CHA Somerville Hospital Campus

UPDATE — I’m updating this review to reflect the follow-​up I received from the hospital. I definitely didn’t want to give the whole operation a bad review based on 1 parking attendant. Patient Relations got in touch with me a few hours after I left them a message and showed a genuine concern and understanding for my situation. I feel much better after speaking with them and I am very happy with how they handled my complaint.
Original Post:
This review is for the hospital parking. I’ve been going to his hospital for three years now, but I used to live down the street so I never had to use their parking lot before. AVOID USING THEIR LOT IF YOU CAN. The parking attendant charged me $ 5 for parking there for an hour — but I was only there for 50 minutes. (They’re only supposed to charge $ 2 for an hour or less). He was very aggressive and I ended up crying because his approach was very intimidating. I arrived at 8:05 and left at 8:55 — he wasn’t at the lot at 8:05, so I can only assume he was covering for being late to work by printing a false ticket. (Everyone’s late for work, but you don’t have to treat people so terribly…) I also think he may have jacked up the price because he thought I was trying to leave without paying — I told him, I’m *happy* to pay for parking, but not when I’m being scammed.
He kept using the phrase «I’m not lying to you», maybe 2 or 3 times. If he wasn’t making me late for work, I would have asked to look at the security footage. It was very weird.
The parking would get 0 stars if I could, it was a very upsetting experience to be intimidated and cheated, especially after a doctor’s appointment.
(For those of you thinking, it’s just $ 3 extra — I’m fine paying $ 5 for parking, when that’s what I’m supposed to be paying, and when the parking attendant doesn’t make me cry.)
I called their patient relations and left a message. I’ll update the review if I hear back from them.
(PS — the hospital itself is perfectly nice and Dr. Bansen is great!)

I love this hospital. I have been coming here for almost a year now. I have a PCP, a gyno, and dermatologist, and have been to the ER. I have received remarkable service, care, and assistant each and every time I’ve been. Oh, I also had to see a surgical specialist here as well. Seriously, all the doctors are AMAZING. They are very friendly and nice, listen to me and my concerns, and are thorough with explaining my medical care. I’ve read a lot of negative reviews about the cost of seeking medical treatment at this facility, and it makes me wonder if that has to do more with each persons’ individual health insurance because none of my treatment costs have seen exorbitant to me. I feel 100% safe, heard, and respected at my visits here, unlike my previous doctor. I will continue to come here as long as I live in Somerville. Thank you so much to all of my wonderful doctors!

I had a great overall experience with the Emergency Room staff this week. I was hesitant to visit, due to the mixed reviews and the obvious Mad Men-​esque 1960’s architecture but I can happily report that the facility is clean, organized, well-​staffed and up-​to-​date inside.
I’m new to the area and haven’t set up a primary care physician yet, so I was stuck with a trip to the ER when a mysterious chest pain set in and then didn’t resolve itself after 10 days. I found the Emergency wait room completely empty and calm upon arrival. A receptionist greeted me, took my basic info and then immediately escorted me back to an exam room. Zero wait time there.
A doctor arrived about five minutes after to discuss the reason for my visit. Basic vitals were taken and we discussed the nature and history of my issue. CHA is a teaching hospital for Harvard Medical School, so my doc was in training, but clearly knew her stuff. She also had great bedside manner, was very calm and reassuring (I was very nervous) and explained things in an easy way.
I had a physical exam, an EKG to rule out heart issues, blood work (with the best, smoothest tech ever, thank you for helping a squeamish lady with finesse) and chest x-​rays. Everyone was always super relaxed throughout the whole process which made the experience less frightening.
A couple staff members wandered in and out during this time to get my insurance information, have me sign paperwork and take my credit card for payment (mid-​blood work, of course). Yes, just let me get this needle out of my arm first, thank you. Happily my insurance covered everything, leaving me with a small co-​pay.
After all the work was done, I was returned to my room to await the results. I basically sat there for an hour without any contact. I’d have really appreciated someone coming in, checking in on me, telling me that I would be waiting for an approximate hour or so for results, etc. I’m sure they were off attending more urgent cases, but just a pop-​in every half hour would have been nice. It’s a lot easier to wait all alone when you know ahead of time.
After what seemed like a long time, my doc came back in and went through my tests with me. She had ruled out all the serious stuff (blood clots, gallbladder, pancreas, liver, etc.) and explained that I had, due to my new running routine, strained an intercostal muscle in my ribcage. It was a relief and could be treated with some prescription strength pain /​anti-​inflammatory meds. I thanked her profusely.
After she set up the prescription and outtake forms, the head doctor came in to follow up with any questions and my experience with the doctor-​in-​training. I told him I was very pleased with my care and overall experience. He nodded and said she was really great. After that, I was discharged with my prescription. I walked in at 6:05pm and out at 8:40pm. Hopefully I don’t have to return, but if I do, I would do so with confidence.

