Fenway: South End

Some of the reviews here are from 2013 and a bit negative. I just moved to Boston and these reviews made me hesitant to see my new primary care physician. Glad I went!
Ron at the front desk was nice, and even remembered my name when I came back later to give him some paperwork. Swas, the pharmacist, went beyond the call of duty to sort out my insurance. Dumb me forgot to bring my card. Luis at Quest drew several tubes of blood without me having an issue. The man is seriously skilled. I thought it was just one draw. Nurse Sophie is new to the practice but not a rookie nurse. She did great. Very friendly and also explained clearly what she was doing and why. My final kudos go to Dr Adam Albano. Act now before he is unable to accept new patients. I was in for a routine physical. He has a great bedside manor. I felt he could really relate to my health issues and he made me very comfortable to speak openly.

I have read several reviews that love the locations but HATE the attitude and poor customer service. I really, REALLY like Dr. Bonanno and find him and his team super responsive. But I had to make an appointment, spoke to the appointment line who told me there was an appointment on Thursday (this is Monday) but it can’t be made outside of a 24 hour window. What? So I spoke with his nurse who could NOT have been more dismissive and rude. As if I am some interruption of her work. Someone already said it here better… the TSA and DMV rank higher than you in phone customer support. You are dealing with patients… who may have a little anxiety. After all they need to see a doctor!!! What about a little kindness?!

I go here for counseling (indv. therapy). There’s actually street (meter) parking near the building! The services here are beyond the best I’ve ever had with a therapy. The patient and staff population I’ve seen throughout the many times here is very diverse. There is also free condoms for people needing them.

I have had very good experiences with my medical care. My doc is Adam Albano and he is pleasant, listens well and is knowledgeable. I agree with some of the comments about the reception staff, although I don’t think they are as horrible as some reviewers make it out. I also find the lab area to be strange, a small, cramped messy room, but the woman who works in the lab is quite nice. I also seem to wait on hold for quite some time every time I call even if it says I am first in line. But the most important thing is the medical care and with that I am happy. I have seen another provider there, Kevin Shi, and he was also quite good.

I have to say I agree with most of the negative and positive comments on Fenway South End. It’s clean, efficient, good location, etc. I like my PCP and the other doctor I’ve seen there. Haven’t had the same issues with the front desk as others have. But they are terrible about follow-​ups w/​Referral and secondary appointments. Last visit my doctor said he’d schedule an MRI for a knee issue that I was dealing with and that the referral person would be in touch as soon as it was approved. I never heard back or got that MRI schedule… don’t even know if it ever got approved. It feels like the nurses and referral people are overwhelmed.

The good: I have been going to Fenway South End for 4 years and my PCP is great! I have never waited for service and the everyone has been efficient and accommodating.
The bad: The front desk workers seem to hate life, or me, or just people in general.
Overall: Fenway South End get the job done, very clean and efficient.

After seeing all these mixed and very negative reviews, I wanted to jump in and say that my experience at South End Fenway has alway been most positive. Dr. Harris is a total sweetheart, the nurse who does blood pressure etc. couldn’t be more pleasant, and the overall atmosphere is one of efficiency and calm. I’ve never waited for than five or ten minutes to be called. Sure, the people at the front desk are sometimes on the phone, but c’est la vie. They’re fine. I’ve been going there for several years and have no complaints.

My PCP was wonderful but the guy at the front desk needs a total attitude adjustment. Very queeny and even though I showed up on time, he kept harping on how I should have shown up even earlier to fill out paperwork for the initial visit. I told him the person who called to confirm the appointment did not tell me this, not that he had to because I had to switch doctors due to insurance changes and was already familiar with the paperwork process. But I was really taken aback when he started telling some other staff person, in front of me, how so-​and-​so forgot to tell me to show up earlier than my appointment. It looked very unprofessional, and I can imagine the drama that goes on behind the scenes. Staff should appear pleasant to each other and not air their dirty laundry to patients, who may already be nervous enough coming in as it is. Anyway, this was last Spring, hope they improved by now. They seriously need to attend a retreat and bond over catching each other falling, blindfolded.
Pros though: friendly medical people, the doctors, the nurse, the technicians. Very high tech electronic medical records, and a pulse oximetry that is wireless.

I want to like you… I really do. I love that you support the LGBT community, love that you have opened new facilities that allow you a broader range of service, and I love that you have multiple facilities that are easy to get to.
Why you get one star…
First, I am a service nut. I don’t expect five stars from every person, but I expect to not be treated like a burden. Every time that I stop by for an appointment the front desk people are always busy with something, barely say ‘hello’, and make the TSA look efficient. Would it be that much to ask that I’m greeted like they actually are happy to have my business?
Second, I know that it’s tough to find a PCP in Boston. I can’t even tell you who mine is since I believe that I’ve only seen him once in the past three or four years. Every time that I look to make an appointment I am booked with someone different, and when I had a bad illness that required me to see someone at the main location… I don’t think that it even made my file at South End Associates. Is it too much to ask that my primary doctors office tries to ‘know’ me… even just a little.
Lastly…what lit my fire. I usually only see my doctor once per year and durring my last visit I asked about hormone imbalances. I was basically brushed off and told that it’s probably in my head, but they’d do one test just incase. The test came back and my doc’s treatment… to recommend that I see a therapist! At first I was surprised, but then I decided to seek a second opinion with a specialist. (which I should have been referred to to begin with) It turns out that my balances were perfectly normal… for a 75 year old man! Not only were my thoughts and needs dismissed at South End Associates, but my signs and symptoms were IGNORED.
I am now trekking my ass out to Brookline for medical needs. It’s not as convenient, but when it comes to my health I am not going to risk it.

Forget about it! I just moved to Boston, after 4 hours of phone calls to see a PCP… I called Fenway Health and made an appointment had to wait…2 hours, no not 2 months. Got to my appointment and was in and out within less than an hour. They gave me a map for my follow-​up MRI. I had no questions because it was a well though out process… and even better executed by Jim B! Thanks guys!

I came here for a nice little checkup and I really liked this place. I’m usually not a fan of getting tested, it’s so awkward, but must be done. Anywho, they made my experience really comfortable and they were super nice, efficient, and helpful. Smiles all around! My doctor was Dr. Ireland and she listened to all concerns and answered sincerely and even made sure that I was going to get my flu shot. The office too was also very nice, they had a big screen tv playing MSNBC, and everything looked clean, like a hospital office should!

Dr. Harris is my new primary care physician and I really enjoyed meeting him. He put me at ease and spent a lot of time addressing my concerns and answering questions I had. He was warm and friendly and I had no problem at all with relaxing, which can be an issue for me when I have to visit a dr’s office! I found the front office staff to be very helpful and accommodating as well.

After continually taking customer service abuse from Fenway Health on Boylston, I made an appointment at the this location. Another Fenway Health related disappointment. Fenway Health needs a serious customer service improvement jolt/​shot. I stood in front of the receptionist and NOT ONE glance up to even say– HI, I will be right with you. I sat down and after 5 minutes I was finally asked if I needed help.
Steve the psychologist didn’t even introduce himself to me and was not warm and hospitable in his approach especially to a first time client at this location. Simply unprofessional! I expressed my continued frustration with the customer service and received no sympathy or comment from him, he just nodded his head. Really? wouldn’t you think a psychologist would at least pretend to be sympathetic?
I am spreading the word! They need to change!