University Health Services

audrey falkner

2024-02

Horrible EVERY TIME. The virtual waiting room means nothing. they don’t save your spot and ignore you when you arrive and tell them the messaging system says you made it to the front of the line. Overall, these people are incompetent and this is a horrible system for people who actually feel very sick. Disappointed

john cena

2024-05

I have never been in a building filled with so many idiots. You are better off asking a nursing student for help. Literal morons in there. Mind boggling

lol Jeezy

2023-10

I would give them less than one star if possible. Absolute joke of an establishment. Let me just say that there's a reason the doctors in here are not at an actual hospital. Waited for over 2 straight hours just to be seen today. They accidentally mixed me up with another patient. They kept getting annoyed that I was saying that I came in for strep throat. Doctors and nurses clearly upset and kept asking "Well has anyone diagnosed you" I would say no that's why I'm here. After 2.5 hours they do a rapid strep test. Positive for strep.

Jason Chen

2024-04

I came to this place for my wrist issue. Everyone is super friendly and my wrist got lot better after few sessions of physical therapy!

Naser Zaman

2024-04

Very useful service. The nurses and doctors are very professional and helpful.

M L

2023-06

My son went 2 times in 5 days with severe sore throat and he was dismissed without even checking for mono. He complained about his inability to sleep, drink and eat and was, literally, ignored. The day after he spent the day en the emergency room at the Cooley Dickinson hospital receiving fluids, steroids and medication. He was also checked for mono.They ignored a 19 years old because they can and he wouldn’t complain. They should not be called “Health Services”!! I will follow up and demand answers

Mitchell Paige

2023-07

Not the best medical services services, billing department is a NIGHTMARE. Paid a bill on time then continued to get holds on my umass account preventing me to sign up for classes for the next 6 months with them saying I did not pay. everytime I got it removed and proved i payed it they put it back on. Cannot get in touch with them without showing up. Scheduling an appoint is also a nightmare. Just go off campus or go home if you need any medical services.

Shiri Dori-Hacohen

2023-05

I feel obligated to balance it out some of the negative reviews. I stayed a patient at UHS for over a decade, including 5yr after graduating from grad school, until finally transferred out at the advice of my PCP because they are understaffed and underresourced. They can indeed be horrible sometimes so I understand the bad reviews. The pharmacy is awful so definitely go elsewhere for that. That said-- if you know how to work their system and which doctors to go to, some of them are horrible and some are truly wonderful. The good ones are worth slogging through their system for. Dr Lazarz was my PCP for years after Dr Rosen retired (oh, how we loved Dr Rosen!!! Best family doctor ever). She will make you wait but that's because she is the most thorough doctor on the face of this planet and so empathetic. Dr Hinkley has a great sense of humor. Nursing and PA staff-- Brittany, Matt, Mary, Christine are really wonderful. I have complex health issues and they were always incredibly dedicated to helping me despite the lack of resources. Ask for the clinic number ("central", "north" etc) as they are much more thoughtful than the main office line which is, sadly, anything but. The walk in clinic is a good option in my experience, as well. That said, I had the faculty health insurance through my spouse so I never had the billing issues that other students may have faced. Can't blame people for being frustrated about that stuff, the health insurance system is super opaque and it's very hard to make heads or tails of it as a young person first starting out. And overall if your going there for a one off medical problem you may well have the negative experiences described by others.

Anwesh Yerneni

2023-05

Misdiagnosed my full blown pneumonia for mono. Was sick for 2 weeks and only got better my calling my primary care. Waste of money… UHS always assume it’s mono.UHS is decent for testing that external doctors have ordered.

Ifiala “Kelechi” Ifiala

2023-05

It's OK, the staff were nice and efficient and the service was good. Didn't have much of a wait since it was Thanksgiving week and not many patients were accessing the facility. I'll probably have a more objective review on a regular work week...

Joanne Chen

2022-05

I don't know why I never wrote a review for the University Health Services when I attended school here for my undergrad career, this had to be one of the worst experiences I've ever ever had while I was on campus. I remember coming here twice - once for my UTI and another time for some sort of skin rash.Both times led to two separate emergency trips to Tufts Emergency Room where they were able to correctly diagnose me. I remember I was in so much pain both times.Please, don't EVER waste your money here. If you need help, go get some help from real doctors.

