Ryan-NENA Community Heath Center

The review is for downtown location

I was a walk in at Ryan Nena about less than a year ago. I became their patient and been using their services since then.
They gave me a scaling fee since I did not have health insurance. I pay less than $ 80 for each visit and blood and urine test and x-​rays are included in that price.
So far I have gone to general doctor, gyno and dentist. I have no complaints about their services. Everything is explained to you, maybe in a rush sometimes.
They have a pharmacy next door where you can get discount if you are their patient. That came in handy when I had to buy cream that cost $ 500 at CVS and $ 20 at their pharmacy (no I didn’t make a mistake with zeros).
Their whole staff is polite and welcoming. The downside is that you have to wait long for certain appointments, like dentist. But they have a waiting list in case somebody cancels. They do walk-​ins. I was a walk-​in patient two times and did not wait that long. Dentist take walk-​ins if it is emergency only.
You can use their patient portal to check, reschedule or cancel your appointments, also check your lab results.
Dentists do only minor work-​so fillings only, no crowns or root canals. I still paid the same price as I would for any appointment and x-​ray is included.

Horrible service. The doctor I met with did not speak English well, and communication about my medical needs was not understood. I had just been released from the hospital and urgently needed to be checked, but the doctor did NOTHING and said I looked fine. I waited for 2 hours to see the doctor to be told I looked fine.
The spaces were overcrowded and appeared dirty.
Then, they proceeded to schedule a follow-​up appointment without telling me or asking me when I’m available, for FOUR MONTHS later. No, that is not okay.
When I called to cancel the appointment, I had to wait ten minutes. Mid-​way through cancelling, I was hung up on. Rude, untrustworthy service. Never coming here again and warning everyone to stay away!

Had an incredible experience at Ryan Nena Health Center today. My new insurance doesn’t cover any of my doctors as it’s through the Obamacare program and a lower rate which I’m grateful for since losing my insurance due to office cutbacks and wasn’t sure what to expect when I made the appointment with the Health Center but I am thrilled so far with my new GYN doctor and all the administrative staff and nurses at the Center. Dr. Pickering is so lovely and friendly and helpful and the nurses are all great and everyone treated me with such respect and I felt like I got great care. The doctor and her support staff had me scheduled after my exam for a mammogram and an ultrasound (which the doctor, based on my exam said was recommended based on a past surgical procedure and covered by my insurance thankfully) and all the appointments were confirmed within 10 minutes of me leaving the exam room. The Breast Cancer screening office they have were amazing and so organized and got me in a testing facility near where I live and so quickly. I am at this moment so thrilled with my service and feel appreciated and respected and sure that I saw top notch nurses and fabulous doctor. So glad I was able to be seen here and I know that even if you don’t have health insurance you can see a doctor for very little money compared to any other office and would recommend the Center highly.

Very respectful, kind employees. Clean and nicely run for this type of facility. Serves the community. The LES needs more places like this!
Obviously you get what you pay for and it’s not a super efficiently run, high-​end doctors office, but they get the job done.

