Northampton Integrative Medicine in Northampton

When no one answers the phone or returns a message, sick patients are forced to drive in, only to be turned away. This isn t health care. This is JUST WRONG. Could you be more inconsiderate of your patients?

My mother (92) and I contacted NIM because we were looking for herbal replacements for antibiotics, analgesics and antihistamines. We had a favorable 1st meeting and were sent home to take blood tests and fecal specimens surrounding allergies and gut bacteria. (Nothing about our initial contact request.) My mother had pain in her neck from a fall and she recommended arnica. (My mother has an odontoid fracture and will be in a hard collar for 6-9 months.) I asked about getting into the portal and she said it was not necessary. Our second appointment was yesterday (4 months later), and we didnt recognize the practitioner at first. Michelle G looked and acted like a different person. She was running 15 minutes late and in a foul mood. She was unprepared not having reviewed any of the test reports before our meeting. When my mother had questions, she asked me if I understood, ignoring my mother, the patient. We were expected to interpret our own reports. Isnt that her job? We were sent away with prescriptions for three different probiotics and prebiotics. She asked if we had read the reports on the portal, and I told her that we were told it was not necessary. Her response: Who told you that? Although we requested the portal again, information was never provided by the receptionist upon checking out. We made no follow-up appointment, and Michelle G did not recommend we make one. We were rushed out in 15 minutes with many unanswered questions. We will consult our PCP, who is more responsive, regarding these test results. Needless to say, this was a waste of money and time. Our original request for herbal replacements for medicines such as antibiotics, analgesics and allergy was never met, and we walked out very confused and angry. We will not be returning.

Called to ask questions about offerings and was informed that they are not taking any patients with fatigue because they are at capacity for these patients. When inquiring how they would look at someone as a whole person (functional, holistic, naturopathic medicine at its core) without addressing all symptoms, the same statement was provided on loop. This is concerning as a person but also as a practitioner who has previously referred people to this business for support. Perhaps, if at capacity for any one specific problem, when often symptoms are interrelated, the entire practice should be at capacity for all problems and closed to new patients. This felt selectively dismissive and discriminatory, preferring certain problems or issues over others. I wont be referring anyone here any longer unfortunately.

Its a money grab. I felt I was on a very organized line to give them more and more money with very little attention. I was with the doctor for 10 minutes and she literally said, the time is up and prescribed expensive vitamin b shots without an explanation.

Did an EKG in the office it came back completely abnormal they wanted to call an ambulance I ended up going over to the hospital for the hospital to tell me that the EKG machine at this facility is very outdated and the reading was wrong. When I called back to the facility to tell them what the hospital had told me they got very short with me and snotty. On my next visit I asked questions that the previous provider was unable to explain and all I got was a sheet to go to the front window to buy a whole bunch of expensive supplements with no answers and no follow up. I left this practice and found a fantastic integrative medicine medical practice which takes my insurance and answers my questions and explains why they are prescribing something and they follow through with any testing or questions I may have and if I start any new medication the nurse always gives me a call a few days in to see how it s going. That is quality care. If you value your money and your medical record I would highly avoid this practice.

Been going here for chronic Lyme disease and cancer support for almost 20 years now. Made the most improvements in my health working with Dr. Lynch and his staff. They have always been helpful and compassionate. Best intergrative care I have experienced. They get it. unlike most doctors.

I have been struggling with menopause symptoms and begging for help for the past 5 months. Menopause literally ruins my life in SO many ways. By some miracle I was able to get an appt with Dr Lynch for today. Dr. Lynch was kind, caring and very helpful! I am so grateful to have been given this appointment today. I finally felt like I was being heard and understood. He had compassion for my struggles over the past few months; physical, mental, emotional - and financial struggles. My entire spring & summer months were ruined because of these symptoms. Ive been absolutely miserable. Dr. Lynch truly wanted to help me feel better, and that made me feel better! Hopefully I will soon have relief from these depressing menopause symptoms that are effecting my life in the most negative ways. I at least have hope now...which I had completely lost over the past few months.

The staff there is helpful and courteous.

As soon as I stepped into this office I knew something was off. It was not built to be a doctors office, it is a converted business office building. The whole place is old, dingy and beat up, no decor, a maze of weird little rooms. boxes in the corners, a mess. None of the exam rooms have sinks! Or are even set up to do exams. The doctor saw me in her business office, she was not wearing a lab coat, I sat across from her desk while she looked through my extensive intake materials for seemingly the first time although I had sent them weeks ago. She asked me a couple questions I had already answered on my paperwork, and then I sat there silently as she typed on her computer for 15 minutes and then said they could take my blood then. I quickly said No as that place did not seem sanitary and I had already decided I wasnt moving forward with them. Then they had me talk with a billing person, who actually was very nice, but informed me none of the quickly recommended treatments or tests were covered by insurance. Declined a follow up. Extremely disappointed. Btw, I am a proponent of integrative medicine and have been studying herbal medicine and alternative health for ten years. Would never recommend this place to anyone. Feels like a scam.

