NYU Lutheran Family Health Centers Park Slope

This has been my worst experience ever at a doctor’s office. I’ve had 1 – 2.5 hour wait times every time I have gone in. When trying to call back and get a hold of a doctor to ask a question, I’ve had to call upwards of 7 times to get to the right person. I got the impression that not everybody is on the same page nor do they follow the same protocol in transferring calls.
I also have tried over a week now to get the price of a procedure that my insurance will not cover and have been unsuccessful after calling and leaving repeated voicemails with several people. No one has called me or emailed me back with the information I’ve asked for. I don’t understand how if you are going to try and bill my insurance company for a procedure, how can you not find that information to share with me?
I’ve also been told multiple pieces of information that are contradictory such as if I earn under a certain amount I am eligible for sliding scale but then since I have insurance that is not true.
Never again. I’m done. I’m finding a new doctor because this is clearly not worth it.

This is the worst, don’t come here. Had a 2pm appointment and it now 3:35 and i’m still waiting to see the Dr. People at the front are no help. There is no excuse for this!!!

This is a typical Clinic set up more so than a doctor’s office. Lots of people (and children) with ample seating in a large area.
Upon enetering it is not entirely clear where to go to check in and I felt like I was pulling teeth to get someone’s attention to assist me.
I was asked to arrive 30 Mins early for paperwork. I completed the paperwork promptly and then waited ~10 minutes past my appointment to be seen.
The dentist I saw was professional and courteous. He reviewed the findings with me and told me what the next steps were.
The tech who took my Xrays was patient with me (I hate sticking those things in my mouth!) and also friendly.
At ‘checkout’ you have to sign a waiting sheet to make an appointment. This took another 10– 15 minutes before I was seen.
I was informed that cleanings only happen Mondays and Saturday’s and since I work on Mondays, Saturday was the only option. Of course, the closest Saturday they had available was 1.5 months away. :/​
In any event, I will continue to go here because I like the dentist. I will repost further ex[experiences as they arise!

Honestly, some of the harsh reviews come off as the unrealistic expectations of arrivistes who, I don’t know, think everything in *their* lives should be artisanal pairings. I’ve been going for a little over two years and I find this place solid and professional.
The most recent: about a week of a bad cold dragging on, and missing a couple days of work, I called ahead to see if they could squeeze me in. Though there wasn’t an appointment until the next morning, I was told I could walk in and see. (I should mention they are open til 8 PM at least Weds and Thurs, maybe more often than that). I didn’t wait more than maybe fifteen minutes for the quick, initial exam. Then, I was led directly to see a nurse. After barely five minutes in the waiting room, I was called back in to see the doctor.
This was no emergency. I just wanted to be safe, have professionals take a look, get a prescription and/​or referral is necessary, documentation for the job and hopefully not miss any more work. Dr. de la Cruz was very thorough and caring. I don’t remember the names of the nurse and aide. But, though everyone was clearly very busy, maybe a little tired toward the end of the day, the attention and care I received was excellent. This visit easily deserves at least four stars. Not every visit has been as quick and easy. I’ve waited longer and sat in some loud waiting rooms (hey, I’m not a fan of loud kids, but they’re bored, probably not feeling so great either, and I’m glad they’re getting medical care).
I’d guess that’s something most people on Unilocal would pay lip-​service to: reasonable access to medical care for all. So, why the tantrums upon visiting a place that works hard to provide just that? This is Brooklyn, people, not a country club… not yet.

Awful. Obviously the doctors here are overworked, but that means you wait 30 past your scheduled time to be checked in, then another 30 to see the doctor for a total 5 minutes. The nurses and aids are friendly and helpful, but it still takes forever. One star for existing, and one star for their after hours line, which was great.

