Davis Square Family Practice

December 14^th, Woke up with a clogged right ear the morning before seeing a ballet. Emailed at 7:30am, a half hour before opening to see if they could help.
11:30am, received email they couldn’t see a new patient until 2016.
Okay, I will go get a 5-​minute windex-​bottle-​with-​hose-​attached procedure done elsewhere.

A friend highly recommended Dr. Botte. To my dismay, she is ill-​educated and wrongly opinionated about thyroid disorders and has not kept up with current research. For anyone with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, DO NOT go to this practice. She stated that Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and hypothyroidism are the exact same thing. She is also your typical doctor who doesn’t like to take all the tests, however she took more tests than necessary and I was surprised to see them online on my chart. Her manner and work-​ethic surprised me because her profile on their website says she has worked in Endocrinology (hence the word HAS). Her bed side manner was stale and uncaring. She was not in a particularly good mood when she assessed me which should not have carried over into my visit and was unfriendly. I was charged for tests that I did not ask for, nor was I told the cost of tests or what is and isn’t covered by your insurance.

Dr. Bershel and her crew are wonderful. We have a newborn and they have gone above and beyond to give him the best care possible.
She is very patient and flexible and listens closely to our concerns. We never feel rushed. We’ve never had such an accessible health care provider before.
Highly recommended practice.

I’m updating my previous review… I have been a patient of Marie’s for over 5 years. She’s wonderful.
Unfortunately, every aspect of the rest of the practice is mediocre, at best. I’ve been kept waiting EVERY single time I’ve come here: waiting for Marie, waiting for Dr. Berschel, waiting for the phlebotomist. The office itself hasn’t been updated in god knows how long: paper records literally line the walls of the front office, the exam room walls are stained, there are space heaters and fans in every room since there’s barely any climate control. More than once, there have been paper forms filled out by another patient left in the exam rooms.
I won’t even bother elaborating on the time Dr. Berschel forgot about 2 acupuncture needles she put in, and I had to remind her to take them out.
I’ve been kept waiting too long, too many times. I’ve been frustrated by complacent, lazy behavior too many times.
Time for a new PCP.

I just have to say that I transferred BACK to Davis Square Family Practice after almost 10 years in other states. I also travel an hour and a half from rural western MA to come here for appts. Let me add the disclaimer here that I am what most doctors would probably consider an incredibly annoying patient. I’m studying a field of alternative health care, talk a lot, ask a lot of questions, and while I respect the vast expertise and training of doctors, I also question a lot of accepted medical paradigms and seek my own answers. My daughter and I both have complex health issues as well. Dr. Bershel is not only puts up with me, but she is always so welcoming of my questions.
I know the reviews here seem mixed, and I want to say why I travel this far, and why I value Dr. Bershel so much. Everyone needs a different type of doctor, and not everyone is going to be a fit for everyone, nor is any doctor perfect, period. But I think she is a pretty special and rare sort of doctor, for various reasons I’ll explain.
The main «pro» to me is Dr. Bershel is an incredibly REAL human being who deeply cares about her patients, and takes a lot of extra time helping them. I feel her visits are almost like counseling as much as medical care.
I always get the feeling she truly cares about my family not just as patients, but as people. On that note, she also takes a long time with everyone. The patient care itself EXTREMELY reliable and way beyond the level most offices provide. If you have a problem with the occasional wait, keep in mind she is going to take the same time and care with you!
The second HUGE point to me is the very integrative approach Dr. Bershel takes to health. This means she offers a lot of holistic or complementary healthcare options under the umbrella of a standard office visit. If that’s important to you, or you are broke and can’t afford alternative healthcare but have regular insurance, this is like striking GOLD. Some of the techniques she offers include low level laser treatment for pain, neurofeedback (a type of brain/​neurological retraining system that may help with assorted emotional and cognitive issues), Tong Ren, and homeopathy (not sure if she still uses homeopathy in her office, but she did in the past). She is also great with referring you to the right specialists.
To those of you who are upset she didn’t issue antibiotics or delayed vaccines… this is one of the reasons I really like Dr. Bershel! She is very conservative in her approach to using meds and delaying vaxes until a baby’s immune system has had a chance to develop more. When my daughter started getting recurrent ear infections as a baby (she is 11 now), Dr. Bershel gave me a homeopathic remedy that CURED her overnight. She never got them again after that! So no, not every illness needs antibiotics, not even an infection. She knows what red/​pink flags to watch for in an illness.
Thirdly, Dr. Bershel gets the BIG PICTURE when she takes your symptoms. She asks the questions a lot of doctors don’t consider, and notices the details. I have NEVER experienced her as rude, but she’s very honest, direct and often funny. She always puts me at ease and makes me feel listened to. I have very complex healthcare needs, and her concern and desire to help me find answers is very real. She is my health care home base and does way more work than the average family care doctor, coordinating my massive health needs and questions.
Dr. Bershel thinks outside the box, in this regard! She will dig deep to order many dx tests that most doctors wouldn’t authorize, even some that fall outside insurance constraints, and pull the necessary strings to get it approved. For example, she had me take some third-​party «alternative» blood tests that I paid for out of pocket through the office (I approved the expense beforehand). These tests changed my life. This is just one example of times she’s pulled strings, noticed small signs other doctors might miss, and dug deep to help me find solutions. She is a real problem solver. (I would compare her to Dr. House but she’s much nicer!)
Fourth… Dr. Bershel is the ONLY doctor I have ever had in my life who will call or email you after hours if you have a concern. I wonder if she ever is off duty!
I don’t feel the building is «run down» at all. I lived in Davis Square for years and it looks like any other office in Davis Square. Dr. Bershel collects quirky antique medical posters and paraphenelia, and these are always very entertaining and educational for my daughter and myself to look at.
Cons: Maybe one or two occasions (out of MANY), things got a little chaotic or some paperwork got delayed. I don’t mind this… the whole vibe of the office is unique and personal, and that’s why it is special. These are small beans in the big picture of quality of care here.
Dr. Bershel has helped my family so much, and gone the EXTRA MILE to such a huge extent, that I feel she deserves way more than a 5 star rev

