Palo Alto Medical Foundation

Who designs a brand new building that serves everyone from pediatrics to urgent care, and decides not to have a separate waiting area or entrance for pediatrics or other non sick patients? Came in for a well baby visit, 3 people in the main waiting area with isolation masks on, two others who looked sick and were just hacking everywhere. Also, in an attempt to save paper they use these useless white board questionnaires that no one can read because the printing smudges and smears all over.
Wish they had thought through the small details, otherwise the building is great and the staff was average friendliness.

Jennifer Shriek is the bomb. She always takes care of me and actually listens to what I need. The urgent care here is also good, they will let you wait in the car.

My experience with PAMF on the Westside has been excellent. Medical costs without insurance would be off the charts. I have insurance!

Beware, their billing method is unlawful.
They billed me without my consent and without sending me a billing invoice which made me unaware of charges surpassing the initial amount that I should have been charged for. Their method is using a $ 300 deposit to cover expenses, this should not be an invoice exemption. Today, they are refunding the exceeding charges up to $ 131 but they still have not sent me the detailed invoice.
I do not recommend their service.

great service and staff. I have been to a lot of urgent care facilities in my day and these people are great. no BS here

I have a lot of varying medical issues from serious to not-​so-​serious. I moved to Santa Cruz after graduating Rutgers Univ. in May, 2012, and have visited PAMF urgent care at least a half dozen times since then, for a rash, a couple seizures, lung scares, etc (like I said-​varying medical issues). I’ve seen a few of the doctors, too. I’ve never had a bad doctor, none of them have ever been rude to me, they’ve all examined me professionally and thoroughly like they’re supposed to – sent me elsewhere as needed. The nurses and receptionists have always been courteous, professional and nice. I’ve just never had a bad experience with this group-​both at this location & the others around town. I have gotten a few hefty bills from some medical tests from my old insurance company but that was my insurance company not processing everything properly, not PAMF messing up. I went in today to get checked out after a seizure last week & Dr. Corby even remembered me from a visit in August– she’s really great. Don’t believe all those negative reviews! They’re all really nice and helpful here!

Great service… couldn’t write a 5 star because no one likes going to the Dr. =) I was in and out of there in less than 40 minutes Dr Andrew Klein was great no BS just here’s what you got and these are your options to get better. So, I took his advise and was off to see Tom Pharmacy which happens to in te same building for my presciption and they had it within minutes for a very resonable price. Thanks PAMF. Its 3 days later and my cold is gone!!!

Complete lack of care for the sick person’s time or condition. Front desk person was afraid to even ask the doctor for updated time estimates given that we had waited over an hour and no one else was in the waiting room but us. After we were told we’d be served in 30 more minutes, when that time elapsed and we asked again, they said another 5 – 10 minutes and that we’d still have to wait for an indefinite amount of time in a room in the back for the doctor. All we needed was a test for strep throat which should take less than 5 minutes. Even after having us waiting for such an extended time and be flexible for so long with their ‘procedures’, when I explained that we had to leave shortly for an appt, they did nothing to flexibly accomodate a quick strep test for my child and never expressed any concern that he was denied treatment for all this time. They were happy to see others and us leave their building. During the two hours I was there, I never saw one patient go into the back area for treatment; but I did see many others behind me give up and walk out or be turned away when they walked in. Poorest service of any medical establishment I’ve been to in 50 years.

Their billing department doesn’t deserve any ratings at all. They sent my account to collections. They never billed my insurance, and after numerous calls, they still could not figure it out.

I have had the unfortunate experience of visiting this place twice since I’ve lived here, and both times were pretty bad.
First, I waited over an hour both times: I understand that it’s first come first serve, but it was still unpleasant.
Second, I don’t know his name, but the doctor who was on call both times was fairly rude and extremely condescending. Sorry, but maybe I’m just used to people being friendly and actually caring (at a doctors office especially), but I guess that this guy just doesn’t posses those qualities. He kind of looks like House, and maybe thats where he gets it from… its like he’s on a House power trip or something and doesn’t realize he works at an urgent care clinic in Santa Cruz. Basically he made me feel like I was wasting his time, and that’s definitely not how I like to be treated when I am sick or hurt.
Third, the staff that I have interacted with has been very unprofessional. For example, a nurse didn’t leave the room and expected me to change into an exam gown while she was in the room. It should be a common courtesy to leave; not just «oh its ok, I’m just doing something, you can change». so inappropriate. Also, the receptionist seemed really scatter brained. maybe it just wasn’t her day.
Maybe I just shouldn’t expect much from anyone who works in santa cruz because I’m seeing a trend that not many people really care about the customer/​patient/​client, etc

Dr. Massie is wonderful and trustworthy. I highly recommend her as a doctor. However, the Palo Alto Medical Foundation is just unreal. Beware of referrals as they charge hundreds of dollars beyond a regular visit fee when your doctor refers you to a specialist. i.e., my dermatology appointment would have been $ 100 if I had not referred. They billed my $ 452 for a 5-​minute mole check. I was billed $ 620 for a 15-​minute consultation with an allergist. When I called the ENT for my daughter they would not quote any fees over the phone and told me to call my insurance company. Billing will nicely transfer you to a machine to leave a voice mail. You cannot get through to a supervisor. They seem to all be at lunch – all day!

cost for infection treated at SC Medical Foundation with insurance from UCSC: $ 90
cost for infection treated at UCSC Health Center with insurance from UCSC: $ 30
3x the cost, same services, same drug. Forget this place exist UCSC students.

The doctors and nurses here know what they are talking about and are very thorough. They also treat patients with respect and actually listen to what we are saying. I had a great experience here and I would highly recommend them to others.