Lemeca Archie

2024-04

They provide exceptional service to the students at UHS!!

Brennan Falcy

2021-05

I've been twice and have been really pleased with everything. This was during COVID so wait times may be shorter now since most students are gone, but I was seen promptly both times. Nurses and physicians were professional and pleasant, didn't rush me, and seemed to genuinely care about my well-being.

Leonard Bonn

2023-05

I really appreciate the new online waiting room that makes you wait all day while you have classes instead of just being able to make an appointment, only for then to finally be called when you’re busy to make you wait for an hour in a room full of other students coughing and waiting for Covid tests. Illogical and unsafe system. The old online triage system was much better.

Naicha Christophe

2023-10

The most useless building. Can’t make a phone call because it’ll drop, if it doesn’t drop they’ll send you right to voicemail. Slow with test results, communication etc. half of the staff doesn’t care. There are a million and 1 other options I’d explore before ever trying to get help from uhs ever again

William Toohey

2023-05

Terrible service. They have my medical records from when I attended UMass. I filled out their form to have my medical records transferred out, a few weeks later they still haven't arrived at my current doctor's office. I've called the Medical Records office at least 8 time in the last 4 days and have left 2 different voicemails and not a single person has gotten back to me.

Emma Burgess

2021-05

Yeah... I wouldn't go here unless it was my last option.UMass has a lot of great resources but this isn't one of them and it is a real shame. Especially considering the excellent reputation of UMass Memorial Hospital, you would think the flagship campus would have better health services.The doctors I have had have always been very nice and patient. They also offer to write a note in case you had to miss class.The problem I have is that they always try to upsell you on tests you don't need. I went in for what I suspect was a UTI and they kept pushing to do an STI test as well. I knew I didn't need this and told them so, but they kept insisting that it would be a good thing and because they were already getting a urine sample it would be very easy to just do the STI test in addition. Well, because they kept pushing it and made it would like it was no big deal and would just be part of the urine test being done anyway, I agreed after telling them 3 times that it wasn't necessary.Well, my parents get the bill and they charged me over $100 (with insurance) for the extra tests. They never explained that they would be charging extra or what those costs would be. They never even told me if there would be a copay for my visit.It's really frustrating to feel like you got up-sold at a doctor's office. I want to feel like I can trust the resources the university has, but I can't.They should be aware that they are taking care of students that are often times just starting to take care of their own healthcare. Being sick and away from your family can be a vulnerable time for a person and the UHS staff should act as allies and advocates instead of trying to milk more money from the people looking for care.These experiences are common and I can honestly say I have never heard anyone have a completely positive experience at UHS. I don't know why this is the case. Maybe UHS is underfunded or understaffed? Maybe it is poor policy? Whatever the problem is though, UMass should look into it and make UHS a place students can trust.If you are sick or hurt and it isn't an emergency I highly recommend the MedExpress Urgent Care center in Hadley. It is close to campus and they have been my go-to when I have been sick and need a prescription. Very nice nurses, NPs, and doctors. They are kind, respectful, and understanding. They are upfront with costs and haven't tried to sell me on things I don't need.

Elizabeth Elvin

2022-05

UHS gets a bad rep but my experience here was nothing but wonderful. Especially for a urgent care style of healthcare providing. I was helped effciently, got lab results promptly, and even had nurses personally email me checking in once I was diagnosed with Mono. In the time of such an exausting pandemic for our healthcare workers I am very satisfied with the care I received and the demeanor of the healthcare providers.

Saeede Enayati

2021-05

It has been about a year that I go to the UHS. The staff are pretty kind, respectful, responsible and helping. The doctor also spends a lot of time for my appointment. The waiting time for visit is near 15 minutes or so which is OK because I think it is not an emergency center.

Ben McQuate

2019-05

This place absolutely sucks. The school needs to hire more staff or something because even when there’s only 3 people the wait is still over an hour. I simply need my finger checked for an infection and the wait is surely gonna be at least 2 hours. The last nurse I had was very nice but their waiting times and acknowledgement of existence for the first 2 hours could not possibly get any worse.

Leo Flotron

2023-05

I really don't understand why there is so much complaints about UHS. I have very bad insurance (Humana) and I have never been charged a copay. Dr. Schmitt has been the most respectful, compassionate and competent doctor I have ever seen.