TL;DR: Not for kids… Or really anyone.
Since I’m on Unilocal today to find a new PCP, I feel like I should probably help someone else from making the same mistakes. I choose Dr. Bershel as my PCP when I moved here a couple of years ago and was fine with that (I think I came once or twice-​I thankfully don’t get sick often). Then I had my daughter and Dr. Bershel seemed to have really thought out the vaccination timing (they are pro vaccinations –which I hope everyone thinks seems like the right idea– but she just suggests postponing some a month or so) and baby care issues so I signed my daughter up as well.
We lasted a little under a year with my daughter there. The doctor may have a well thought out vaccination plan but she doesn’t seem to share it with her staff or write anything down well so the final straw was when the nurses asked me what shots my daughter should be having and whether we just wanted to «go ahead» with one she «might need» because the doctor was out and there were no records to refer to. When I went to a new practice they asked about a blue immunization book and I had to stare blankly like an idiot because there was no such thing here as far as I know.
In addition to that, her bedside manner with the mother of a newborn was sarcastic and superior. Don’t give shit to a sleep deprived mother because her baby isn’t sleeping through the night. Honestly, who does that? And coming from a doctor, are you serious?
And the nail in the coffin was that the lead test blood work that is suggested to be given between 9 months and a year (we left when my daughter was year– should have been earlier– Moms, listen to your gut) hadn’t been done and came back high at our new pediatrician. So, basically, we could have started treating my daughter 3 months earlier if they had been on the ball. It wasn’t serious or extremely high or harmful to my daughter but still, something I’d have rather jumped on 3 months earlier.
So since then I’ve been lazy and didn’t change my own doctor. And unfortunately for me got sick last year and had to go in. They wouldn’t give me antibiotics for what they diagnosed as a sinus infection (which it was) and told me if I was still sick in 2 weeks to come back in. Now, I understand not wanting to doll out meds so people become resistant but I had already been sick for the previous 2 weeks and what they did give me was a steroid inhaler for the most minor of my symptoms which seems excessive.
Since then I’ve been hitting up the CVS Minute Clinic (like a lot of their patients after reading these Unilocal reviews) but time to be a big girl and find someone else.
I started off this review at 2 stars because the nurses weren’t bad and the staff seemed well-​intentioned but seeing it all out again just makes me angry at the incompetence.

Guys. This place is the best. I seriously don’t know why this place doesn’t have 5 stars. I came here on the recommendation of a friend. I had an appointment with Michelle Clark who actually listened to my issues. It was the first time I’ve felt HEARD by a doctor. She doesn’t just look at the numbers, she looks at the whole patient.
I seriously can’t say enough good things about this place. Everyone who works here is FANTASTIC.

