Acton Medical Assoc Review

(Update: odd how all the very negative reviews are getting "likes") I have found the service here good. I always get an appointment the same day although it's not always with my GP. In most cases I go in with a specific (temporary) condition so "any" Dr is OK. They have a pretty complete lab on site for blood work, x-rays, etc which is a bonus to avoid going to another facility. They are also able to take you immediately or with just a short wait so you can do it all with one visit.

The pediatric doctors and staff are great. The adult doctors and staff are less impressive.

My daughter has been going to acton medical for over 12 years the staff is always smiling and very helpful!!! I had a emergency and needed forms for my daughter so she could go on a hiking trip with her school and the secretary named Chrissy (might be spelling name wrong) went above and beyond so my daughter could go!! Thanks again!! Also Dr Werner awesome pediatrician!! She has been with my daughter since she was a day old and has always been there for my daughter throughout the good days and the bad days!! Thanks Acton Medical for making it easy for my child and I when it comes to her medical needs!!

If you like being on hold forever, this is the place for you ! Great doctors, but the practice as a whole is a mess. You simply can't ever get through to anyone on the phone and they will never call you back. Avoid.

Feels rushed when you visit the office. Hard to get connected to a nurse on call, front office staff is very rude. Its a prectice very difficult to reach a doctor or a nurse. Plus expect to be put on hold and spend the eternity there before someone picks up the phone. I second on wait time too!!.

Disorganized, rude staff, rushed visits-not the stellar example of a medical office.

I've been going here for 30+ years and have always received very competent care. Appointments can be a little challenging but if your doctor is not available there is always another doctor or P.A available. I've moved 20 miles away from Acton and still come back here.

I have been going to this clinic for about half a decade now. I have had both positive and negative experiences at this establishment. However, more recently, it pains me to say that the quality of the staff (and thereby the service) has significantly so much so that I'm considering switching. Especially during the COVID - 19 pandemic they have withheld important insurance information from me and I have been tricked into paying hundreds of dollars in medical fees for regular non emergency office visits without any expensive procedures. I sincerely hope this message reaches the intended target and hiring changes are made.
This establishment has potential to be a great business and of great service if they consider some personnel change
Nevertheless I thank you guys for serving the community of Acton and nearby towns!

Love all the doctors and it's super easy to get an appointment when needed. Hardly a wait and the office hours are great!

The absolute worst. Please note that they don t respond to any of these reviews which more than 3 quarters of them are negative to try to resolve any of the issues they caused.

Plan on always having the office operate 1 hr behind at a minimum. Cancel everything else you are doing that day as their respect for your schedule is zero.

The practice is large and feels like it. The doctors we have dealt with for our children have been solid as it comes to dealing with illness, however, being a patient is nearly unbearable. I'm writing this from the waiting room as I'm trying to cancel my afternoon appointments for my own business because they can't be on time for theirs.

We had an urgent care appointment for 11:10 (we ll be waiting for another 30 minutes easily) we checked in no problem. Around 11:25, a woman with her infant asked how much longer it would be as she had been waiting 40 minutes. The receptionist, Heather, went out back and then came out front to the waiting room to tell us all we are going to have deal with the wait because there is only one doctor and it is what it is. It was pretty mortifying to see her complete disregard for customer service. She easily could have told us up front at check in it was about an hour wait. When someone checked in after this speech, she was extremely rude to the woman. I would recommend booking more time for appointments if you only have one doctor on staff and also have your staff be upfront and more importantly respectful.

I would like to express my thanks to all of the second floor nursing staff and doctor's who helped me find care in a tough situation and we're incredibly accommodating in their efforts.

I had to bring our baby back in for a Billiruben check on a Saturday. My appointment was for 9:30. We got here at 9:20. It's currently 11:38 and completely unacceptable to have a 4 day old waiting for this long. We haven't even seen a doctor, just the lab who took her blood after waiting an hour and a half. I get that it's a weekend but this is how you treat a new mom and baby? Save yourself and go somewhere else. It's like a factory here anyways they don't really get to know your child like a pediatrician should.