Horrible place. I’m writing this as I try to get through to someone. I’ve been on hold for 20 mins now. I recently just moved from CA. When I arrived I was about 18 weeks pregnant. Being that far along I had to settle for any place that would take me and accept my insurance. My first appt was horrible. They have medical students doing work on you. (Tmi) they gave me a Pap smear and it was the worst Pap smear I’ve ever had in my life (I almost cried because because I felt so violated) they had this inexperienced student working on me. At the end of the appt they give you a whole bunch of papers. The nurse that gave them to me had a very thick Hispanic accent I could barely understand what she was saying.
At my second appt I found out that I missed out on an appt because when the nurse gave me the paper all I got was «wait for them to call you» well turns out I should have been calling them because no had ever called me. That was the important anatomy scan to make sure my baby was okay and growing correctly. Well I was already 23 weeks along and they don’t do the scan after 24 weeks. I’ve been calling these people (lutheran sonogram office) all week because they told me the closest I can get an appt is when I’m about 28 weeks along. Are you kidding me? I can’t even get it done then. As for the dr that I’m assigned to she spoke in one fast breath the whole time and ran out the door so quickly. There was a student there that was learning once again *eye roll* I really think I should be asked if I want a student to sit in on my appt.
I called the dr to try to get a referral to some where else for my anatomy scan and I was told to keep calling. No one wants to answer the phone and when they do everyone is sending you back to call someone else. This place is a joke. It’s been another 20 mins and no one has even come back on the line. I will not be going back to this place. This has been the worst experience I’ve had at the drs office EVER!!!
Pregnant women if you are smart enough to want good care for yourself during pregnancy. Stay away from this place.

I am surprised by all the negative reviews because I had a great experience here. I made an appointment to see a primary care doctor and a nurse midwife after just getting health insurance through Obamacare. I was able to make an appointment less than a week after I called, after being quoted 3 and 4 week waits from other clinics. The front desk staff was really helpful and explained the entire process to me. The Nurse Midwife Valerie Fiorello is one of the best and friendliest health care professionals I have seen and I would absolutely recommend her to all my female friends. I had to have several follow up procedures at other clinics, and the front desk staff not only made the appointments for me, they printed up a list off all my appointments. Yes, there was a slight wait and there were other people in the waiting room, but this is a doctor’s office, not a spa. I had a really great experience here.

Oh boy, where’s my regular doctor… In other words, I want to see my regular doctor. Not one that is switched every other appoinment. Sadly, this happens here frequently. I had an 11 o’clock appointment, the doctor you thought you had, is gone to another location. The nurse calls your name, weighs you, takes your temperature, than you’re taken back outside and wait some more. The new doc is most probably a student, seems very nervous. After a two hour wait, for what seemed to be 5 minutes of getting checked up, I leave unhappy, this place definitely blows. They need a better system.
Oh, if you forget or lose the appointment card, you’ll be reprimanded by the front desk staff.

It took 4 months to even get an appointment. It took 1 hour on hold to confirm my appointment. I waited 1 hour and 20 minutes to be seen by Dr. Patel. He spent 3 minutes probing my gums and then told me that the X-​Ray machine was down and that I needed to come back for X-​Rays before he would give me a cleaning. He was defensive and rude when I told him my experience. He became angry when I suggested that they call patients before they come in to inform them that their equipment is not working. I then tried to make the follow-​up appointment but their computer system was down. The front desk woman, who was actually very nice, told me that the doctors had a 600 person quota to meet. I guess Dr. Patel gets 2 check marks for my visits. All said, this was a total waste of time.

This place is terrible. Every time I go, whether the waiting room is crowded or mostly empty, the wait is over two hours long. Then the dentist forces me to get an X-​ray, refusing to give me a routine check-​up or teeth cleaning unless I get the X-​rays, and then saying they’re out of time and that I’ll have to come back and take a second half-​day off of work to finish up the cleaning. Steer clear, if possible.

This place really isn’t so bad, and I was pleasantly surprised.
I did kind of get bumped around all over the place, what with the initial weight/​height/​blood pressure business, telling my same problem to three different people, and finally getting to one who will write me a prescription, referral, and blood work orders, but she was super nice. We were chatting like buddies.
I got a referral for the GYN who is only in a few days of the week, so I got an appointment three days later. You can request which you get but since it was my first time I just took the luck of the draw.
The GYN that people seem to have a problem with is Dr. Marecheau who I had, and I suppose I can understand where they’re coming from. Dr. M is definitely not the jokey, fun, smiley, feel-​good happy-​go-​lucky type of doctor. She is very honest, professional, straight and to the point, and really if you imagine someone saying what she says in a sweet tone you’ll realize she’s not being condescending or sarcastic– she’s just telling you exactly what you need to know plain and simple, just without a smile. If you ask specific questions she’ll give specific answers. It’s really just her tone that comes off as cold, but if you come in sounding knowledgeable and confident about your questions (webMD that jazz before you go) she will gladly chat with you about them. She was great at talking me into getting Mirena instead of the copper IUD. Think of her as your equal, not someone whose job it is to make you feel cushy and comfortable, and her style is actually quite refreshing.
Overall, I’m happy to come back!