Excellent hospital! Exceptional staff. I came in they saw me immediately and took excellent care of me. I would highly recommend.

I went to the emergency room this morning for treatment after a bicycle spill. From the intake person John to the nurses Ed and Mary to Dr Lai Becker and the radiologist whose name I missed, everyone was nice, helpful and sympathetic.
I was well looked after and I’m confident my recovery will go well.
Thank you Somerville Hospital!

This review is for the Emergency Room (with a brief mention of the Windsor Dental Clinic):
One star for the price. Two stars for the speed at which you are seen.
I came here in severe pain with what I thought was a dental abscess, after trying to go to a CVS minute clinic and being told they couldn’t «legally» prescribe me antibiotics for such a thing.
The one very good thing about this ER is that they take you in immediately. I’ve been there before and literally never had a wait, at least before seeing a nurse.
All told, it took them about an hour to see me /​be finished with me. The nurse was extremely nice, and the doctor was fine. There was no specific indication that I had an abscess beyond pain in a root-​canalled tooth and a slight fever (no visible infection), but the doctor did prescribe antibiotics.
However, they refused to give me any pain medication, despite the fact that I had gone there because I had been alternating advil and tylenol all day and it wasn’t touching the pain. Even though I said my pain level was at about a 7, and that the otc meds weren’t cutting it. I honestly think this was unconscionable. They could have prescribed me one pill for the evening without a problem. I personally haven’t taken anything stronger than an OTC pain reliever in 20 years (and then I’ve only had tylenol with codeine once before for a dental issue). The dentist I saw the next day had no problem giving me a few doses of tylenol with codeine.
I think that part of the reason they wouldn’t do this is they stigmatized me because I appeared anxious. The nurse remarked on it many, many times and told me I had to get it under control (not unkindly, she was so nice and caring, but I do think it causes medical staff to be more likely to dismiss your opinions). Yes, I dislike hospitals, medical procedures, and I was clear that I was in pain. I told her that I have white coat syndrome with regard to blood pressure so I would like it taken again at the end of my visit to get an accurate read (I was interested to see if it would go down). Yes, pain, and the thought that I might have to undergo a really expensive procedure with no insurance while working part time, makes me anxious and nervous. This is absolutely no excuse to not treat someone in pain. I guess I should have been pushier about it, but then you have the catch-​22 of appearing to be seeking restricted drugs. Also, they did not suggest anything for treating the anxiety itself to help «get it under control» — not that I asked for it or wanted it, but if it was such a concern for them it might have been something for them to consider.
So, in that hour I lay in bed, had my blood pressure taken twice, waited a long time, and saw the doctor for about 8 minutes tops (which is honestly all I needed). Turns out the total cost for this visit was over 600 dollars. I guess I was naïve in the ways of the world, because I really wasn’t expecting this.
Maybe I’ll amend this review if I get it covered through some sort of state health care, but, while very friendly, they were not that helpful about how to apply (just come in during a weekday and apply in person!). They also referred me to the Somerville Windsor dental clinic (associated with the hospital), but when I called it was impossible to get an appointment, and upon questioning the receptionist said they wouldn’t treat my problem anyway.
Also, it turns out that the doctor gave me an antibiotic that is known to have terrible stomach side effects and is a very strong «last resort» kind of med. I had specifically asked for an antibiotic, if there was a choice, that would be easier on my stomach. The dentist, and another primary care doc I spoke with later, were shocked that he had prescribed it, and told me to switch. I still had lasting stomach problems and actually (with medical advice of course) had to discontinue the antibiotics altogether. This may not have been a bad decision on the ER doctor’s part, I can’t really judge, but that is what I was told.
All that said, I would go here for convenience’s sake in an emergency, but if I had a choice I might go elsewhere, perhaps Cambridge Hospital. Though, maybe they are the same. At least, be warned about the cost if you are ignorant like I was.