The office is disorganized and I received diagnoses (Babesiosis and tick-borne relapsing fever) that proved inaccurate after further testing from a separate infectious disease doctor, however I appreciate how much Dr. Kearny wanted to help and how willing she was to try unconventional treatments and listen to my input. I d encourage anyone who goes here for treatment to be very conscious of the potential side effects of long-term antibiotic treatment and to weigh those effects against any benefits they are or aren t getting. I was really desperate for something to work, so I went in knowing I was ignoring risks and might end up suffering for it. I m not too much worse for the wear currently, but I m glad we eventually sought a second opinion and stopped my antibiotic treatments (of which I tried several). It s not that NIM is a bad clinic, but the lab they use (which isn t part of their office, to be clear) doesn t seem to give particularly accurate results. Also, appointments usually started a little later than scheduled, but I didn t mind that much since I was able to do all of them over Zoom. I m still equally as ill as when I went to my first appointment, but it was worth a try and there s definitely potential that something they suggest could help you. They re willing to look into a lot of very unconventional treatments.

Similar to other reviews - poorly managed practice. Would not recommend for treating chronic fatigue or migraines. At first I was really hopeful - Dr. Lynch seemed attentive and open minded. But theyre so over scheduled that hes only available every four months, and naturally cant remember who you are after all that time, so each meeting is a scramble to start over and catch up. The nurses are available in between, but so pressed for time that any humanity or interest in helping you understand whats going on is entirely abandoned. I stuck it out for nearly a year and felt like I was being pummeled with tests and having to hold it all alone, through many wasted results and frustrating miscommunications. I hope NIM figures out a way to provide the quality of care theyre clearly capable of. Id rather find a doctor farther away who can see me virtually, and whos set themselves up to actually be able to listen.

Professional staff and always return calls and fill prescriptions promptly. The ability of my NP to offer outside the box options for treatment is wonderful! Her knowledge of treatment for tick-borne diseases is excellent though IV antibiotics for patients is essential for some and NIH doesnt offer it. Im hopeful they will expand to Worcester county.

I was misdiagnosed with Lyme disease and due to that I was declined for Life Insurance. I attempted to contact the Nurse Practioner, that provided my diagnosis and treatment multiple times to discuss this and she never had the decency to return my calls. I then went to another Dr for a second opinion and a new blood test and I was tested negative with no Lyme disease in my system. I was very disappointed with my experience at Northampton Integrative Medicine.

Similar to the other reviewer, no issues with the staff it s more of how the business process is run. You never get to speak to a person / nurse. They automatically send you to thier voicemail every time. With that said when they call back be sure you re available to pick up otherwise you re in a constant game of phone tag. I work during the day so it s difficult for me to pick up or if I pick up without knowing when they ll call I d like to find a private area to chat about my health instead of in front of co-workers. This is my only issue. With that said the nurse has traditionally always called me back.

A really great place making a true difference to its clients and community.

After having multiple doctors tell me that my digestive issues were all stress related, I finally came to this facility and was able to find out that I was allergic to many foods that I had been eating frequently. The feel in this office is so different than a PCPs office. I feel like the staff really hear me when I express whats going on and want to help. I never feel like Im being rushed out of the room so that they can see the next person. I really love it here!

Original review written 08/2018 I REALLY loved this place at first. I have been sick for YEARS and they figured out at least (the worst) part of it and started me on treatment BUT any time I call with questions or issues (which is not often) I NEVER hear back. This last time I called to follow up on an issue that I had mentioned while at my last appt and just never heard back. I sent the NP I had been seeing a message saying that I still havent heard back and she said thats because I need to make an appt. When I made this call I had been seen not even a week before but by the time I heard back it was 4-5 weeks later. This is a far drive and its also a tier 3 doctor so its expensive! I cant come every month PLUS, as mentioned before, I had mentioned it in my appt and she said we would discuss before I left so why would I have to come back? Then she said that I can pay to make a phone appt with the nurses. So now I have to pay someone to not call me back. I quit. I have to go somewhere else. My health comes first. Addendum 09/30/2019: After searching for a different doctor Ive decided that even though these guys could make HUGE STRIDES to improve their communication, theyre really the only doctors that listen to your concerns. I continue to have this same problem since I wrote this last review but I just have to be OK with them being annoyed with me because I have to call back and make sure someone gets back to me or follows up on my care, etc. Its a very annoying quality and I think that hiring more people to split up the work load or training the current staff on time management would be in their best interest. They have been the ONLY doctors interested in actually helping me and I have sent a number of people who havent felt listened to, to them with a warning that they will have to get on them about their care. I started with a 1 star review but Im changing it to reflect the appreciation I have for their concern.

Dr Lynch was the first doctor to spend time reviewing ALL of my medical history. After years of suffering with a chronic illness, he had a plan to prevent future episodes. I ve had specialist tell me that what I suffer with is a very rare case and hard to treat. I ve been following his plan and I am confident I will continue to be episode free.

Even if you are someone who lives with a very poorly understood health challenge, you will find your self to be emotionally safe and pragmatically supported w cutting edge integrative medical knowledge, technologies, and authentic care here. All the way around docs, nurses, and other staff members truly listen to discover how they may best help, and this respect for the uniqueness of your process and living circumstances, as well as biochemical individuality is rarely so integrally practiced within existing healthcare systems in the US. Through out the last 24 years, Northampton Integrative Medical practice has truly been a blessing in my own extremely challenging process of seeking to actualize what optimal health is for me - and im not the most forgiving person when it comes to unconsciousness.