I just got «affordable» healthcare through the Obamacare exchange, which meant the only one I could sort of pay for was MetroPlus, which only seems to cover clinics. I was assigned to the Lutheran Medical Center, so I chose Dr. Dladla, whom I found to be a wonderfully kind doctor. She’s the reason this place is getting 2 stars instead of 1!
The process Miranda described here is pretty accurate. It’s a large waiting room, not unlike a hospital, filled with screaming kids and people chattering on their phones waiting to be seen. They give you an appointment card (and if you lose it, it’s another $ 1!), which they require in order to see you at all. You drop your card in the doctor’s cubby and wait. Nurses bring you in to weigh you, take your blood temp, etc. (every single time!), then you get to wait again.
I was given a number of prescriptions and referrals. All of the referral doctors, however, are located at the Lutheran Medical Center in Sunset Park — a good hike for me, but the only option for MetroPlus. Some of the prescriptions, I soon found out, required pre-​authorization, but the Park Slope Family Health Center has only one person who handles this and she was out for three days in addition to the weekend, which meant another week before I got my medication.
My doctor referred me to the gynecologist, who is in-​house (of course, because MetroPlus only covers this clinic, apparently!). I was told to see the appointment lady (same process — drop your card in and wait to be called up to make the appointment). She made me an appointment with a midwife, not the doctor. So, when I returned a few days later, I paid my compulsory $ 50 copay for a ‘specialist’ and quickly found out that the midwife could do nothing for me and I would have to return two days later. I returned two days later and paid another $ 50 copay to see the actual gynecologist.
This doctor was without ANY bedside manner. We argued about my treatment (which I have been to multiple doctors regarding over the years and they were all agreed on my plan for treatment). She finally acquiesced, but was clearly not in the mood to administer the procedure. She finally executed the procedure (which was unnecessarily excruciating) and didn’t even attempt to show sympathy or help me in my recovery. In fact, as I lay sobbing quietly on the table for ten minutes, she sat at her computer and then said very flatly, «Do you want Motrin?» and then asked me to leave a few minutes after that. I nearly fainted in the lobby from the pain. (I will say, that ten nurses immediately rushed to me – so there’s that.) Additionally, she found something out of the ordinary and needed to do a biopsy. She didn’t even bother to engage me in conversation about the possible outcomes. My god — what if it were cancer? I somehow even doubt she’s looking to see the results.
All of their testing and blood work is done outside the office, which means another appointment elsewhere and then being proactive in following up with the doctor on the results.
All in all, I would not recommend this clinic unless you were DESPERATE. I am beginning to suspect I’d just have been better paying out of pocket and going somewhere else.

My second and last visit here.
Had a 10am appointment for 4 vaccinations and walked out 2 hours later after like, 6 minutes with a doctor and 5 minutes with an RN. The system here is so inefficient. Goes like this:
Put your card in the bin. Wait 15 minutes.
Your name is called by the person who wants to take your co-​pay. Deal with her. Wait 15 minutes.
LPN calls your name, brings you to a room, and takes your temperature, weighs you, takes your blood pressure, and then returns you to the waiting room. Wait 30 minutes.
Doctor comes and gets you. Talks to you for a hot minute. Well, more accurately, you talk to the back of her head while she types things on her computer, never once making eye contact with you or exhibiting any sort of bedside manner (unless you count scowling). Tells you to return to waiting room. Wait 40 minutes.
RN finally comes to get you. Administers shots.
Just ridiculous. Add on top of all of this screaming babies, general chaos, a packed waiting room (where you will spend a lot of time), a layer of filth, and bathroom stalls that declare who wuz there, who’s a bitch, and who loves who (paint that shit, you’re a damn medical facility), and there’s just no reason to come here unless you MUST.
The stars are for the doctors and nurses, who do seem to know what they’re doing, even if they seem to hate their jobs.

