UMass Medical Center

"I would not recommend this place if it was not for the NP that I see that works there. I have/had continually complained about "wait times" which I thought was rectified by taking a 1PM which is when this NP comes back from lunch, but I still wait. But they will most commonly use the phrase "an emergency came up". Any time I have had PRIOR to 1PM, I have had to wait an hour or a bit more. They seemingly still don't care. They had just canceled my yearly visit, due to snow and they proceeded to make the new appt for me, saying, "9:45 am is when she gets in". That is not when she gets in, bc I have received that excuse before, & had that slot too & suddenly had to wait bc she had "emergencies." To me, it feels like the staff will do anything to get you in, not caring that you don't want to wait. Thus, I had my husband call them up (as I have had it trying to get through to a live person) he finally got someone, who was adamant that I would be waiting a long time for my appt if I didn't take the one they decided to stick me in w/o asking me. He conveyed to her the reason why I take a 1PM -so she was like "well I don't want her waiting 7 mos out." (As the next available time slot that was 1PM was mid July). He kept telling her that was the 1 that I desired. I don't mind it is 7 mos out. Their new procedures due to COVID is to send you something through the portal that asks to fill out all your info that you usually would do there... online. Including uploading your insurance. I don't have a problem w/ that. But they should also add a COVID questionnaire. They call you 2 days PRIOR to an appt to supposedly ask you COVID questions. I have seen many drs since this pandemic started. NO dr calls 2 days before asking questions bc they know you might feel well 2 days prior to your appt - but maybe not the ACTUAL day of. Their response (or I should say the NP's response bc they never followed back up) was that if you are sick 2 days before, they can direct you where to go. Additionally this place has usually the most condescending individuals working their phone lines OR most likely you don't get anyone at all. You leave a msg which supposedly they claim on it is "checked daily and often." You try to call back to OBLIGE their rules of answering questions abt COVID 2 days before, you get an answering machine. You can leave a message telling them your disgust in them not getting back & they do not care. I had to go through the portal & ask my NP certain questions. I also had had her direct line I forgot about, so my husband had left a message there too. But it is very hard to get answers from them using the phone, as well as trying to get birth control pills has been a struggle. I am told by the NP that she put the script in, and then CVS will tell me she has not. You can leave a message on their refill line, and no one gets back to you there EITHER, which has happened. This year I just used their portal bc I saw that option. But when my husband originally asked this year if I could get a refill until July, since now I am waiting that long to get the 1 PM slot, they told me "not their job, contact CVS." Which CVS thought was ridiculous. CVS does FAX them when you are out, but this particular pill is hard to get at CVS so they do run into problems getting it in, never mind having to wait for someone to put it in. I did call UMASS patient relations, told them my dissatisfaction w/ the people that work there, (NOT with the NP)- no response, as I figured. I have had issues with their actual hospital misdiagnosing me on a huge issue, so I expected their non-response on the corporate level. They (corporate) even knew personal issues I have been struggling with, and no response as I stated."