I was sent here for a skin biopsy, and was able to get an appointment in about a week, albeit at a midday time that was fairly inconvenient. It was a bit hard finding the south building by walking through the multiple connected buildings, so if you can, just walk around the back before going in to save that hassle. Several staff were more than helpful of course with this. The building seems a bit dated, but thats not an issue.
I had an appointment with Dr. Demosthene, who was very friendly and helpful. She went over the entire process, showed me the few instruments she’d use, and explained the order of the skin biopsy and how it worked. She also repeated this as she performed the procedure. A bit redundant, but was very thoughtful and a great way to do this because it would have put anyone at ease. The process was quite painless, really.
I did note that she seemed a little dismissive toward me, because I cancelled my derm appointment from the week before. Mind you, it was scheduled on the afternoon we got a snowstorm, where the city shut down, the MBTA shut down, and there was a ban on driving anywhere. While troubling, I knew my issue wasn’t labled an emergency, so cancelling was the best choice. She wasn’t rude about any of this, mind you, but seemed a bit dismissive toward how serious I took my condition.
That being said, she was more than happy to prescribe me what ultimately seems to be working fantastically, because it seemed a possible fix. I’ll know in a few weeks if it took care of the problem all together, but so far results are very promising.
I would gladly return to this doctor because she handled the procedure fantastically. If anyone has any fears toward getting a skin biopsy, this is the doctor to ask for.

I’ve lived almost my entire life without medical insurance until now. Most of my experience prior have been from quick clinics, urgent cares and the like. I’ve had a wide range of service. With that said, I feel my experience at CHA Somerville Hospital has been great.
PRIMARY CARE:
I’ve been twice and have waited no more that 10mins past my scheduled appt. The nurses seem overworked, stressed out, and always in a rush. They are in a rush! They have a ton of patients to worth through and it kind of sucks that you don’t get the time deserved. Dr. Seth is fairly new, but she is thorough and very nice. She too is in a rush, but with my many questions has been amazing at answering them thoroughly, clearly, and has even drawn pictures to help me understand things better. She’s taken all of concerns very seriously and took steps to ruling out serious issues.
X-​RAY:
The wait was very short. The receptionist was really sweet and the tech was friendly. They both explained to me what the procedure was, which put me at ease immediately.
BLOOD LAB:
I don’t know why, but the older I get the more I am afraid of getting my blood drawn. I walked in really nervous and paranoid: the kid was really young, he was covering the tech’s lunch — he’s a nurse’s aid, I think — so I thought he had no idea what he was doing. As soon as I sat down he just talked to me and continued doing his business. He obviously knew what he was doing and I didn’t feel a thing. He filled 4 little tubes and I almost fainted when I saw it. He promised me it wasn’t a lot of blood and I believed him.
The building is so old. The machines are old, too. he place has a dirty feel to it, but you know it’s clean. You should be warned that all the receptionists never learned to smile and will sometimes make you wait while they pretend like they don’t see you. This did not make it into my rating since my overall experience has been great.
The End.