I arrived to Ryan Nena at noon and left at 6:30pm. I kid you not. It was a horrible journey that matches up with the other negative Unilocal reviews of Ryan Nena Community Heath Center.
The wait to see a doctor were multi-​hour stretches in different floors of the building.
Seeing the doctor, was an equal waste of time. She was utterly uninformed about my condition or how to assess it. I had read up on WebMD so I knew the test that was necessary. Apparently she believed her eyes could operate at the microscopic/​internal level, because she took five minutes to look at me and then tried to send me on my way. I informed her that there was no way she could have made a diagnosis and asked for a refund so I could afford to see another doctor. I don’t have insurance so I was stuck with a $ 105 co-​pay. She dialed a supervisor and after spending more time in the waiting room, I got to speak with one. That supervisor sent me to another who ushered me to a waiting room on the first floor and then 30 – 45 minutes later moved me to another on the sixth floor until the Deputy Director was available. After yet another long waiting period, I got to meet with the Deputy Director who called in the first supervisor I’d seen to sit in and back her up. The Deputy Director ridiculed me for referencing Web MD and staunchly held her ground that the doctor I had seen could do no wrong simply because she was board certified and worked at Ryan Nena. I noted that the procedure followed on my visit, including the way I was being addressed at that moment, did not align with the Patient’s Rights posted on the wall of every floor including the right to:
«Receive quality healthcare from competent professionals
*Be treated with dignity, respect, and courtesy by the entire staff
*Receive a clear explanation of health problems and treatment options
*Receive all information necessary to give informed consent prior to the start of any non-​medical procedure
That morning, I had attempted via phone to find out what procedure would be done before making the trek out to Ryan Center. The receptionist informed me I would need to come in and find that out from staff. When I arrived, I was told I could not be given that information but that the doctor’s were knowledgable and would work with me to address my needs. It didn’t sit well that I was required to pay before accessing the necessary information to discern if Ryan Nena followed adequate protocol for the ailment that brought me to them. I called several other establishments trying to find a comparable fee and available appointment while I waited two hours to make the payment and advance to the next waiting room. In the end Ryan Nena was the most affordable and I could be seen that day. «Ok,» I thought, «WebMD says the protocol required for the diagnosis I need can be performed easily in-​office by Family Medicine Doctor or Internist.»
After the rude awakening of actually meeting the doctor and realizing she was totally incompetent, practicing with a lazy disregard for my well being, I hoped I could appeal to the supervisors, only to have my privacy compromised, in violation with the following «Patient’s Rights»:
*Have all personal and medical information held in the strictest confidence
*Approve or refuse the disclosure of contents of one’s medical record to any health practitioner of the facility, except as required by third party payment contract
*Have privacy in discussions concerning matters such as health, medical treatment, income and methods of payment
After continuing to emphasize that the treatment I received was not legitimate health care, the Deputy Director lead me to believe that I would be permitted to see another doctor. She asked me to sit in the waiting room outside her office while she made arrangements. When I was retrieved, I found out she had called another building in the Ryan Nena network and shared all the details of my visit including sensitive information such as my symptoms with a total stranger so that she could have them confirm what she’d already decided in her mind from the moment I set foot in her office– the patient is wrong, and she is right. I’m pretty sure that violates Hippa, as I did not approve her pulling my details from the system and discussing them with someone without consulting me while I was not in the room. She refused to let me see another doctor and denied me a refund. I explained I would not be able to get the care I needed in that case. By this point, the other supervisor in the room looked disturbed by the situation. I think that contributed to the Deputy Director offering to arrange for a lower fee so I could come back and pay to see someone in their network next time. She promised to call me the next day. It’s six days later and I haven’t heard from her.
The single star in this rating goes to the receptionists on the bottom floor, who were incredibly patient and helpful. They lent me a phone charger and showe

Walked in. Got seen for $ 105(which is the max for not having insurance). Its a clean place with friendly faces. Go there!

A friend gave me the name of this place when I was in dire need of pretty immediate medical attention. I walked in with no appointment, having never been there before, and with none of the required paperwork except my ID. I had to pay the highest amount on their sliding scale — which was only $ 105 and included the visit and all tests. They had no walk-​in availability, but had me speak to a supervisor, who listened to what my issue was and put me on the schedule. I was seen within 10 minutes. The doctor then came in and told me that, due to my particular problem, I should see the gynecologist in Women’s Health, but that I’d need to wait another 3.5 hours to get in there. He repeatedly apologized for the inconvenience (which was unnecessary — I was just happy to be seen) and asked if that was ok, or if I’d rather he just examine me right then. I opted to wait and see the gynecologist, who was great. She did an exam, answered all my questions, gave me a couple of prescriptions, and told me to call and leave a message with the receptionist if I had any questions or concerns. Over the next few days I called probably 3 or 4 times, and she called me back within the hour each time. Everyone was helpful, kind, and it was as good an experience as it could have been under the circumstances.

I’ve been going to Ryan Nena on and off for a number of years.
(I was most disappointed when I got a fancy job with insurance & unfortunately it wasn’t an insurance Ryan Nena accepted. Suppose you can’t win them all.)
I’ve had numerous positive interactions with staff. I’m had a great level of care. It really is the most cost-​effective option to stay healthy for those uninsured in NYC. I also leave confident that my medical record is secure & privacy is kept. The wait is shorter with some services than others, but really is comparable to any other doctor’s office in the city.

