Moving to Boston

Doctors, Pharmacies, Dentists, and Eye Care

HUHS Obstetricians
Holyoke Center. 617-495-2068 (5th floor). If you're pregnant, Dr, Lieberman is really great. I'd recommend seeing all of the practicing doctors in the clinic. I had a really great experience with the staff at Holyoke and Brigham and Women's Hospital. They are really attentive and willing to help. Frances Dilks was great and down-to-earth. Harriet, the nurse would promptly call back with any question I had. One thing I loved was the appointment reminders via email from Holyoke. As a pregnant lady, I was prone to forget SO many things! I ended up using my husband's (student) insurance as a dependant and was amazed at just how much it covered—including multiple ultrasounds. You are certainly in good hands if you are planning to have a baby.

In terms of medical care, I used the Harvard University Health Services (HUHS) Obstetrician/Gynecology department at the Holyoke center, which is a 15 minute walk from HBS. This group of nurses and doctors work a rotating shift at both the Holyoke Centre and Brigham and Women's Hospital. This means that, depending on the day you give birth, you could have any one of the five or six doctors who work at Holyoke. I tried to organize my prenatal visits so I could meet as many of the doctors as possible but in the end I only managed to meet a couple of them. This was because I arrived pretty late in the pregnancy and so I ran out of time before I could meet everyone. I found the OB/GYN practice extremely busy that year. I don't know if it was a bumper year or not but most of my appointments were double-booked (making waiting times around 30 minutes) and the time spent with the doctors was usually about five minutes. My solution was to book the earliest slot of the day and arrive 10 minutes early. They also run an invaluable 24 hour telephone advice and in most cases my queries could be answered by the nurses, who are superb.

Non-HUHS Obstetricians Used by HBS Partners:
Fresh Pond Women's Health Associates
185 Alewife Brook Parkway, Cambridge
617-503-1000

New England OB-GYN Associates
Dr. Lampert was especially fabulous.
One Brookline Place, Brookline
617-731-3400

Mount Auburn Center for Women
I highly recommend Dr. Amy McGaraghan. She was my OB during my second pregnancy. She was caring, compassionate, and knowledgeable. She is one of the oncall physicians for the midwives at Mount Auburn. She also accepts Tricare Reserve Select. Her office is a mile from Harvard Square, very easy to walk to. I recommend calling in advance because she books up quickly.
330 Mount Auburn Hospital, Cambridge
617-499-5151

Dr. Dawn Anderson
Dr. Dawn Anderson was oncall for Dr McGaraghan when I delivered. She stayed by my side the entire delivery. She was supportive of my requests, explained everything and talked me through the delivery. I was just as impressed with her as I was with Dr McGaraghan. I would also highly recommend her. I did meet a third female physician in the practice. I can’t remember her name but she was very sweet. I’d feel comfortable having any of them at my delivery.
22 Mill, Arlington
617-646-1043

The Midwives at Mount Auburn
I am pregnant with my 2nd child am using a midwife practice. It's at Mount Auburn Hospital (close to campus), and all OB appointments are covered in full by HBS insurance. I've enjoyed my experience very much so far with them (although I haven't actually delivered with them yet).

Dr Beth Hardiman
She is one of the most requested OB in Cambridge. She only accepts 16 patients each month depending on your due date. Call as soon as you are pregnant if you want to get in. She delivers 98% of her pts. She only delivers at Mount Auburn Hospital. She comes highly recommended.
330 Mount Auburn, Cambridge
617-497-9500
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Pediatric Care
Pediatrics is handled in a similar way that the OB care is. There is a HUHS Clinic at the Holyoke Center which consists of a group of three pediatricians and three nurse practitioners. Visits are scheduled so that you alternate between a nurse practitioner and doctor for well-baby appointments. For example, your child's six-month check-up might be with a nurse and your nine-month check-up would then be with a doctor (you will be told which doctor or nurse practitioner you are scheduled to see when you make your appointment). Appointments are easy to schedule and when your child is sick they are very good about getting you in right away. If your child needs to see a specialist they are also very good about giving you a referral.
HUHS Pediatricians
Dr Naomi Priver Holyoke Center. I love Dr. Naomi Priver.
Dr Lynch Holyoke Center. She’s been wonderful to us.