I had to go to the ER for a very simple but VERY urgent situation. The triage and front end part was horrible – I had limited time to get help before I was going to be unconscious – and the BF had to scream at them about how I was about to go down in their waiting room.
Once I got triaged, it was fine. They knew the drill. Very routine treatment – you can’t really mess it up – and they did just fine. The one thing that freaked me out was that the nurse did not wear gloves when she inserted my IV.
But in the end, all was well.

Awful Awful awful. The Dr was pleasant but not very thorough.
My friend on a sunday morning had a spill on his motorcycle and i went there to pick him up. Upon arrival the place was empty. I thought that was great at first then i realized its because nobody goes to this hospital for a good reason.
The nurse only cleaned 2 wounds out of about 4 on my friend leaving the rest full of road rubble and glass!!! Yes we literally went home and i helped pick glass out of his flesh. I am not a trained professional at all but i know that glass and dirt in your flesh is not good.
The nurse gave her sob story about her man dying on a motorcycle and i thought that was very unprofessional. They should keep their stories to their self (unless asked) and just mend people up and send them on their way.
avoid this place like the plague!!!

So, this is of course a hospital, and nobody ever wants to need to go to a hospital. But I live very close to this one and have been thankful for that on more then 1 occasion. My first ever er experience was here, when I caught the dreaded Norwalk virus. This was a couple years ago. I was imagining it being like the show ‘er’, so i was quite nervous when I walked up the somewhat steep hill (technically i could deduct a star for that damn hill) leading to the er. But once there, I was taken very good care of, from the 5 bags of IV i needed to a few diff tests. I was here another time when my anxiety disorder left me unable to walk even a block without feeling like i was about to pass out from lightheadedness. again taken very good care of, and my questions answered. I came in recently with my roommate who was having bad stomach pain, and while the care itself was very good and timely, the receptionist took a very long time to check her in while she was in such pain. she seemed to be having trouble with the computer system, but that should not be the case in an ‘ER’. i have had a couple of procedures done here too, and the techs and docs were all polite and friendly. If you need a hospital, this is a good one. I do need to note that i have excellent healthcare, so the bills aren’t an issue for me.

My husband was feeling sick and when we called our regular doctor to get an appointment, we were told they had no vacancies for another 2 weeks. 2 weeks?! Really…*insert angry banter here*. So, with no car or other options in sight, we decided to visit the Somerville Hospital ER because it is a short walk from our house. I was a little nervous about what it would be like, since I have never been to the ER before and I kept picturing scary images of screaming patients and madness everywhere. However, the experience was actually quick and painless and my husband (who has been to the ER at other hospitals like Mass General and Brigham and Women’s, etc.) said it was the best experience he had. We only waited in the sitting area for about 10 minutes before being seen. The nurse asked a few questions, checked his vitals, and led him to a quiet corner spot in the large ER room where he could lay down before seeing the doctor. Everyone was friendly and answered our questions thoroughly. 45 minutes later we were out of there and had the peace of mind to know that nothing serious was wrong with my husband.

I went to the medical specialties department and saw an endocrinologist, which went relatively fine. However, since my clinical procedure, for the last month, I could not get in touch with the office or doctor. I was first simply trying to get a copy of my records and called during business hours and even sent my request by post. Their mailbox for rescheduling appointments or speaking to anyone is always «full.» Last week I left work early and I went in during the hours stated on their voice mail message only to find that they close early on Fridays, which they do not update on the phone message. The parking can be expensive in the designated lot if you can’t find a metered spot so this can be frustrating. I left a note under their door and someone did call me today but was denying that I had called during business hours and proudly stated that they do not accept voice mail messages. Then why do they never pick up and why don’t they state that on the voice mail instead of misleading someone to call back in the hopes the box will be cleared? Glad I am going to a doctor at Lahey now since they have very good service and facilities.

