Vaden Transition to Stanford Health Care Clinic FAQ

Vaden Medical Services Primary Care and Mental Health Services will transition from operating as a Stanford University clinic to a Stanford Health Care clinic. Beginning this fall, SHC will operate the clinic. This transition brings SHC’s full resources and infrastructure to the student health experience while preserving the personalized, student-centered care students know and trust.

The alignment with Stanford Health Care is designed to ensure that students receive comprehensive, efficient, and accessible health care for years to come. The transition will accomplish this by integrating the university’s understanding of student needs, the clinical excellence of Vaden’s clinicians and staff, and SHC's medical services and health system infrastructure.

The transition will occur on Sept. 1, 2026. Additional details regarding the clinic transition will be communicated as they are confirmed.

No. All categories of Stanford students – including undergraduate, graduate, and professional students – who are assessed the Campus Health Service fee will continue to be eligible for care through Vaden Health Services.

• Moving to SHC: Vaden Medical Services Primary Care and Mental Health Services will transition to operating as a Stanford Health Care clinic. In addition, CAPS, the Confidential Support Team (CST), and Weiland Health Initiative will transition to SHC.
• Remaining with the University: The Office of Substance Use Programs Education and Resources (SUPER) and Well-Being at Stanford, two offices in the Vaden portfolio, will remain under the purview of the Vice Provost for Student Affairs.

Student-centered care remains Stanford’s guiding principle. SHC will operate the clinic and the university’s deep understanding of student needs will continue to inform services and priorities. The clinicians and staff that students have built relationships with will remain the same. The clinic will benefit from School of Medicine departmental oversight in support of high-quality, evidence-based care. The transition is intended to strengthen connections to Stanford Medicine specialty expertise, including opportunities to reduce barriers to care through enhanced coordination and consultation support when needed.

No. Care will continue to be provided on campus at both the Vaden Health Center location (866 Campus Drive) and the Kingscote Gardens location (419 Lagunita Drive).

No. The clinic will continue to be open from 8:15 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. most Saturdays during the academic year. Additionally, students will continue to have the same access to TimelyCare and other after-hours care. Click here for more information about hours and holiday closures.

Students may experience changes intended to enhance their patient experience, such as added services or acceptance of insurance other than Cardinal Care. Vaden Health Center has been staffed by Vaden, School of Medicine, SHC, and Stanford University employees, and that will continue. Students will see the same clinicians and staff, and the clinic will remain dedicated to student-centered care that is responsive to students’ specific needs.

Yes. Students will continue to have 24/7 access to TimelyCare for virtual medical and mental health care. These resources remain an important part of the comprehensive care network available to students.

As an added benefit of the transition, SHC will offer eConsults – a tool that allows your clinician to consult with Stanford Medicine specialists on your behalf for low-acuity concerns – without requiring you to schedule an in-person specialty visit. The availability of e-consults will lead to faster answers and fewer referrals.

Following the transition to SHC, care will be documented through the MyHealth platform, in Epic (instead of the previous electronic health record Point and Click, commonly known as the Vaden Patient Portal). Through MyHealth, students will be able to schedule appointments, communicate with clinicians, and access their health records, test results, and after-visit summaries. Students will receive information about setting up a MyHealth account through an activation code sent via text or email. For students under 18, parental consent will be required to sign up for MyHealth. 

Your information in Epic, the SHC medical records system, is protected through multiple security layers. SHC follows HIPAA requirements and maintains strict privacy policies that govern how protected health information (PHI) may be accessed, used, and shared. Access to patient information is limited based on an individual's job responsibilities and legitimate business need, meaning staff can only view the minimum information necessary to do their work. All access to medical records is tracked and monitored to ensure accountability and safety compliance. 

This transition does not affect students’ ability to utilize their Cardinal Care insurance plan. Students will be able to continue to use their insurance as they do today. As part of this transition, the Vaden Health setting will begin accepting health insurance other than Cardinal Care. 

The Campus Health Service Fee will continue to support student health services. The quarterly cost for the 2026-2027 academic year will be $281 per quarter – a $10/quarter increase from the previous academic year, consistent with historical year-over-year increases to the Campus Health Service Fee.

Yes, all services currently covered by the student health fee will remain covered. For services that fall outside the health fee, the clinic will follow SHC’s standard fee structure. More information about specific costs will be available as the transition approaches.

Certain services, such as immunizations, most laboratory work, psychiatric medication management, optometry, physical therapy through MORE Physical Therapy, and Walgreens at Vaden offerings will continue to require insurance coverage either through Cardinal Care or another insurance provider. 

The clinic will close at noon on Friday, Aug. 28, 2026, to prepare for the transition and will re-open during regular business hours on Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2026. Stanford remains deeply committed to the health and well-being of our students, and the seamless transition of student health services is central to this commitment. Students with scheduled appointments will have their appointments migrated to the new system automatically.

No. The clinicians currently providing care at Vaden are not changing as a result of this transition. 

This transition will not impact scheduled procedures or appointments. All existing appointments will be migrated to the new system.

Your full health history from Vaden Health Services will remain accessible. Records from the current system (Point and Click) will be preserved, and all new records will be maintained in My Health (Epic EMR) from the transition date forward. Your care team will have access to both, ensuring nothing is lost and, your clinicians have complete context for your care.

To obtain information about how to request a copy of your health information, receive an accounting of disclosures, or request an amendment or addendum to your health information, please contact the following:

• For records generated in Point and Click prior to Sept. 1, 2026: Contact Medical Records at 650.725.6979 or 650.498.2336.
• For records generated in EPIC on or after Sept. 1, 2026: Navigate to this website for instructions. 

We want to make sure you feel informed and supported throughout this transition. Information will be communicated through multiple channels, including:

• Directed emails to students from the university and Vaden
• Updates posted on the Vaden website
• News articles in Stanford Report, The Daily, and other campus resources

Updates will continue to be shared as September approaches, and the FAQ site will be updated on an ongoing basis as information evolves.