Incredibly rude. Called to inquire about a walk in clinic and whether primary care doctors were accepting new patients.
Was interrupted several times and then hung up on mid-sentence, with a rude, sarcastic "good bye" while trying to ask them about whether they were accepting new patients. Avoid this place.

Just went there for 13 minutes late, and I have to cancel my appointment, and the next available time would be more than 1 month from now! No other MD accept new patients which means that they don't have enough MD in this department! Don't know what to say! It is very disappointing!

Never an issue getting an appointment. Excellent communication and automation systems. Doctors are really good at what they do which is provide medical care. Most ancillary services are conveniently available at the same facility. And, there is plenty of convenient parking.

I have gotten to feel very comfortable with Dr. Cohen-- she seems to care and was knowlegable of all medical concerns I have had. I do agree that the practice is huge and a bit too big-- and I had to wait 20 minutes to check out and make an appt for an ultrasound. There were 3 people in line including a very elderly woman with a walker who I let go in front of me.The office person was doing 3 jobs at once and needed more help. All in all i am happy with the group despite the sometimes long wait times.

Great doctors and the nurse answered most of my questions on the phone for my child

Visited here to see a travel doctor. Was able to be seen quickly and on time. Only thing is the building feels a little outdated...not sure why there's carpet everywhere, just feels odd for a medical building.

I have been going here for a few years now I think it's really gone down hill. While the doctors and NPs I've seen have always been excellent, friendly, and I've never felt rushed, the entire experience around the visit seems to have declined rapidly over the past year or so.

An example: I recently rolled my ankle pretty bad on a Saturday. I knew the office was closed on the weekend and whenever I've sent a message on the patient portal, they ask me to call back business hours to make an appointment. I waited until Monday (Columbus day) to call to make an appointment. I was told to call back the next day. Tuesday morning I call and they have "more than 10 people in line ahead of you" to speak to a nurse/make an appointment. I'm directed to leave a voicemail, which I do. Days go by and they don't get back to me. I try calling back another time but again there's a huge wait. I ended up just going to CVS to get checked out. Friday, I finally get a call back from a nurse and she asks me to come in right away.

They are completely overloaded in adult medicine. They've reduced their own capacity, limiting the number of people for intake, increasing the amount of time for each appointment, and pushing more people to call in. They can't keep up with the calls so you're just completely out of luck if you need to talk to someone or want to make an appointment. It's not a stretch to wait an hour or two on the phone. If you're lucky enough to get ahold of someone quickly, there's about a 50% chance they are terse and rude to you over the phone. I've been going to CVS so much lately because it's so much easier to make an appointment. I'm not saying CVS is great or anything, in fact I think it's pretty sad that I have to go elsewhere to get medical care outside of my own primary care provider.

Lastly, this is a new thing but it's worth mentioning. At my appointment today, they prompted me for a new mask policy at the office. The policy is that you have to take a mask they give you and either replace your mask with theirs, or put their mask over your mask. So the intake person, takes a mask out of a box (pinching the inside and outside with her fingers) and then puts it in my hand, which just touched the lobby door handle of a doctor's office. I then have to exit out the lobby doors, touching them again, take off a brand new KN95 mask, which I put on in my car, and replace it with a generic non-sealing surgical mask which has been touched by 2 unclean hands. I'm sure there's good intentions behind this policy but I felt like after I was forced to swap masks, I was more exposed and others were more exposed to me than if I had just left my clean NK95 mask on from the beginning.

The Acton location has Greatly improved with the renovations. Perhaps it's just New carpet and paint but the place feels cleaner is brighter and it's much more inviting as a pacient.
I had a very nice visit with Dr Cohen. My Physical was not russhed she took the time to deal with everything that was needed for my appointment.

The only downside to the pratice is it's still very difficult to make an appointment within 2-3 weeks. I know the pratice is a business and has to make money however, the bar to a great PCP is being able to make an appointment within 2 weeks. Furthermore, I would happily have an appointment with a Nurse Practitioner who works closly with my PCP for follow ups and emergencies it were offered as an option.