Not that you always get to pick your hospital… and I wouldn’t like, hang here voluntarily on a Friday night, but I had a surprisingly easy (if necessary) visit.
I had occasion to visit after this scary bizarro allergic reaction a few weeks ago and after some freaking out and contemplating I decided to hit up the closest ER just in case. I’m glad I did — the staff was nice, the nurses were nice, I saw a friendly young doc right away and got a steroid IV and was out with prescriptions in hand not even an hour later. Questions were answered, symptoms were cleared, and nary a staph infection acquired.

Those four stars were valid… until the bills rolled in.
5 minutes = the length of time i met with the doctor. During this time, I explained that I had pulled my back (which happens to me about 2 – 3 times per year) and that I needed flexiril and vicadin. He left the room, and a nurse came back to deliver my scripts.
5 mintues with doctor /​1 minute with nurse
No x-​rays, no blood tests, NOTHING.
$ 1500 = the emergency room bill
THEN, I get another bill.
Turns out the doctor can ALSO bill you for his time, in addition to the bill from the hospital.
ANOTHER $ 1750.
Thats over $ 3000 in bills for six minutes, a self-​diagnosis, and a prescription.
And my health insurance hasn’t kicked in yet.
Unacceptable.

OK nobody likes the ER. I took the GF here Saturday night because she was in servear abdominal pain (later to be diagnosed as appendicitis). We thought it was food poisoning.
We had the funniest doctor. 3:30 in the morning as he’s about to give her a pelvis exam and the GF is like, «So what’s your specialty? Are you on rotation?»
To which I respond, «Oh he’s a podiatrist babe,» which made him laugh, and then kindly explained that he was an ER doctor, which was why he was in the ER.
He gets out the plastic duck lips and drops part of it. GF says, «oh god. Have you done this before?» As the nurse handed him a new one, he smiles real big and excited like then says, «Actually you are my first one… JK!»
I took his picture with my phone and sent it to someone who thought we were at the Olympics because the doctor was Chinese. An obvious conclusion.

I have had to go to the emergency room at Somerville Hospital twice, once I took a very ill girlfriend and once I took myself. Both times it took me under 20 mintues to get admitted and seen and the nurses/​check in staff were helpful. Yes, this is a small hospital but that can have its benefits in certain cases.
When I took my then girlfriend, I remember being really pleased with how nice the ER doctor was. The girl was in bad shape from a very bad flu and ended up needed 4 bags of saline by IV. I have been in emergency rooms for similar things and doctors will look at you as if to say «you have the flu, why are you wasting my time.» But this guy (wish i could remember his name) was very kind, understood the severity of what was happening and made the visit as easy as it could have possibly been.
4 stars.