First of all, the place looks gross, not exactly what you’re hoping for from a medical office.
I made an appointment and showed up 15 minutes early only to be curtly told that the doctor «didn’t show up today» and I’d have to reschedule. No thanks! No apologies, surprise surprise.

After sitting in the waiting room for 3 hours, the staff informed my mother that they are not a walk in clinic (even thought we called and had them state they were a walkin clinic) and the Doctor would see her sometime after she took her lunch. Unprofessional service, wish Brooklyn had a better facility for out of town sick guests.

Awful. Simply awful. I waited an hour and a half only to be told that there were 3 people ahead of me. And I had an appointment. I finally walked out. I should have done my research on this «medical center» before I made an appointment. I have insurance but this place was near my apartment so I thought great! Wrong, so wrong. They schedule 5 – 7 people for the exact same appointment slot and you’re just supposed to sit there and wait because you have nothing else to do. Unprofessional, waiting room was dirty. I’ll take my business elsewhere and warn everyone never to patronize this place.

Appalling.
My friend had recommended this place as one of the cheaper options in the neighborhood for someone without health insurance. She said the wait could be long later in the day, so I went at 9am (half hour after opening). The room was full already, and it took me 5 – 10 minutes just to work out who I was supposed to announce my arrival to. But this is not what cost them 4 stars (they were busy. what can you do?) The penalties were earned as follows:
–1: Rude and impatient staff. I was pushed from clerk to clerk, until I got to the «walk-​in guy» who practically laughed at me when I asked how long the wait was, then said «at LEAST an hour». He gave me paperwork to complete, which included two forms to sign saying I’d read things he hadn’t given me. Of course, I asked to see them, so he shoved a document at me, which I think was supposed to contain both papers in question, but I’m still not sure. He didn’t really have time to explain.
–2: The Impenetrable Wall. After signing all these mystery agreements, giving them all my personal info, having my photo taken for their files, and paying my $ 90, I finally got in to see a nurse. I told her I was having recurring cold symptoms. She looked at her computer and told me: «there are a few specialists who could help you with that, but none of them will be free for at least 3 hours.» This got me thinking… how much more run-​of-​the-​mill did they expect my symptoms to be? If they don’t actually have any doctors available to examine something as basic as a cold/​flu case within half a day, isn’t this something we could’ve established a lot earlier?
–3: Appointment Paradox. Call me a slave to logic, but I’d have assumed if there were doctors available later that day, as the nurse told me, it would be possible to schedule an appointment based on this availability. Apparently not! After getting my refund (another wait), and being sent back over to the «appointments girl» (who actually tried to get me to fill out paperwork again), I discovered that not a single appointment was available at all over the next 7 days. Wow. I really WOULD’VE been waiting a while.
–4: Disempowered. They lose the last star just because of how I felt when I left: completely powerless. Not only did I walk out no further ahead in terms of getting the health care I needed, but I felt like I was treated with the sort of disrespect I wouldn’t even accept from my hairdresser, who charges me far less, and to whom I don’t entrust my personal information.

Bring a book, but the wait isn’t that bad for a clinic if you have a morning appointment. The staff was cold, but not as bad as I’d expected, after all, they are working hard all day for low pay. I didn’t have any problems not providing my social security number (I have insurance). The dentist I saw was very sweet and professional, as was her assistant. Very sanitary, more so than private dentist offices I’ve been too.
Very glad that poorer people in the community have access to decent health care.

First time in this place and was pleasantly surprised! I was a little suspicious because the phone was off the hook and I was unable to make an appointment, but my overall walk-​in wait time was less than 30 minutes (granted it was 11:30am on a Wednesday.)
The nurse and doctor I saw were incredibly nice and helped me with my thrown-​out back situation in a jiffy.
Super glad for this spot, since walk-​in clinics are few and far between.

First review sums it up. One thing that annoyed me immensely about this place however, was the fact that they sent me home to get my Social (I’ve only been in the states a year and don’t know the number by heart). Why?! Clearly half the people there were undocumented, so either A) you don’t provide urgent medical care to undocumented immigrants, which frankly, is not very Lutheran /​Christian of you or B) You make sick people walk home in the sweltering heat for unnecessary information. After the insanely long wait time, you will eventually be seen. I was seen by Dr. Kabak, who was fantastic. She’s also the reason this place gets a 3 and not a 1.