Boynton Health Service clinics on both the Minneapolis and St. Paul campuses will be closing for nearly a week, leaving a lapse in health care services for some.

The clinics, including the pharmacies, will be closed from noon on Wednesday, July 30, to 10 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 4, for an electronic health record system upgrade.

During the closure, Boynton’s central computer system will be shut down, revamped and rebooted, said Boynton spokesman Eric Jensen. Because the entire system is involved, Boynton won’t be able to serve patients during that time, he said.

Jensen said students concerned about where to go if they get sick or hurt during the closure should call their insurance companies to find the nearest clinic available to them. Boynton employees will also be standing by the clinics’ doors during the upgrade, directing anyone to nearby urgent care facilities.

Additionally, Jensen said Boynton is asking people call to 911 for emergencies and refer to the After Hours Care information section on Boynton’s website during the system renovation to find nearby clinic options.

The University is also encouraging students on the University’s Student Health Benefit Plan who fill their prescriptions at Boynton’s pharmacies to pick them up before the clinics close.

The Office of Student Health Benefits will reimburse students on the University’s health plan who need to fill a prescription at an outside pharmacy during the closure, said Dave Golden, Boynton’s director of public health and communications.

Once the upgrade is complete, Jensen said students will be able to send secure messages to their providers, schedule appointments online, and check lab results and billing information through a patient portal.

The upgrade is expected to save Boynton money in the long run, Jensen said. It will reduce the number of computer systems Boynton uses, which will save between $130,000 and $350,000 each year, he said.