WVP Boulder Creek

Really great first experience. My Primary care provider is a Nurse Practitioner, which to me means she has had to do the work and truly cares and values her patients. Sure enough, she was very caring and understanding. The appointment was easy to book by phone and they had availability as early as 3 – 4 days from the call. Friendly staff and receptionists. I appreciate that the receptionists have tattoos/​sleeves, and dyed hair, etc. glad that is standard and ‘accepted’ now. Referred me out to a travel clinic that I called while I was waiting and found they didn’t accept insurance so I asked again & they referred me to one who did. Ordered me a titer also to see what immunizations I have had/​was immune to, got it done that same day. Would recommend to others. Plenty of parking, clean and seemingly well organized. Love that you can request the provider you prefer.

This clinic has recently opened and is a combination of the former WVP Liberty Street clinic and a new family medicine clinic. There is one physician on staff, multiple mid-​level providers (mainly Nurse Practitioners) and a Psy.D. Due to the previous issues encountered at Liberty Street with narcotic diversion and abuse, Boulder Creek has a «no narcotic» prescribing practice. Very few (if any?) controlled substances are prescribed at this clinic. For this reason, it has become to be known as the «ibuprofen clinic.» A large population of those served at this clinic are medicaid population.
My own personal experience at WVP Boulder Creek makes me wonder about the limited approach of this method of medicine and the overall competency of the staff. My husband has had horrible migraines for 25 years. He has been previously worked-​up (e.g., CT scans, etc.), however his headaches have never been fully controlled. He lost his health insurance about 5 years ago, recently reinstated, thus our trip to Boulder Creek. After stating he has tried everything from Excedrin, chugging Coca-​cola, tylenol and copious amounts of ibuprofen to no avail, on headache days he is told to increase the dose of Ibuprofen to 800 BID and sit in a dark room. His debilitating pain complaint and request for help was not heard. There are numerous migraine medications that are non-​narcotic. It felt like the second he was asking for another medication, he was automatically labeled a «drug seeker» and his complaint was unheard. He is still struggling with headaches q3−4 days, and Boulder Creek is being reimbursed for that unhelpful clinic visit.
We are moving out of state soon and will not be returning to this clinic. I am concerned for those patients with serious pain complaints seeking help at Boulder Creek because I fear they will encounter a great deal of struggle to have their needs met. I would urge the clinic to reconsider their approach to patient care and to prevent medicaid bias when prescribing.
**I should note that everyone is very nice at this clinic, however kindness is not the issue.