Who impales themselves on Easter Sunday? Oooh ME ME ME! Warning. this story is not for the squeamish.
First off. a little back story. The previous tenant had nailed a full length locker mirror to the back of my bedroom door, but used nails that were too long for the door. He/​she put corks into the front of my bedroom door to prevent a full body Hellraiser situation. This has worked for the 1 ½ years I’ve lived here.
So it’s about 5am. For some reason I’m still awake. Could it have been my natural high from the elevated bar tour? Because I seriously didn’t drink. Anyways, head out of my room to get some water and my pajama pants get stuck with something and I try to pull away. BIG mistake. What stuck me was a rusty nail. What happened was a 1 cm wide/​deep gash about 8 inches long on that piece of flesh close to the knee (connecting my leg and thigh). I call the operator at Somerville Hospital and she advises me to come in since I can’t remember when I got my last tetanus shot. «What were you doing up so early? Headed to church?» Hah. that would have been ironic. Well. maybe if it was Good Friday.
I call Green Cab, they send someone right over. We’re not a good team. So far, he’s gotten 2 flat tires this shift. We head to 3 different banks because the Bank of America ATMS in Cambridge and Somerville have decided not to work and I have no cash to pay him. Score.
Finally. several dollars poorer, we get to Somerville Hospital Emergency Room. There is paperwork to fill out but no attendant. I get some eye contact from some employees, but I guess they don’t do the whole speaking thing until I’ve filled out the form. It’s your basic stuff, but it’s translated into 4 different languages. Whoa. I put my form in the side box and head to the waiting «hallway». There’s ample space, but it’s not like your typical waiting room. There are seats extending from the walls and they’re situated in a hallway/​corridor instead of your standard «room». More open to hustle and bustle that might be annoying during the daytime. but right now it’s just me. Antibacterial and tissue boxes adorn the walls. Useful/​Cool. Tv-​age is lame informercials. but then again, it’s Sunday morning.
I get called in about 5 minutes later and my vitals are taken. The nurse laughs at me because I can’t remember when I got my tetanus shot. She checks out my gash and says she’s seen worse. Overall she’s nice. Kind of what my mom was probably like back in her days as a nurse. She shares a story about one of her kids and it’s kind of comforting. Makes me feel a little less alone for some reason. I’m sent next door to another woman who takes down my address and I sign some form saying I’ll pay (hah). Then I’m sent out to the waiting hallway again. Another 5 minutes later, I’m sent to a hospital room. Another 5 minutes pass by and a doctor comes in. He does the «ooofff» head tilt and asks if I want it glued back together. If they couldn’t glue Humpty Dumpty back together (and he had more material to work with), then my slippery skin aint gonna work. Doctor says it’s up to me. No real need to glue it up, but the scarring will be kind of intense/​wide without the glue. Vanity. I say, whatever, I have tons of scars or I’m pretty scarred. He does the head tilt sigh. Are you sure? Yep.
A woman comes in to clean off my bloody mess of a leg and then the woman who checked me in comes in and finishes the job. She uses small stitch-​like pieces of tape so my insides don’t fall out, then gauzes and tapes me up. Tetanus shot is administered and I’m good until 2018! SWEET.
Shortest trip to an emergency room EVAAA. But then again, it’s Easter Sunday. 3 stars for now. I’ll update when I see my bill. lol
And then I got lost in Somerville for an hour before finding a bus. I rock at life.

I liked it when I lived around the corner from this place, and the lights burned out so that it only read «Somerville HO». I think that about sums it up really.
In my never ending hospital review tirade, here’s another one to avoid. I don’t have the same hatred that I have for Mt. Auburn, but the care here is inadequate. Their primary care is absolutely terrible. I went in there a few years ago with a whole host of symptoms that pointed towards a sinus infection, and was told that maybe I was depressed. I went to another healthcare facility where they checked my sinuses and said «Wow, you have a raging infection in your maxillary sinuses! I don’t understand how or why someone would confuse it with depression before doing a physical» I mean, this was an infection that was obvious through a physical, I didn’t need a CT-​Scan or anything like that.
I went to their ER once because I fell down the stairs and cracked my sternum, and it was a decent experience, if only because there was literally no wait at all and I got a prescription for percocet.

Um. I had to go to the ER the other night due to a torn meniscus and I felt like I was whisked back into 1954. The receptionist was probably my age in 1954 as well.
Everyone other than my doctor was rude and could barely enunciate words, so that I lovingly had to ask for a repeat every time.
My doc was good, I guess. A bit lazy as I obviously needed an x-​ray but he didn’t give me one. He was like, «yeah, i had that once, it’ll be fine. you prolly won’t need surgery» of which I do, now that I went to a real doctor.
Somerville sucks, medically, as it really and truely has not changed since the 50’s. So sick of not having a hospital, doctor, or dentist within walking distance in that town!
Anyways, try to go to Mount Auburn or Harvard Vanguard if you need an ER. It’ll be busier, I’m sure, but get over it. You’ll see.