"HUHS has a number of excellent doctors and nurses in the Holyoke center. Again, the nurses there are a fabulous resource if you are having difficulty with a cranky newborn and they are also part of the 24 hour telephone hotline service. As with the OB/GYN, you are not assigned a regular doctor but generally get whoever is working that day. Regular health checks, immunizations and the usual childhood illnesses will ensure that you become very, very familiar with the pediatrics clinic."

After hours care is available through HUHS Urgent Care, and if the problem is of a serious nature they will refer you to Children's Hospital in the Longwood Medical area (near Boston University, about a 10 minute drive). The care at Children's Hospital is very good and most things are covered by BCBS. HUHS also provides a 24-hour nurse hotline to assist with those late-night crankies.

If you choose not to use the HUHS Clinic, you can choose any Pediatrician that accepts BCBS. The only limitation to this is that the plan only covers a limited number of visits each year (if your baby gets sick, services may not be covered).

Non HUHS Pediatricians
Dr Deborah James, Garden Pediatrics.
I am very happy with this pediatrician. She takes time to talk to you (I’ve spent half an hour with her before for a well baby checkup). She is down to earth. She doesn’t have a nurse so she handles everything, including shots. She’s well read and up to date on current research. I’ll be very sad when we move and have to switch doctors, my 3 year old loves going to see her. She has a small practice making it easy to get in with a sick child, same day. She accepts tricare reserve select.
Concord Ave, Cambridge
(617)-441-9276

Dr Kristin Sleeper. Centre Pediatrics
They are excellent and have done a great job.
Brookline,Ma
(617) 735-8585
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Primary Care

HUHS Physicians
Dr Barna Cumnock Hall. She's always been very attentive and available for appointments.

Dr Bruce Biller Cumnock Hall. I have seen him twice and he is excellent and very thorough. I have been able to get right in the same day both times. Great location right on HBS campus. Dr. Biller is my doctor and so far I really like him!
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Area Hospitals
Mount Auburn Hospital -- 617-492-3500
Mount Auburn Hospital (Cambridge, Ma). My only experience with the hospital was the delivery of my baby. It’s a small hospital with an older type L&D style unit. You labor and deliver in one side and then are wheeled into another part for postpartum. I had a wonderful L&D nurse. I couldn’t have asked for better. Some of the postpartum nurses weren’t as attentive as I would have like, but you are going to get that anywhere you go. I can’t comment on the food, we ate out mostly. It’s an easy walk from HBS, about 20 minutes if your 8 months pregnant. I chose this hospital mostly because of my insurance (tricare reserve select) and my physician.

Mount Auburn ER My 3 year old had an ear infection on a Friday night. We were able to get in and out within an hour. They do not take children in their urgent care center! I was not happy with the physician. He told me the wrong ear was inflamed and when I questioned him he took another look and changed his opinion saying he couldn’t see in the ear that was bothering her. He had previously stated it looked fine. I would not go to this ER for anything major.

Cambridge Hospital -- 617-498-1000
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center -- 617-667-7000
Boston Medical Center -- 617-534-5000

Brigham and Women's Hospital -- 617-732-5500
"When it came time for the delivery everything went smoothly. I did not give birth in the cab (as I had feared) but instead at one of the top women's hospitals in the world; Brigham and Women's. Boston is probably one of the best places in the world to give birth because of all the amazing hospital facilities within 5 miles of HBS. Harvard Health Services delivers only at Brigham and Women's but there is none better in the US. I would really recommend the guided tour of the hospital before you go there in labor. You get to see the triage, delivery rooms, and the private rooms where you stay after the birth. My confidence level soared after seeing just how state-of-the-art the facilities were. During the actual birth my HUHS obstetrician was fantastic, the nursing staff was thorough and supportive, and the facilities were world-class. After a natural birth you can stay at hospital for 48 hours, after a C-section you stay for 96 hours. This means that for first-time moms there is very little time to learn the ropes (like breastfeeding, home care, first aid etc) so don't expect to leave knowing everything you need to know about kids!"

