campus, a substantial portion of students learn remotely. This dispersion, combined with traditional barriers to healthcare, created a pressing need for a solution that could provide care at any time and from anywhere.
Before implementing a new strategy, campus leaders recognized that students were struggling to navigate the existing healthcare landscape. According to Doug Hurley, Associate Dean of Student Affairs, students frequently reported difficulty locating the campus Health Center and accessing its services.
The challenges extended beyond physical navigation. Students cited long wait times and the unavailability of campus resources during off-hours as major hurdles to receiving care and obtaining prescriptions. To better serve its diverse student body, Pepperdine identified four critical goals:
- Provide support when on-campus resources are closed
- Expand access to specialized psychiatry services
- Streamline care for out-of-state students
- Remove financial and logistical barriers, including cost, insurance, and transportation
To meet these needs, Pepperdine partnered with TimelyCare, integrating a comprehensive virtual care solution into the university’s existing health offerings.
“As part of the university’s health offerings, such as fitness classes and resilience education, TimelyCare helps us provide a complete package of wraparound care that is of great value to students and helps them take responsibility for their well-being, which is a key to their academic success,” said Hurley.
This partnership significantly expanded the scope of services available to students, offering a range of virtual resources, including:
- Mental Health: Scheduled counseling, advanced psychiatric care, and on-demand emotional support
- Medical Care: On-demand urgent medical care and scheduled medical support
- Holistic Wellness: Health coaching, self-care tools, and an online peer community
The transition to a virtual-first care model has yielded immediate, measurable results for the student population. One of the most noticeable outcomes is the speed of care, with students waiting an average of just 6.7 minutes for on-demand emotional support.
The data also highlights a significant shift in how and when students seek help. More than half (51%) of all visits occur after hours or on weekends, precisely when traditional campus resources are unavailable. Perhaps most tellingly, 59% of users reported they would not have sought care at all if TimelyCare had not been an option.
By filling the gaps during breaks, after hours, and in moments of immediate need, Pepperdine has successfully lowered the threshold for seeking help.
“Students have expressed appreciation for reduced wait times to access psychiatry, as well as being able to access mental health services after normal business hours,” said Jason Wong, Training Director at the Pepperdine University Counseling Center.
Through this initiative, Pepperdine has moved beyond the constraints of a physical health center, ensuring that no matter where a student is located or what time it is, support is always within reach.
To read the full case study, please visit the link here. If you are interested in learning more about leveraging this AICCUBuys agreement, please contact aiccubuys@foundationccc.org.
