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Davis Square Family Practice
Rating Details »
Category: Family Practice
Neighborhood: Davis Square260 Elm Street
Suite 105
Somerville, MA 02144
(617) 666-9577
- Nearest Transit:
-
Davis (Red)
- By Appointment Only:
- Yes
13 reviews for Davis Square Family Practice
I've been going to Davis Square Family Practice for about 7 years. Overall, I'm very happy with my experience there and referred my husband there after he had a bad time with a PCP he picked out of the phone book.
Allison, the PA who I usually see, is very thorough and has a great bedside manner. I love that they're using electronic medical records now and e-prescribing means I just walk into CVS and pick up my prescription.
Marie Botte is great. She's knowledgeable, responsive, and remembers pretty much everything you tell her about yourself. That being said, she's only a NP, and while there's absolutely nothing wrong with having a NP do some of your care, having an actual doctor should still be pretty high on your list of "things I want in a primary care physician." Which brings me to Dr. Bershel.
In all honesty, I would never suggest Dr. Bershel to anyone. Three weeks after my initial visit with her, I had to come in again because my asthma was acting up a lot more than usual. After waiting for 20 minutes, she arrived, introduced herself (since we hadn't just met 3 weeks ago), and asked what I was here for. After I told her I was here because my asthma had gotten a lot worse in the past week, she asked me if I HAD asthma (Strike one: a doctor forgets that they've met me, fine, I can understand. But not bothering to look at my CHART they wrote a couple weeks ago?), proceeded to answer a personal call on her cellphone, walking out of the room mid-sentence (Strike two), and returned 10 minutes later, referring me to a "pulmonary specialist," who in actuality was a semi-retired 1000 year old family practitioner who was NO LONGER PRACTICING PULMONOLOGY (Strike three, you're OUT).
In short: unprofessional, undependable, and generally incompetent.
(In response to confusion over Marie's actual certification: http://www.healthgrade...
- An APRN must work under the direct supervision of a registered doctor.)
I just started going to this clinic, and I feel incredibly lucky to have found Dr. Marie Botte: she is the warmest, most caring doctor I have ever met. She spends plenty of time with you, listens carefully to what you say, explains everything clearly, and really conveys a feeling of genuine care for you. I wish more doctors were like Dr. Marie!
Note: Please be aware that Julinho's 11/10 review is inaccurate. Marie Botte is not a Nurse Practitioner as Julinho claims: she is a full-fledged Medical Doctor, and has been for many years.
When your medical professional tells you 'I'm going to code this so that you don't get billed for it,' I would think most people would expect that to mean that you won't get a bill. But not so much, and now I'm out an additional $150.
SO annoyed with this place. I went to pick up a very important monthly pill that is normally automatically refilled, only to be told the doctor hadn't called the refill in yet. Um, I am out of pills. Today. I need them so I don't have any little Rebecca R.'s running around. FML.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/18/2009
Boo to you, Davis Square Family Practice, for running standard bloodwork at my annual physical and… Read more »
I feel a little bad about what I'm going to say in this review -- I'm not sure if medical practices *should* be reviewed in such a public forum b/c it's so easy to malign a doctor and there goes the business -- and if I were a doctor, it would really piss me off if I had one bad day with a patient and that patient turned around and rated me horribly on Yelp and the business went into the crapper from that day forward.
So keep that in mind when you read this!
My partner and I both had Dr. Bershel and neither of us had a good experience. I went in for abdominal pain. I answered a series of questions Dr. Bershel asked me, including "did you eat breakfast" to which I answered "no, i didn't eat breakfast." Immediately, she jumped to the conclusion that I had appendicitis because I "lacked an appetite." I said "hold up, I didn't say I had a lack of appetite. You asked me if I ate breakfast. I said 'no,' but that doesn't mean that I'm not hungry. I just didn't eat because I thought you might do a blood test and I didn't want to fudge the results (most docs require that you fast before your appt). Really, I'm starving."
But the die was was cast. She got it in her mind that I must have appendicitis and send me directly to the ER where I spent the next 8 hours and was subsequently released with a negative diagnosis for appendicitis, but not before I had to undergo a barrage of tests, including getting stuck in each arm to the point of tears, 6 times over, and a nice barium drink before the CAT scan (which gave me the runs for the next 12 hours). Long story short, it was a night of absolute misery (literally one of the worst nights of my life) and I switched doctors the day after.
My partner said that the staff in the office was rude to her and that Dr. Bershel had some off-color remarks in reference to her state of mind, implying that she was depressed when she knew she was not.
Also, the office is dingy and looks like the inside of someone's apartment. No joke, the "medical lamp" was a fricken clamp-on $12 dollar office lamp from Staples.
Yeah I like the idea of an LGBT doctor, but not at the cost of my health, duh.