Children's Hospital -- 617-355-6000
"As soon as you have children you start having to know about hospitals. We got to visit the Children's Hospital within the first few months of arriving in Boston. Darran decided that he wanted to be a piggybank when he grew up, so he swallowed a quarter. Our visit to the Children's Hospital was eventful but positive. The staff was lovely; kind and humorous and professional. And we were whisked from triage to exam rooms to X-ray units in a few hours. Each room had entertainment of some sort for a sick child, and the fact that Darran was at ease during the whole process is proof that they did a great job. And we got our quarter back, eventually."

Massachusetts General Hospital -- 617-726-2000
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Pharmacies
Most grocery stores have pharmacies located inside. There is also a pharmacy located inside the Target at Watertown Mall. However, if you are subscribing to the HUHS insurance plan, you may only fill your prescriptions at The Holyoke Center or at a CVS Pharmacy.

HUHS Pharmacy in Holyoke Center
Open Monday through Saturday, closed holidays and Sundays
617-495-9988

CVS 24-Hour Pharmacy
36 White St, Cambridge - Porter Square
617-876-5519
Another CVS location- Harvard Square on Mass Ave and Central Square on Mass Ave.

Walgreens
Harvard Square and Central Square on Mass Ave.

Rite Aid located next to Whole Foods on River Street. Filling a prescription here takes over half an hour. The staff is not friendly. When asked questions they were unable to give me an answer, referring me to my physician for further questions.
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Dentists
Signing up for the Harvard Dental Plan does not include dentists at Holyoke

Dr. Mark Thomases
There is parking available right on Beacon Street. He's really thorough and friendly. It seems as though people have gone to him for years--I think he's in his early 50's. I'm using DELTA Dental as a dependant on my husband's (student) insurance.
1247A BEACON ST BROOKLINE, MA 02446
(617) 566-0103

Dr. Joseph M Smith Center
Cambridge, Ma
It's really hard to get into—even though it is right on Western Ave.

Dr. Peter Tian
I haven't been there personally, but got recommended to us.
842 Mass Ave 617-864-1600

The Harvard School of Dental Medicine
An option to use if you are looking for inexpensive dental care and do not mind taking the extra time for procedures. Call to get on the wait list for an exam. The first appointment is an exam and various x-rays, the second appointment is a long exam and set up of your treatment plan. They also do pediatric dental appointments. Meghan was great with my daughter and she also does work on my teeth as well. 617-432-1434

Dr. John Wozny
12 Post Office Square (Congress St. and Water St.)
Boston MA 02109
617.542.8808

Dr. Russell Foreman
He's the man.
972 Mass. Ave

Dr. Andrew Kurban
I used to go to a great dentist in Back Bay. A ton of people from Bain Boston go there. It’s a little out of the way, and I’m not sure how he fits into the HBS health care policy, if you’re on it, but he’s really good. The one downside is that, if it’s your first time, he does a one-time check-up, separate from a cleaning. Not sure if that’s covered or if it’s cash.

Cambridge Dental Associates (on Mass Ave.)
I had a terrible experience there when I had a cavity. Luckily, I had one of the nicer dentists. After looking at an X-ray, the head dentist lady came in and told my dentist that he should be doing a root canal on me. After the head dentist left, my dentist told me that she likes to run up the bill, and that all I really needed was a filling. Not good! Also, when I arrived, there was only one guy in the office, and he didn’t seem to know anything about the practice. When I talked to him, he told me he was a temp and this was his first day. The dentists and staff left him alone so they could take a long lunch break. I’ve also been there. I didn’t have a horrible experience but I wouldn’t go back.

Hirshberg Dental (downtown)
The Dentist I see is John Wozney. I have Blue Cross Blue Shield through work and they take that insurance. I am not sure what other insurance carriers they use.
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Eye Care
Harvard Square Eye Care
Vizio Optic in Brookline
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