Recent comments in /f/CambridgeMA

jpallan t1_j765k6x wrote

Reply to comment by Zealousideal_Baker84 in What are your thoughts on Cambridge Health Alliance? Have you had good experiences with them? by TheTwelveYearOld

First, if you don't have a PCP in the MGH / Brigham ecosystem, you're pretty fucked unless you're specifically referred there.

Secondly, if you have ENT needs, you should be heading straight to Mass Eye and Ear, which is next to MGH but still a separate hospital.

Feel better!

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realvladdiputtn t1_j75dnr7 wrote

Reply to What are your thoughts on Cambridge Health Alliance? Have you had good experiences with them? by TheTwelveYearOld

My wife and I both found PCPs who we love at CHA, though basically every experience with CHA other than our PCP has been a train wreck. Their Telehealth ended up costing us way more than we expected because while the doctor was in network, they weren’t approved to do Telehealth so it counted as out of network. It was nearly impossible to get referrals for a specialist when our PCP was on paternity leave.

Also, if you have any ability to choose, avoid the CHA Hospital ER at all costs. I’ve had the misfortune of taking friends there three times, and every time ended poorly. One friend with gall stones was told he didn’t need surgery twice after serious attacks, which the surgeon he eventually went to said was borderline malpractice as it had started to become infected. My other friend came down with a viral infection with a 103 fever and was told to go to the ER by urgent care, only for us to wait in the waiting room for 5 hours before leaving without being seen or even given an estimate of how long it would take. In contrast, we ended up taking her to MGH where we were seen by a doctor within 15 minutes, and tested, treated, and related within a 5 hours. Of course, if you’re in an absolute emergency, do whatever is fastest.

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x0avier t1_j758sp3 wrote

Reply to What are your thoughts on Cambridge Health Alliance? Have you had good experiences with them? by TheTwelveYearOld

CHA charged exactly double what I was expecting. Thought it was a clerical error but nope. They have this really dumb system that charges for the service and then the doctor charges you whatever CHA's "facility usage" fee is. Basically CHA owns the building and all the medical equipment and you get charged for that and the doctor's going rate.

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blackdynomitesnewbag t1_j7561jw wrote

Reply to What are your thoughts on Cambridge Health Alliance? Have you had good experiences with them? by TheTwelveYearOld

I've had a mixed experience. I liked my PCP, but I found some of his PAs to be inattentive and dismissive. One nearly missed my pneumonia cause she didn't think that I had been sick for long enough. My PCP retired and I've only seen my new one once, so I don't have an opinion on her. When I injured my wrist, they referred me to a orthopedist that was past I95, which was weird. My dermatologist and gastroenterologist are good. My psychiatrist was good, but she left the CHA because it was a dumpster fire. They replaced her with a nurse practitioner who was way in over her head and had no clue what she was doing. After a year, I left and followed my old psychiatrist to her private practice once it had room.

I'm looking to switch to MGH cause they have better specialists and surgeons and it can be hard to get referrals to MGH specialists without a PCP there.

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Stronkowski t1_j74sm44 wrote

Reply to What are your thoughts on Cambridge Health Alliance? Have you had good experiences with them? by TheTwelveYearOld

Years ago I signed up as a new patient at the CHA in Malden. A week later I tore my Achilles (though I didn't realize that's what it was at the time). I spent 3 months trying to get them to see my sooner so they could look at my pulled calf muscle. By the time I finally got them to see me, the tear had retracted too far and it hurt the repair prospects.

A couple years later I hit my shoulder snowboarding and it didn't improve a couple weeks later. They wouldn't let me come in to the office because of COVID and only offered me a televisit, which is useless for a physical I section of my shoulder pain. That eventually healed on its own. A few months ago I had extreme digestive issues and pain, and tried to get in. They told me I was no longer considered a patient because I hadn't been in to see them in too long, and it would be 4+ months before I could get an appointment as a "new" patient reminder: I tried to go in previously and they wouldn't let me. This time I went to urgent care and ended up getting emergency surgery for an abscess.

On the other hand, the surgeon I had in the Cambridge location did a great job on my Achilles repair given how long it was between the rear and the diagnosis. The physical therapist I saw at the Malden location afterwards was also great.

Tldr: in my experience, their primary care is worthless and never has appointments.

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mtmsm t1_j74h374 wrote

Reply to Cozy spots for the cold snap! by doctorlimon

Not a bar (I don’t even know if they serve alcohol?) but Andala Coffee House always looks super cozy. Sometimes they have musicians jamming together.

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brianphil98 t1_j748sr0 wrote

Reply to What are your thoughts on Cambridge Health Alliance? Have you had good experiences with them? by TheTwelveYearOld

i go to atrius for my PCP, but the CHA experiences ive had have been horrid.

i got my mpox vax at a cha in malden. no signage, no tents, no general reception. i had to ask the family health receptionist where to go. when i was sent a link to schedule my second appt thru ‘color’ it said i wasnt in the system, but my boyfriend was. i called medical records and they didnt help me at all. when i got my second mpox vax in cambridge, i walked in, and the receptionist immediately played 20 questions with me about why the front door to the building was unlocked, because i was supposed to ring a bell to be let in. the door was essentially in her line of sight and i was the first appointment of the day. after squaring away the door issue, she mumbled thru my whole check in process, after enunciating perfectly fine about the GOD DAMN DOOR TO THE BUILDING SHE WORKS IN.

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Zealousideal_Baker84 t1_j747k05 wrote

Reply to What are your thoughts on Cambridge Health Alliance? Have you had good experiences with them? by TheTwelveYearOld

I’ve been with them over a year and my PCP is attentive and responsive. I’ve gotten a colonoscopy and will see an ENT shortly. Urgent care is good too.

I am worried, once I get to the specialists, would I better served at Brigham and the like. I did try and schedule an ENT with mgh but no one calls back.

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mtmsm t1_j70g3f6 wrote

Reply to Best meals under $10? by candleruse

I haven’t tried a ton of their prepared foods, but Daily Table has a lot of very cheap meals you can just heat up. Probably not as nice as a restaurant meal, but I’ve gotten some decent stuff there.

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