Worst place I have ever been to in my life. I am usually not a picky person when it comes to doctors, and have no qualms about if it is a male or female when it comes to Women’s Clinic. I don’t know who I had but she was female, and she was about the most tactless and careless person I have ever met. Even the procedures done were painful to the point of feeling like I was violated, and I have quite a high pain tolerance. Unfortunately, I will probably be coming back here because I don’t have insurance and I can’t afford health care, so this is my cheapest option.
However, the office people and receptionists are extremely courteous (wow! at a Doctor’s office???), and when I went to the Eye Clinic, they refunded my money back since they were unable to help me (I needed a prescription for contacts).

Doctors sent me away saying there was nothing wrong. The next day, I went to a different walk-​in clinic where they said I had bronchitis, pneumonia, and an infection in each of my eyes. Needless to say, the doctors here are incompetent and even though I have insurance, I had to pay a $ 40 copay for NOTHING.

This clinic is just plain awful. Before I say more, I will say that the actual doctors are good but every other staff member you encounter before you actually see a doctor is rude, lazy, incompentent, downright nasty.
They treat everyone as if they are charity cases. A lot of people have private insurance, not public assistance. My point is that no one should be treated with such contempt. Every client/​patient should receive compassion and respect the minute they enter the front door. But NOT at this place. Please do not waste your time.
I have finally cut up my clinic cards to this place.

I was uninsured for a number of years and this place was a godsend for me. The people in registration are wonderful, the doctors and nurses are very overworked but kind, sympathetic and knowledgeable. I never paid more than $ 35 a visit for all kinds of tests and x-​rays. I’m very lucky that I never waited more than a half hour to see someone, even as a walk-​in. There is a wide range of services from pediatrics to geriatric psych to serve the community. It’s too bad there aren’t more places like this.

Upside:
a. Very inexpensive– a godsend for the uninsured! Things like x-​rays, lab fees, most often included in your visit fee. (not all budget-​conscious clinics in the city are so inclusive, as I found out from visiting another clinic, and receiving unexpected bills from labs etc for weeks afterwards.)
b.I have always experienced the staff to be very friendly and helpful– which greatly eases my nerves while visiting the doctor or dentist.
Downside: Plan on spending quite awhile in the waiting room– even with an appointment. But for me, it’s totally worth it.

I can’t give any less than four stars to this place, which has helped me out of a jam more than once. It’s really a bitch to not have health insurance, but Ryan-​NENA is a clinic with a full range of services that charges on a sliding scale specifically designed for people without it. You just have to register on your first visit – bring in a paystub, they’ll check it out and tell you how much you’ll have to pay for your visits, and give you a card. I get all my appointments for just $ 30, and all prescriptions for $ 7. Unlike trying to get an appointment with a regular doctor in the city, you don’t have to wait months to get an appt. And on the whole the clinic is clean and the staff is friendly.
All that said, there are definitely some spokes in the wheels over on the LES. I’ve only needed medical attention twice there. The first time I was diagnosed with bronchitis and asked to come back for an x-​ray to make sure I didn’t have pneumonia. They gave me a specific day and time to return. So at that time, I trekked over to the far east side in about 15 degree weather, only to find out that the radiologist wasn’t there that entire day. Luckily I didn’t end up having pneumonia, but the extra trip didn’t help.
The second time I was preparing to leave for Africa and wanted some blood tests to make sure I had all my immunizations and a clean bill of health before I left. When I got there, all they’d scheduled me for was an HIV test. The good news was the test was negative! The bad news was it just meant several more visits before I got everything worked out.
I guess when you’re working with a non-​profit you have to expect some bureaucratic slip ups. I still love this place for keeping me relatively healthy when I couldn’t afford to take care of myself, and I recommend it to anyone else in the same situation.
*also I’m not actually the first to review it. Stacy P. reviewed it on the page for Ryan’s UWS branch.