Took 4 weeks for Cardiology to analyze my referral to them and give me an opportunity to make an appointment... for 6 weeks in the future. Then I was called a week before the appointment and was told I would need to be rescheduled 8 weeks later. Callous and indifferent staff. I hope to avoid any emergent medical needs that would force me to use Maine Health.
Nov 2021
I moved to Maine a year ago and adopted this as my primary medical practice. While their facilities seem good, access to medical care is care is challenging. My opinion on this has been developed through a series of attempts to get medical assistance through Maine Medical. My first attempt was trying to get the covid vaccine. I managed to get this from Northern Light 3 weeks before it was available to me through Maine Medical. My second attempt was when I got an ear infection this summer. After several phone calls, I was offered an appointment with my PCP in a week. Instead, I went to the walk-in clinic at Northern Light and was seen, and given antibiotics, that day. My third attempt is when I needed emergency surgery recently. I tried to get a slot in the operating room but Maine Medical could not give us an answer if a slot was available to me. Finally, the emergency room sent me to Central Maine Medical in Lewiston. My fourth attempt was to try to get an in-person followup visit from my surgery with my PCP at Maine Medical. They could not give me an in-person visit within the time window required for a follow up visit. My opinion is that Maine Medical is a huge bureaucracy that is highly inefficient. Their issues appear to be in scheduling and staffing. This bureaucracy restricts patient care and makes it challenging for the doctors to provide good service to their clients.
Dec 2019
When I need bloodwork I go to the NorDx which is is right inside of the Maine Medical Scarborough campus. The trick is to arrive about five minutes before they open to avoid a longer wait since it gets busy quickly. I did go once mid-day and it took about thirty minutes total which isn't bad at all. The parking lot is large so that shouldn't be an issue coming here. There is a clean, cute and quiet little cafeteria that is open at 7:00 a.m. that serves delicious hot coffee (and you can get real milk with it, too, not just fake creamers), a small selection of hot breakfast food that looks and smells great, fruit, granola bars and junkier snacks. I have never gone there during lunchtime. It's a nice option to come here right after your blood is drawn when you had to do a fast/no coffee beforehand. I have also come here for ultrasounds in the past and my experience was positive. There is a learning center/library and many quiet places to sit. Overall if you are feeling anxious about getting jabbed I find the NordDx/Maine Med Scarborough campus to be a great place!
Took 4 weeks for Cardiology to analyze my referral to them and give me an opportunity to make an appointment... for 6 weeks in the future. Then I was called a week before the appointment and was told I would need to be rescheduled 8 weeks later. Callous and indifferent staff. I hope to avoid any emergent medical needs that would force me to use Maine Health.
I moved to Maine a year ago and adopted this as my primary medical practice. While their facilities seem good, access to medical care is care is challenging. My opinion on this has been developed through a series of attempts to get medical assistance through Maine Medical. My first attempt was trying to get the covid vaccine. I managed to get this from Northern Light 3 weeks before it was available to me through Maine Medical. My second attempt was when I got an ear infection this summer. After several phone calls, I was offered an appointment with my PCP in a week. Instead, I went to the walk-in clinic at Northern Light and was seen, and given antibiotics, that day. My third attempt is when I needed emergency surgery recently. I tried to get a slot in the operating room but Maine Medical could not give us an answer if a slot was available to me. Finally, the emergency room sent me to Central Maine Medical in Lewiston. My fourth attempt was to try to get an in-person followup visit from my surgery with my PCP at Maine Medical. They could not give me an in-person visit within the time window required for a follow up visit. My opinion is that Maine Medical is a huge bureaucracy that is highly inefficient. Their issues appear to be in scheduling and staffing. This bureaucracy restricts patient care and makes it challenging for the doctors to provide good service to their clients.
When I need bloodwork I go to the NorDx which is is right inside of the Maine Medical Scarborough campus. The trick is to arrive about five minutes before they open to avoid a longer wait since it gets busy quickly. I did go once mid-day and it took about thirty minutes total which isn't bad at all. The parking lot is large so that shouldn't be an issue coming here. There is a clean, cute and quiet little cafeteria that is open at 7:00 a.m. that serves delicious hot coffee (and you can get real milk with it, too, not just fake creamers), a small selection of hot breakfast food that looks and smells great, fruit, granola bars and junkier snacks. I have never gone there during lunchtime. It's a nice option to come here right after your blood is drawn when you had to do a fast/no coffee beforehand. I have also come here for ultrasounds in the past and my experience was positive. There is a learning center/library and many quiet places to sit. Overall if you are feeling anxious about getting jabbed I find the NordDx/Maine Med Scarborough campus to be a great place!