It took 2 weeks for them to give me the correct prescription. To speak with a nurse over the phone you have to wait for at least 15 minutes. I was given the wrong prescription multiple times and the nurses couldn t differentiate between the two. In the end, a nurse had the audacity to tell me I should be greatful and that they went above and beyond. Yeah right

Really disappointed by their service during this pandemic. I m having this pelvic pain for more than a month and I called them many times to schedule an appointment and I was put on hold to talk with nurse. Automated recording was saying more than 10 callers ahead. I waited for 3 hours for 3 days no one answered and I ended the call. I again called them today because and I told the appointment coordinator I couldn t get a hold of a nurse because it is always saying more than 10 callers ahead for 3 hours. Her reply was rude. She said I don t know we have to put you through the triage . I understand this time there may be a lot of patients but I don t understand how come I couldn t talk to a nurse after waiting for 3 hours for more than 3 days. Not acceptable.
Now I have to go to urgent care and Acton medical is very unprofessional.

My entire family uses AMA. We have been using it since last 12 years. Was always able to get appointment same day (including weekends). They have nurse on call 24x7. With kids, we have used it multiple times. I am surprised at the comments made here, and I rarely post reviews. But felt obliged to do it in this case, because I disagree with the comments. On the contrary, I find the staff to be extremely friendly. Doctors are pretty good. Annual physical is the only one which takes time, and you need to plan for it. But annual physical is not an emergency anyways and I am perfectly happy to schedule it much in advance. With the convenience of a pool of doctors, where one doctor is always there everyday in case of emergencies - and almost never needing to go to emergency for that reason - what is there not to love about AMA?

Horrible,disrespectful,they are never on time I have appointment 10:00 am one hour later nothing.

Rude, unhelpful staff. Long wait time to get an appointment- 3 or 4 months to book a physical! Almost impossible to get a same-day appointment. Phone system is a convoluted nightmare, generally it's a 15 minute wait to speak with a nurse about an urgent health problem. staff is very, VERY rude and unhelpful, ESPECIALLY on the phone.

stay far, far away!

Extremely satisfied with doctors, nurse practitioners and staff. Just met with Caitlin, nurse practitioner and she was knowledgeable, kind and helpful. Really worked to understand my issues and then help to solve them!

When we moved to Acton 43 years ago we searched for the best medical practice to fit our new family needs and were pleased to find Acton Medical Associates. Through the years it has always provided us with the best of care.
My doctor, Amy Churchill, is professional, thorough, knowledgeable, and caring each time I see her - whether it's a routine visit or when I'm not feeling well. She always takes the time to listen to my concerns and to provide me with the best course of action. She's the best in my book and I'm thankful to be one of her patients.
On occasion, when we need immediate attention and our doctors aren't available, we are referred to another doctor or nurse practitioner within the practice. Over the years I have found this to be comforting and satisfying. I'm extremely grateful for all the quality care my family continues to receive from the many people who represent this highly professional organization.

Acton Medical Associates is the reason why I've made it to my 20th birthday - at the age of five and a half, I was complaining about a sharp pain in my pelvic lymph nodes. My parents took me to my pediatrician, who has since retired, and he did the proper blood work and tests to diagnose me with leukemia. While I did most of my cancer treatment at Children's Hospital of Boston, my routine physicals and sporadic check ups with my current pediatrician (Doctor Travassos, who I love so dearly) have always been extremely great. She's also tremendously helped me with my major depression by connecting me with therapists and prescribers.

If you're scheduling or have scheduled an appointment, be sure to allow yourself time to get there and wait - I noticed several complaints about wait times, but you've got to remember that there are lots of other sick patients to care for, and no they haven't forgotten about you. Communicate thoroughly with your nurse & doctors about your symptoms, they cannot read your mind. Be well and stay hydrated.

Potential new patient. Appointment made for the end of the month. They ve since sent me a note via the mail (how quaint) that my appointment needs to be rescheduled twice. I won t even bother.

So many people have had horrible experiences with this practice s administration I didn t even make it that far because clowns run the scheduling department.

What a nightmare! We are new to town, trying to join this practice. Here are a few points of my experience:

1. The practice is so big and the office staff so specialized that you get bounced around to get your questions answered. It takes SO long to set anything up or get anything answered. Very frustrating. (I worked with these people for 2 hours getting bounced around.)

