DocCare Q2

A significant improvement upon my last review. New staff is now extremely helpful. Friendlier than before. I find waits are shorter than before. I’ve came here twice since my last review. Big difference.

If I got mauled by a Pitbull and was bleeding allover the sidewalk I wouldn’t go to Doc Care for a bandaid. If you care about your health and your wallet, stay away!
All I needed was a few tests for my doctor so I figured this place was nearby. How bad can a clinic on Fresh Pond Road be just to get a few tests?
Well, after waiting forever, a CNA gave me an exam with old, outdated medical equipment. The antique, circa 1999 Hewlett Packard 15 ton laptop was so old that it actually shut down during my EKG!
The place reminded me of going to nurses office in elementary school. What a joke, I was at Doc Care for over 3 hours and still had to go down the block to another place to do the blood work. Apparently, Doc Care can’t even do that.
When I made the appointment, and again when I came in, I explained that I needed the results sent directly to my doctor right away.
After my third phone call, they said that they had to have their doctor examine my tests before they could send them to my doctor. The only reason I came here was to get these tests for my doctor! I didn’t ask for the opinion of some doctor at a clinic who I never even met.
So two weeks later I was told that the doctor STILL hadn’t seen my test results. And again, they refused to send them to my doctor. Finally, my doctors office called to get the results, ridiculous.
They also performed useless unneeded tests that even my PPO insurance, which covers everything wouldn’t pay for, like a 2 minute hearing test that I didn’t ask for. Doc Care is billing me $ 85 for that, on top of what my insurance already paid. My REAL doctor is far less expensive.
I just had my blood work done in January at NYU and had no issues. Now, Doc Care tells me that I need a test for osteoporosis, umm nice try, but thats for women over 65! I have a few decades before I may need that you scammers!
Doc Care is everything wrong with the healthcare system all in one crappy location.

Ridiculously long waits which defeats the purpose of appointments staff that’s overwhelmed the only thing that’s convenient as it’s close to home. Poor mgmt and overbooking make this place one you want to pass up if you have a real emergency

Make sure you check how the office will bill your insurance company. Tests that I did not ask for and that I would imagine are part of a comprehensive physical exam were added without my consent. The «audiometry» testing is nothing the way it is supposed to be (ex: talking through the exam, having the room door open when the hallway is noisy). Additionally, the doctor saw me for less than 5 minutes and did not take my concerns seriously. She did, however, recommend that I have more testing done when one of my vitamin levels was low. I did not have it done as it was a scam considering she did not discuss the results of my test with me. Instead, a receptionist provided me with results and suggested I have further testing done… without explanation. A 27 year old does not need an MRI bone density scan when Vitamin D levels are low. Supplements — yes, and maybe a discussion about any symptoms I may have. The place is convenient if you live in the neighborhood and need a prescription filled.

I was going here because it’s three-​four blocks from home, which is convenient for me, but I’ve never experienced anything less than an hour wait (with an appt). I couldn’t imagine going there without one.
Doc Curtis Hardy, OB-​GYN — I really liked him; he was very professional, knowledgeable and attentive. He didn’t rush through my exam and asked relevant questions. The only thing I don’t like about him is he will not mail results to patients; he expects them to make appts so he can read them to him. Personally, this is a little ridiculous, I think it makes more sense to send me the results, let me review them and make an appt if I have any questions. I work full time. I don’t want to leave work early (and have to make up for it another day or use personal/​vacation time) to sit in a waiting room for 90 mins (even with an appt). He’s only in that office once a week for four hrs, I think he needs to reevaluate that. Additionally, had something been wrong with me, I wouldn’t have known otherwise — he/​the office never notified me that the results came in; I called to ask if they received my results.
Doc Robert Meltzer, Gastroenterologist — He is a good doctor. I think he was very nice, but very dismissive of my request for a colonoscopy. I understand he may not think one is necessary b/​c of my age, but my family history assures me it would be in my best interest to get one now instead of waiting. Overall, he’s a good doctor and I would go back to him.
Doc Grant Greeley, Allergist — This guy is the pits. He’s the worst doctor I’ve ever had to deal with at these facilities. He is very dismissive, forget about any ounce of bedside manner (no handshake, no hello or goodbye, little to no eye contact), and the only time I saw him smile was when he tried to condescend me for not coming back sooner, but there would’ve been no point to that as he clearly does not care about his patients’ needs. The more I told him I did not want to be on any OTC or prescription drugs for allergies, the less he heard me. I left his office with three prescriptions (that cost me almost $ 200), a laundry list of directions for when and how to take them, and several recommendations for OTC meds. We had previously discussed a more permanent solution for my allergies (i.e. allergy shots), but I am pretty sure he ignored my needs to suit his and that it had everything to do with my insurance. He doesn’t try to explain anything (I guess he thinks everyone is just stupid; that’s certainly how he treats me) and there’s no point in me ever going back to him. He’s awful, his attitude and manner.
It’s alright, if you have no insurance or no place else to go, but if you can find other doctors in your insurance’s network, I highly recommend saving yourself the hassle of going to DocCare. Their docs clearly patronize their patients because they don’t want to deal with them. Most likely because of money, not even for some real reason more pertinent to the patient.

If you enjoy the feel of an overscheduled, underserved ghetto medicaid clinic, then DocCare is the place for you! There you’ll find 2 hour waits with an appointment, packed waiting areas, mediocre medical care, and horrible receptionists, all under one roof!
First off, they’re supposed to be a full service practice, with a broad range of specialists. On the rare occasion that you do get to see an actual doctor (nurse practitioners see the bulk of the patients), you are rushed because they are over booked and don’t get a chance to actually communicate what you were there for.
Second, they are horrible with follow-​ups. My husband went for a mysterious pain in his abdoment. He was sent for an x-​ray at another facility and was not notified of the results until 2 weeks after the x-​ray was done. And that was only because I called non-​stop and harassed them for the results. Results that were reviewed and given by (hello?!) the nurse practitioner, not a doctor.
Now for the horror stories: I’ve had appointments that have been cancelled without notification, records lost, referrals not sent, procedures not processed with my insurance, appointments made for me with in-​house specialists that did not accept my insurance and was not told until I showed up (how do you have a practice where not everyone takes the same insurance?). I have had them offer to call in my prescritions (asthma medication, mind you) to the pharmacy only to find that it was done 3 days after my appointment. I’ve been seen by a new-​bee nurse practitioner who had her work reviewed by, you guessed it, another nurse practitioner. I have been told to exit the examination room mid-​appointment and wait outside the door while another patient was being seenAt any given moment you can call and be placed on hold for up to 10 minutes. This is standard practice because they do not train their staff to multitask. The doctors are uninformed, outdated and do not know the definiton of «bedside manner».
Do not waste your time with this office. It’s amazing how they are still in business.

Very convenient if you live in the Ridgewood area (I just have to walk down the block). Theres two doc cares. If you also have no medical insurance and have been there before its only 75 dollars for a doctor visit. There is a wait (about 30 minutes if you made an appointment). Walk-​ins are about an hour wait (on Saturdays its packed). Doctors there are very helpful (I suggest Dr. Torres). Though, I went to see a Gastroenterologist there and he was very old fashioned and hardly helped me.
I suggest this place if you live in the area, and have no insurance.