Brookline Associates In Internal Medicine

Dr. Tozzi is no longer with this group, she moved to another hospital. The other doctors in this group that I saw (when Dr. Tozzi was unavailable, which was often) were excellent. I’m going to try to get one of them as my PCP.

Wow… Talk about the most douchebag reviews on Unilocal!!!I cannot believe people complain about waiting at a dr’s office in a WAITING ROOM! Dr. Rozzie does manage her practice very differently, but it’s definitely a Latin cultural thing. Her loosey goosey nature, her willingness to talk to other patients while you are sitting there… Her taking to you like you are a person and not just a patient… All reminds me of my doctor in Puerto Rico, where any concept of scheduled appointments is for show only and there is no structure to anything. The doctor talking to another patient about their test results while taking your blood pressure is very typical… I love it!!!
I usually hate doctor’s offices as it is, the stiffness of health care is ridiculous. As far as the other reviews, these entitled little shits need to grow up a bit and chillax.

AVOID!!! Dr. Tozzi Shirley and the Brookline Associates are the worst office/​doctor in the history of universe. I wish I could just give no start to Dr. Tozzi. My first time pcp appointment was today and when I got to their office, the staff was very rude and they told me that Tozzi will be late. They never told me how long do i have to wait or NEVER called me in advance. I would understand if that would be a medical emergency but i received no call, so I assume she was sleeping or whatever she was doing there. Then thanks goodness the other doctor came to me and told me that IT IS USUAL for Tozzi to be late to work and to her appointment. Seriously? You are a doctor. what is wrong with you?
DO NOT GO THERE AND NEVER GO TO TOZZI.

I wish I could give no stars to Dr. Tozzi and the crackerjack team at Brookline Associates. She is, by leaps and bounds, the worst doctor that I have had any interaction with in my entire life. I first chose her as a PCP because her office would give me a referral without me being a patient, that should have been my first red flag. I went in and was asked to put on a gown even though I had never been there before. Dr. Tozzi came in and started talking to me like we knew each other, I informed her that we didn’t. She then said, «Sorry, you look just like my other patient SO AND SO. My nurse knows not to put new people in the gown until I meet them. Come sit here.» So in this paper gown, with my butt hanging out, I move to sit next to her in the chair where all my things are. Suffice it to say, I was uncomfortable meeting this lady naked, I was even less so perched on a cold chair in a backless paper gown. Bedside manner could use some work. So could person recognition. Basically, she spent several minutes discussing things I had not asked about and then told me I needed an X-​Ray for what she thought was a benign bone growth, I went to get the X-​Ray and was never given results. A few days later, I get a call from the hospital telling me I have an MRI scheduled for Christmas Eve. Dr. Tozzi’s office scheduled it for me, without telling me why or letting me choose the date or time. I had to reschedule, but I assumed it was necessary since why would a doctor sign you up for a Christmas Eve MRI you didn’t need? Guess again. I NEVER received results from the MRI proving that not only did I not need it, but that basically she had me to do it make more money for the hospital and her practice. That kind of doctor is unconscionable. I have literally never had a doctor give me uncomfortable and unnecessary medical tests. Now I have a $ 500 bill to pay for a test that I never needed… so much so, that Dr. Tozzi never bothered to tell me the results. When I complained about this, she told me I was being rude, told me to find another doctor and hung up. As if I wasn’t on that already. Stay away from this doctor like the plague. Worst I’ve ever been to!
EDIT: More fun times with this office. I released old medical records to this office, and called and got a confirmation that they were received in MARCH, and when I needed this information released to me last month I was told to write a letter asking for my records, which I did. Of course, this letter was «never received» even though no other piece of mail I’ve ever sent has not been received. They told me they would just go ahead and send them. Fast forward 2 weeks, still not here, I call again only to get a lady with a serious attitude who tells me I need to request them in writing, which I had already done. She tells me to come pick them up in person, which I do and low and behold, no records that were sent are in there. She hands me a BLANK piece of paper to sign, and does not check my ID (very by the book, this place) before she can release the record that she has already handed me. When I point this out, she says, «OK» and takes the record back, as if it is me that is not following the procedure. Long story short, she tells me they don’t have the records that they had already confirmed having, meaning my medical records and personal information is just floating around this office. RUN, don’t walk, in the other direction! Save yourselves! WORST DOCTOR AND OFFICE IN THE HISTORY OF MEDICINE.

I waited for an hour and a half in the waiting room before getting called back into a room where I waited for another half an hour. That’s just the beginning. Dr. Tozzi has a terrible bedside manner. She proceeded to degrade about my weight which is a very sensitive topic for me and was extremely insensitive. Dr. Tozzi proceeded to call a patient while I was in the room and discussed their private results divulging private medical information. This made me extremely uncomfortable and it is a breach of doctor patient confidentiality. When I left, she gave me a piece of paper with someone’s information on it that I assume was supposed to be my information. The sheet had a patients full name, phone number, and home address on it. This information should have never been given to me. Another patient confidentiality breach. Avoid this doctor at all costs unless you want your medical records and private information discussed in front of other patients. I did report Dr. Tozzi to the hospital and received a generic apology letter. DO NOT GO TO THIS DOCTOR.

AVOID IF POSSIBLE. While the doctors and medical staff are competent and polite, their billing department is a nightmare. I went in for a check up in August of 2010. I am still, in June 2012 trying to resolve the billing for this appointment. I’ve had health insurance this entire time, but my employer changed the type of plan the week of my visit, leading me to give the wrong prefix on my insurance information. They did not contact me about the unpaid bill until November of 2011. I’ve only ever spoken to the woman who handles the billing once in maybe 15 times of calling the office. It seems like every other time I call I get a voicemail saying that she is on vacation for three weeks and that there is no one else handling the billing during this time. Blue Cross has assured me three times that I am not liable for anything other than my copay for this appointment. On each occasion they tell me that they’ve spoken with the woman who handles the billing, and that she understands that all she has to do is file an appeal. Like clockwork, every month I get another bill. I’ve even moved since seeing them, and it seems like they have no problem contacting the insurance agency to get my new address.