I’ve been taking my son to Davis Square Family Practice since he was born. Dr Bershel is extremely friendly and during the hospital newborn visit provided a wealth of information to help us make the final few decisions on testing and screening at the hospital.
All our follow-​up visits have been with Marie Botte who has been wonderful. Her care has been excellent and she always talks us through the examination: explaining what she is looking for and what we should normally expect. Beyond the routine exam she has always been there to listen to our new parent anxiety and offer advice and much needed reassurance.

I can’t believe there aren’t more negative reviews. I really hesitated writing this, because I don’t likely dwell so much on the negative, especially in a public forum. However, I think that people looking for a physician should really have reviews to make their decision from. I wasn’t surprised to see other people who are dissatisfied. I
The only reason I remained a patient for the last 5 years was because I rarely need medical care and found the thought of trying to find a new doc overwhelming.
After my recent visit (physical required for work) I realized I couldn’t take it anymore. I specifically asked how much time I should plan for this and was assured it wouldn’t take more than 20 minutes. I should have known better. Not only did I sit in the exam room for 20 mins (though it seemed there were no other patients), I heard the staff in the hallway chatting about their plans for later. This is typically the case. The entire staff appears to have no idea what professionalism is. In the medical field myself, I find this inexcusable. I never felt confident in my care and was often misdiagnosed. When I found myself seeking all of my care at the minute clinic in CVS, I knew it was time to leave. Enter at your own risk.

Marie Botte and the medical assistants in this practice — especially Nicole and Meghan — should be ashamed.
I have been without a required daily medication for days because Marie a) called my prescription into the wrong pharmacy, b) sent the incorrect prescription to said pharmacy, c) requires an appointment to refill my prescription even though I have been taking it for years, and d) does not work a full-​time schedule and is gone (and totally unreachable) for the weekend by 6PM Thursday.
This morning I contacted the practice for a status update and Nicole stated that because Marie is off work for the next 3 days, I have to continue waiting for my prescription until next week. I reminded her that this issue was caused by Marie’s error and she stated that she will «see if the other doctor will do it». She then called me back several hours later — at 3:10 — to tell me the other doctor would only call in the prescription if I came in for an appointment… at 3:45. I am at work on the other side of the city and cannot get out of work and to the office in 35 minutes. I asked if the doctor could call me so I could explain the situation and she said «sure» and hung up. The office closed for the weekend and the doctor did not call. Now it is the following Monday, I still have not heard from either doctor, and when I called the practice at 3PM to find out why I was told that Marie is once again gone for the day.
This is at least the 3^rd time I have been through this with Marie and her team in the last year. The office staff treats me as though I am bothering them every time I call, and have absolutely no respect for me as a patient or a person. I will be finding another doctor, and will tell everyone who will listen about the terrible experience I have had at Davis Square Family Practice.

I’ve been to this practice several times over the past few years. The building and facilities are very run down and sad looking. Almost every time I’m there you can hear the girls behind the glass being pretty unprofessional and making jokes at the patients expense.
However… I recently met with their new Nurse Practitioner Michelle, she was great! She was very thorough and explained everything very well. I was planning on this being my last appointment with this practice, but given how impressed I was with her I will be back again.

I have only written one star reviews but Dr Bershel is just that good. She has seen me through good times and also times where her staff has arranged for me to be transported by ambulance on a stretcher. Dr Bershel has a depth and awareness that is extremely rare in medicine and in the world. If I weren’t against using all caps I’d use them here: she listens. She’s also an advocate of alternative medicine and has introduced me to things that I can’t afford or wasn’t sure of like Tong Ren and laser therapy. She is knowledgable and the same time humble at what she doesn’t know. Best of all she is a human being and will never tell you your symptoms are all in your head.

