James G. Cacciola, a doctor at UHS, said he and most doctors would remain at work until all scheduled patients for the day were seen.
UHS Director David S. Rosenthal was at a conference at the time of the evacuation and was unavailable for comment, said his receptionist.
Cacciola said UHS was less busy than during the school year, but that elderly patients were likely inconvenienced by the bomb scare.
“We have a significant number of older patients that we try to fit in now because students aren’t here,” Cacciola said. “This is generally a less busy time, but the patients who do come in may be needier.”
“It’s quite inconvenient for the patients, isn’t it?” Cacciola added.
Arlene Lane, who works at UHS, said patients were not overlooked during the evacuation.
“We would never, ever leave a patient in an evacuated building. Patients come first,” Lane said.
—Staff writer Alan J. Tabak can be reached at tabak@fas.harvard.edu.