I had several mildly unpleasant experiences with Dr. Bershel before I finally changed primary physicians. She's very nice, but her head seemed to be in the clouds most of the time: she'd forget where she'd set things, forget things I'd just told her, put on her rubber gloves, leave the room (touching doorknobs and things) and then come back and wear the same rubber gloves as she stitched me up. None of this resulted in any kind of tragedy, but gave a pretty unprofessional and sketchy vibe.
I love family practices in general, and I love how near and convenient Davis Square Family Practice is to me: but I was tired of feeling like I was being treated by somebody's stoner roommate. (Also, if any questions come up with your billing -- and for some reason, this happened all the time with me, with all kinds errors on their end that they'd eventually tell me to "just ignore" -- have fun with that. Their billing department is nearly impossible to get a hold of, even during usual business hours.)
I've only been once, but so far, so good. This place has good reviews on Livejournal (not that I use that or anything, shh).
All women docs, LGBT-friendly. They gave me a last minute appointment on a Thursday night so I didn't even have to take time off of work. They even gave me an unplanned tetnus shot when I mentioned I was going to Thailand! (not that my arm is thankful). :( poor arm.
Dr. Bershel is a total flake and I wouldn't see her again or recommend her after several bad experiences, but Marie is an absolute doll, and the rest of the staff is great too. I have never had a kinder, friendlier, or more competent medical person look at me than Marie, and after dealing with her I would never want to see anyone else.
I first came here after being unable to get a same day appointment for an earache anywhere else, and being frostily told by another practice (who didn't have any availablility for 3 months) to try Mt. Auburn's walk-in clinic. Yeah, not so much. So I wasn't even a patient there yet, and Davis Sq. Family Practice gave me a same day appt without any snobbery.
I saw Marie and she took wonderful care of me and told me to come back for a physical, which I avoided for several months (yes, I am a doctor-phobe, or at least I used to be). When I finally did go in, it was the least-uncomfortable physical I ever had. I strongly disagree with the person who said the exam rooms are unprofessional. They have decorated all of them with old ads for patent medicines and things like that and it's really cute. I feel more at ease there than at any other practice I've ever been, and they DEFINITELY don't treat you like a number. When I see Marie she always makes me feel like I'm her only patient of the day, and she always takes the time to answer all my questions, address all my concerns, and she calls me back promptly when I need to speak to her about something. I no longer dread physicals, in fact I look forward to seeing her ;)
The times she's been unavailable and I've had to deal with Dr. Bershel haven't been the greatest. In the future I would definitely wait for Marie to have an open appointment.
The doctors, PA's, and other staff are always so friendly here. Thanks, DSFP, for not making me feel uncomfortable when I show up with my various ailments, like last month when my face unexpectedly swelled up (food allergy) after eating some icky Chinese food, or today, when I came in and announced that I had whooping cough. They took the joke well, and squeezed me in quickly.
I absolutely love Dr. Deborah Bershel. She is not only a sweetheart, but a straight-shooter who will really tell you like it is, not beat around the bush, but still manage to be compassionate and set you at ease. I appreciate this immensely when discussing sensitive topics like my health.
Today I saw Allison for the first time when Dr. Bershel wasn't available, and she was an absolute joy. Me and my sinuses left smiling, for possibly the first time in 2 days!
5 stars for the friendly, accommodating staff, and for being LGBT friendly. Somerville is lucky to have such trustworthy doctors in town.
Well thank heavens I don't have to come here too often. FOUR Stars
1) The staff is helpful (ie they answer your questions, and use body language that tells you to calm the fuck down without their having to say it).
2) I was able to have a prescription refill authorization done over the phone.
3) They're pretty good about last minute appointments.
4) I'm a whiny bitch and the staff is still nice to me.
i also feel bad posting a horrible review but i have given this office so many chances....sooooo many. i have had nothing but problems dealing with the staff as well as miscommunications with medical information - and all of this in only 6 months. i feel like things are really rushed and when i call the office i feel like i am treated like just a number - if i have issues or need anything extra i feel like they don't take care of it. the final straw was friday and i'll be looking for a new doctor even though this office is really convenient.
I recently moved to the Boston area and chose DSFP because it is close to home. I just came from my first physical there, and I think I made the right choice. Keep in mind that I have no serious health concerns, so i can only speak to the routine physical. Four stars only because it may be too soon to tell. Following Molly S's format, here is why:
1. Although the Dr. that I chose as my PCP was booked until October, I was able to get in to see a NP within a few days.
2. I saw the nurse practioner Marie (can't remember her last name). She apologized for making me wait. I have never received a sincere apology at a Dr.'s office. I was immediately impressed.
3. She asked detailed, thorough questions about my life/history. She encouraged me several times to express any health concerns. I felt like every concern I had was valid, and she made notes on everything I said.
4. She explained everything she was doing, even asking permission at times.
5. She explained what I need to do for referral, prescriptions, etc.
6. She was very down to earth and friendly. I didn't feel like just another nameless patient.