I want to give no stars. I also feel odd writing a review for a Dr.‘s office, but that’s how disappointed I am in this establishment. I came here for a physical a few months ago because I got new insurance that no longer covered Harvard Vanguard. Say what you will about large medical practices, but that place was streamlined and they had everything figured out. I never had any problems there with billing, never felt rushed or pressured. Coming from such a positive experience, I suppose I’m a little… spoiled? But shouldn’t we all get streamlined healthcare that’s affordable and patient-​centered? Ok, ok, I won’t get political here…
The receptionists are nice. The woman who took my blood pressure was quirky and at first I was uncomfortable by her lack of professionalism, but she was nice and so I rolled with it. She asked me if it would be ok if a nursing student came in with Marie (the nurse practitioner) during the appointment and I agreed. Well, the nursing student came in first, without Marie and started asking me lots of questions and typing away on her laptop. This was bizarre to me. I had agreed for a student to be with the NP, but not alone. She explained that she would just be asking me some general questions and that Marie would be looking over everything she typed. Ok, fine. She asked me the same questions that I had filled out on my medical history form. Instead of going over it with me, she asked all the same questions again, and then some. It was maddening. Then, Marie came in and ASKED THE SAME QUESTIONS. I was there for an hour and a half. It was ridiculous. I also have an issue with being examined TWICE. The procedure of a student examining me was not explained upfront. UGH. Marie pushed vaccinations on me such as tetanus and whooping cough, telling me that these are necessary and that I should have been re-​vaccinated years ago, making me think I had dropped the ball. Come to find out it was fine not to be vaccinated again. Then she told me to come in for blood work to have my cholesterol and white blood cell count checked. Fine. I did that 2 weeks later and ended up with a $ 200 bill from their lab because she decided to check my Vitamin D levels since I had mentioned I take D supplements and what do you know insurance doesn’t cover that shit.
Terrible, terrible experience. I won’t be back unless it’s an emergency in the next few months, and even then I might just got to the ER or CVS minute-​clinic. I don’t know if I could bring myself to set foot in here again.

Dr. Bershel and her staff are excellent. They always have great bedside manner, are quick to follow up when you’ve got pending lab results, and do anything they can to help their patients.
It can take awhile to get your first appointment, so call and schedule your first visit before you need to see the doctor. Once you’re a patient, I haven’t had any problem finding appointments. If you have a very limited schedule, I’m sure it’s more difficult, but they will work with you the best they can.

My experience with Davis Square Family Practice was a few years ago, and I’ve no idea if the doctor I saw then is even still there. It wasn’t Dr. Bershel nor Marie, the two most often cited in other reviews, but I honestly can’t remember the name of the person it was any more.
Regardless, I found my experience as a whole upsetting. I went in because I was quite sick and needed to go somewhere that could see me quickly, and they were the only place with an appointment available soon that was within the distance I could walk with how poor my health was that week. I first got the basics done with a nurse, whom was apparently forgettable as I don’t remember anything particular about that any more. Then a young man — if I am remembering correctly, someone who was interning there on the path to becoming a full doctor — came in to talk with me while we waited for the on-​staff doctor, a wait that took some time. He was quite pleasant and supportive, asking on-​target questions, listening thoroughly to my answers, and then telling me his opinion of what was wrong with me. He concluded that I likely had a virus that they had recently been seeing in other patients, and said that he believed the doctor would send me on my way with no prescription and the advice to just take it easy and be sure to hydrate. When the doctor still didn’t come, he then starting making small talk with me to make the time pass more quickly for me.
The doctor himself was rude, judgmental, and overtly very opinionated. He gave me an antibiotic prescription «just in case» he was wrong that it was a virus — the young would-​be doctor looked surprised as the doctor scrawled the prescription — and when I answered his questions explaining that I didn’t have a primary care physician that I regularly saw at the time but that I got regular gynecological exams at a gynecology specialist, he expressed the opinion that that was all that a woman my age really ever needed to do in terms of regular health care. I found it offensive, but when I passed on what he had said to some of my female friends after I started to recover (with no help from the antibiotics, which did turn out to be unnecessary), they found it even more offensive than I had.

I break a lot of things. My leg, toes, fingers, hands, ribs, left ankle, right shoulder and your sister’s heart.
I also hate going to the doctor when I’m sick, so I make a vested effort to go when I’m healthy, thereby staving away sickness. Preventative care, baby. Just call me Tha Zit Killa cuz I be ProActiv. Wow that was dumb.
Whether I’m limping in asking for an insurance-​sponsored set of crutches, running a routine physical or getting tagged as Patient Zero for some hyper-​mutated Rubella strain, Dr. Bershel and Marie have always been incredibly kind, straightforward and thoroughly informative about what’s either killing me or making me stronger.
Never felt rushed, slighted or skipped over and their availability for emergencies (shoulder? it’s fractured) or perceived emergencies (appendicitis? wrong side) is unreal — they’ve always made time to see me.
In the past three years, I’ve had three different insurance carriers and DSFP accepted them all. Don’t expect high-​tech gadgets or even recent magazines in the waiting room; this clinic is all about solid medical practice and exquisite bedside manner.