B M

2020-05

the entire UHS services is a joke. I highly recommended to go off campus for any medical needs to avoid this place. I’m forced to go there since I do not have a car and I have never had a good experience. Latest run in was trying to fill a prescription from my doctor back home. It took a week for them to fill a very vital prescription. They kept telling me it’ll be ready tomorrow or that they had to order some more. You simply can not tell someone a prescription will be ready tomorrow and not have it ready for a week. Absolutely unacceptable.

Nirmala I. Vasigaren

2019-05

Their waiting time is honestly atrocious. I walked in at 3 pm and am STILL waiting to be seen by a provider. 5.10 pm now.They need to reorganize the way they do walk-in. How do you expect a sick student to sit waiting in the waiting room for 2 hours?The text-in option they offer is unreliable: sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Even when it does work, it serves primarily undergraduate students who live on campus. How about a grad student who actually has to take time off to come here for a walk in and then has to wait for 2 and so HOURS to be seen? Ridiculous.

Karima

2020-05

I just waited over two hours to be seen. The receptionist always has an attitude every time I go there. She is NOT friendly. One of the doctors is known to not treat patients like adults but rather as "homies". Everyone I have EVER spoke to about UHS all say they had negative experiences there.

Josh Bittinger

2016-05

If you can, go somewhere else. I had testing done in the fall, which I was told would be mostly covered under my insurance. Then, during the summer of the following year I get a bill for all of the sessions, none of which were covered by my insurance. I tried calling the billing department for 2 weeks, only to get no response (even when I left a message with all of my contact information). Called my insurance company, who informed me that the testing was actually not covered at all under my policy. Called the Health Center's number that they instructed me to call if I had "questions concerning health insurance coverage." When I explained to the woman who answered the phone that I wanted to find out if the testing was covered under my insurance, she replied with an attitude that she wasn't billing. I then called to just pay the amount that I had been billed for, only to find out that apparently there was no balance on my account, even though I only received the bill a few weeks ago. Now I get to call billing back next week for the third week, while crossing my fingers that someone actually answers this time. This organization is too inefficient and dishonest for my tastes.

Joshua Gauthier

2023-06

UPDATE: Like always, I think it depends on the provider, but UHS is both speedy and effective to solve any issues you have. I honestly think that UHS was a little bit overrun during covid but now that it's over I think that they are much more efficient

Ari J

2016-05

There are extremely long wait times for appointments. Prescriptions are much better off transferred to the local CVS as it can takes days to transfer them here. On top of that, when ordering prescriptions, it takes a full day for the prescription to be ready and the pharmacy closes at 5:30 which cuts it extremely close to when classes end for many students. CVS closes at 8 which gives students much more time.

Brian J. Horrocks

2018-05

Horrible horrible horrible. Prescriptions are never ready on time, billing is a mess (I was billed over a YEAR after my appointment), and the appointment line is a disaster--when I had my PCP at UHS the nurses gave me the number for the back because the desk ladies are rude and to be blunt, dim. Go somewhere else even if it's less convenient.

Kenneth Myers

2020-05

Next time I'm just gonna try to find another doctor in the area who will take me. I have had issues with my eyelid for a while now. First doctor told me it was a stye. I didn't think so, I've had a stye and it was not like this. He said do hot compressions and if it doesn't fix it, come back and they'll lance it. Well the compressions made it a lot worse. Lo and behold, everyone on the internet has had the same experience, doctor misdiagnoses stye, hot compressions make it worse. I call back and the receptionist tells me they can lance it. I wait for 2 hours to see a nurse who tells me they can lance it. I wait another hour to be passed around by doctors. No one wants to lance it. I have to wait another hour and a half so they can call a doctor in Northampton to see if they can lance it. They come back out and give me an appointment time for tomorrow during the one seminar I was looking forward to this week. I ask if there is any way we can change it and they tell me if I want a different time then I can do it on my own and call up all the eye doctors in the area to find who will take me and lance my eyelid. Great thank you so much. It's not like I couldn't have done that for the last 4.5 hours that you passed me around after lying to me multiple times about having a doctor that could lance it and making it worse than it was to start.

Becca Stevens

2022-05

trying to get ahold of a specific department is literally impossible and I've been hung up on and transferred without being listened to countless times. Trying to get a vital prescription transferred to my home Pharma for break which should take 2 seconds but I cant get in touch with anyone competent for the last 5 hours. tf.