2. Not all doctors are accepting patients, so best to check FIRST before you go through the circus of joining this practice.

3. This was the nail in the coffin for me - They double charge for a visit. Meaning - If you go in for a routine physical and they find an irregular mole that they then talk to you about. You will be charged for the physical AND and additional office visit charge. So two charges for the same visit. I personally asked (when I was switched to) billing and they confirmend this.

This also means that if you go in for one thing during an office visit and they end up talking to you - even briefly - about two other things, you will be charged for 3 office visits. This is a sign that the primary focus of this practice is to make $$ - not take care of patients.

Acton Medical is an impressive practice. I was so impressed that I called at 3:30pm on a Sunday and my daughter was seen by the on-call doctor. Later in the week I called at 4:45 and she was seen at 5:30. the doctors and and nurses are super patient and caring.

Terrible billing practices. Terrible service. Don't care about their patient experience.

This review is more for Dr. Way, although Acton Med is terrible with follow up. I do blame Acton Med for keeping him on staff. Moving some furniture, I snapped a bicep tendon. The lack of muscle forced my hand up to my shoulder, so my forearm was always in the UP position. I could not put it down, because the muscle was no longer attached to the bone. Any bumping of my arm, or movement at all caused IMMENSE pain, as if getting struck in the elbow by lightening. I am not a doctor, yet I was able to diagnose all this, and obviously needed surgery. Dr. Way did not. He just squinted at my eyes the whole time, as if he did not believe me. His line of questioning clearly revealed that he thought it was psychosomatic. He poked and prodded, and with zero warning, YANKED MY ARM DOWN!! Like a slot machine in Vegas! WHAM. What medical textbook says to do this?!?! No, really, I want to know. The pain was brutal, I screamed, and everyone in the waiting room heard me say MOTHERF***ER!! He had absolutely ZERO reaction. Just stared at me. A psychopath assuming everyone else is psycho. I got out of there, without even getting my shirt all the way back on. I went right to a surgeon, who said I was lucky "Dr" Way did not cause my tendon to shoot all the way up to my shoulder. I am not the type to sue, but there is no way this guy should be allowed anywhere near a patient ever again.

My family has been going here for over 20 years. Care and service are fantastic to say the least. Can always get an appartment. Dr. Cooper is one of the best Pediatricians I have ever dealt with.

My daughters and I have received great care from Acton Medical for over 20 years. For major issues requiring referrals, and more routine issues, we've received great treatments, diagnoses, and referrals. Kudos to Dr. Steger for me, Dr. Cohen for my daughters. To balance some of the negative reviews about wait time and courtesy: I just had a quick series of pleasant calls, to request a new referral for physical therapy for a re-occurring problem. The initial receptionist politely transferred me to referrals. The friendly referral specialist transferred me to my doctor's nursing station. I waited a few reasonable minutes for a nurse, who took my info in a friendly and efficient manner, explaining the process, offering to call me back as soon as she could run this by the doctor. In less than an hour, she called back that the referral had already been wired to the physical therapist, and I was good to go! Your "mileage may vary", but that's typical of the efficient and friendly treatment that I've received from Acton Medical over the years.

My entire family uses AMA and we have been extremely happy. Prompt service, extremely helpful--in both pediatrics and adult medicine. And we've had some complicated medical issues--they follow up and keep helping us find the right specialists.

DO NOT GO THIS TO FACILITY UNLESS YOU WANT TO BE DISAPPOINTED.

worse care, no customer service!
while it is convenient if you live in acton area...I strongly recommend that you avoid this place!

no respect
long waits
poor communication
lots of red tape
you are on hold forever and bounced from registration to nurse and back again every time you call!
despite the appointment time that you scheduled months in advance, you should be prepared for at least a 30 to 60 min wait...EACH TIME
I have endured messed up prescriptions, misdiagnoses and incompetence for both the pediatric and adult section of the center
Lastly...no one there seems to care a bit about you.