To be honest– I just picked the first doctor that was accepting patients when I had to switch over to a new insurance, and this is what I got. So far, not happy with this practice at all. I wish I had done more research and I hope to help others from making the same mistakes.
The nurses (I’m not sure their technical names) that check BP, wt/​ht never seem to quite know what they are doing (though they fake it well). The first time I went and had my blood pressure taken the nurse was holding the stethoscope with her thumb (which is poor form) and she told me my BP was ¹²⁰⁄₈₀ (when I asked), even though I know its almost always much lower than that.
In my opinion, the staff can be a bit too liberal– the nurse (?) asked if I would like to step on the scale and I jokingly said ‘not really’ as most girls may, and she was like oo thats fine you can always refuse. It was winter and I was wearing like 19 layers, and stepped on the scale and she recorded my weight without any mention of shoes/​coat etc.
As someone who works in the medical field blatantly getting inaccurate data is a ‘no-​no’
Terrible bed side manner– the entire time she was in the room with me asking questions, she just stared at her lap top and rattled off the questions from the computer, rarely looking up and making no attempt to make it conversational.
Also, she used far too medical terminology, — she even busted out some random abbreviations I had never heard of. It was all of the terms we are taught in school to not use when talking to patients who will likely not completely know what we are talking about.
Inconsiderate use of time and money: I had my first appt, and while at it she said she needed to see me for a follow– up in 6 weeks… so I made the appt, came in paid, and the extent of the appt was telling me that I needed to go see specialist. Um, hello? what kind of a follow up was that. Nothing had changed in my condition from the first appt, why didn’t you just refer me to a specialist then, rather than making me wait 6 weeks and then pay an additional co-​pay and take an hour out of my busy day for that useless 5 minute appt.

I decided after my last trip to this office that I wouldn’t be returning, because I just didn’t like the way I was always rushed in and out.
That said, had I not already made that decision, I would have today, when I got a denial of a claim letter from my insurance company, saying that I owe my doctor’s office $ 95 for «cessation of smoking treatment».
This «treatment» they have billed me for was literally six words. «Smoking is so unhealthy for you.» This doesn’t meet the requirements to bill for that particular code. Not even close.
Because I haven’t gotten a bill from the office itself, I suspect that they were trying to bill my insurance company for it, and when they denied it, they aren’t going to bill me because they’d have to actually talk to a person and explain why those six words are worth $ 95. It’s a pretty classic insurance scam.
I’m not saying it’s not a legitimate practice. It is. I am, however, saying that you need to look long and hard at your EOBs when you get them.

About a year and a half ago, I chose Davis Square Family Practice and Dr Bershel as my primary care doctor. Though I rarely have a need to see the doctor, I am happy to say that when I do, I know that I am seeing a doctor who cares and that the overall experience will be a pleasant one.
Mostly, anything medically related tends to scare people, stress them out or just get on their nerves. Understandable, with all the questions that come with coverage and medicine in general. Of the appointments I’ve made (general check-​up, once with a severe cold, and most recently to have some stitches out), I was able to make an appointment within the day (in the case of being sick) or within a day or two in the other cases.
I’ve seen both Marie Botte and Dr. Bershel, and have been warmly received and treated by both women. They are kind and gentle, and make polite, inquisitive conversation when you are being treated. Dr. Bershel is quick to address situations with her staff and won’t hesitate to give you a call at home to make sure you’re doing okay with any recent prescriptions or procedures.
Though things can often get busy in this office, and sometimes they run behind, the care is always excellent and the environment comfortable.

Davis Square Family Practice has a convenient location. Its within walking distance to 2 pharmacies and public transportation. There is plenty of area parking (bring your quarters) and spots to get tea to help with that sore throat or cough.
My son and I have been going to Dr. Burshell for about 6 years and I could not speak highly enough of her. She is an excellent listener, trusts your instincts, is never dismissive, I have never felt rushed by her.
In my experience, she understands and respects that as a patient, I am an expert on my own body and if I say something hurts, or that I have been dropping things more than usual, or whatever, she listens and pursues the root of the problem. She never dismisses or makes light of my concerns.
I deeply appreciate that Dr. Burshell has always been respectful and thorough. I have recommended her to my family and friends. My son and I love her.
I have also seen a few of the other Doctors and Marie and have had good experiences with all of them.