Today I visited here for my regular check up. And my experience was terrible. Before I met my primary doctor, I had to wait for 40 min. For the 40 min, what they only did was checking my height and weight and blood pressure. And finally, my primary doctor called Kathryn Oh came in the room. She shortly said "sorry" about making me wait for long time and then she seemed to be really hurry. She said, "Do you have anything to talk to me? If you don't have any, we can just start exam now. Not talking to doctor if you don't have any problem is better because you don't need to pay any extra charge (I thought, "what? Isn't the consultation time with doctor also included in the physical exam coverage?). I was really upset by her attitude. She seemed not to want to talk to her patient to know about the patient's current condition and any problem. Did she have any urgent task after this? She didn't want to miss her lunch time? If so, she should not have made an appointment at 11:40 and made me wait for 40 min. Her exam itself was really short. After 40 min waiting, she only had time with me for 10 min. And her last comment was for my mammogram I should get a document from the front desk. And she disappeared. I went out and went to the front desk. The front desk staff had no idea about my mammogram related document. This doctor didn't care about her patient and this clinic and the staff either. I thought about the enormous amount of money I pay every month for my medical insurance and after paying all the money, I was treated pretty badly. I will never go back to this clinic again and will definitely change my primary doctor.

I am speechless at the extremely negative reviews on this review board. I have been affiliated with AMA since the early 1980s and have been satisfied with the service and care. I have never been treated rudely or off-handedly. Medical professionals have reliably exhibited concern. My PCP doesn't fall over himself fawning but he has consistently listened, diagnosed effectively, respected my wishes and made good treatment decisions. I am alive today as a result.

I don't get the negativity and certainly do not share it.

Been a patient for years and staff are knowledgeable and friendly

Not really sure where to start. Incredibly rude nursing staff to the point of affecting patient care.
For years , extremely rude and cold even when calling patient to give uncomfortable news.

When I reported the experiences, I was told by Director of Nursing and Human Resources that " The Nurses never said that "
In other words, implying I was being dishonest.

Calls are not recorded so it's your word against their word and the Director of Nurses will back up the staff right or wrong.

You will be brushed off phone and all will be brushed under rug.

Patient care at its worst with no compassion.

Hello, everyone before you coming to this clinic you must clarify for what you had to pay. before they rip you off with a great amount of money for your travel shots it s cost Too expensive. that s I understand everyone has to pay but we re need to know if we can afford or not !
Please be careful for the registration manager she s un reasonably person she s didn t care about explanations only wanted your money be careful with her.

All I m saying is everyone else wanted to come here for ours family Traval shots please becareful you may end up like my family.

I love my nurse and doctors but the receptionist needs to be training again and she should be helpful to patients. Best of luck traveling

I and my entire family have been patients at Acton Medical for over 20 years and have had wonderful doctors and excellent service the entire time.

You do NOT want to go here!
The staff is rude and there is always a wait when you call.
Horrible place!

I absolutely love Dr J my husband went to him as a child. I'm glad to have my 3 kids going there as well staff is always super polite. My kids are always well taken care of Dr J Takes the time to get to know his patients as well as listen to the parents concerns without making you feel rushed thru an appt

Fraudulent billing practice. Beaware!!! Went for annual physical exam. Received bill for some tests they ordered and and doctors fee which I did not ask for. They turned my Annual physical into a "Not Well visit".

I love this medical practice! The drs are so compassionate and empathetic to my care. They make you a priority and are always willing to go the extra mile. I highly recommend Dr.Cohen. She is excellent at patient care and is one of the best doctors I have ever had! The Nursing staff is exceptional and the practice even has weekend hours and has lab services and radiology services on site. This is by far one of the best medical practices around!

I visited this place due to severe cough, when I entered I respect their rules & covered my cough, when nurse & Doc attended me they treated me as a untouchable person, when nurse checking my pulse she standed too far & doctor she is not checking my throat pain just checked my ears and said some ear infection and asked my mouth to open, just iam trying to open , due to pain I am opening little slow , just in fraction of seconds checked my tounge yeah it s good np and moved too far , when checked my lungs wiped her stethoscope too fast..

My question is please take care about patients properly, it s adults hospital and they will cover their cough ..
when people are sick they will come to visit doctor, give importance to patients feelings not for your cleaning..
Cleaning the things is important but before give some care to patient..