The Polyclinic Broadway

I just had a colonoscopy (on my birthday) at the Polyclinic with Dr. Pepin and the team working with him. From the initial registration, to the prep team, to the event itself and the recovery — an incredibly pleasant, professional and caring group of people. The procedure which I was avoiding (for years) appeared simple, painless and easy.
Great job to the entire team.
Kevin

I saw the dermatologist Dr. Fred Leaf and he did a great job explaining my issue to me then taking the most conservative approach to treatment. Specifically, I wanted to have a mole removed, but he decided it wasn’t medically necessary and recommended just keeping an eye on it and waiting. At other hospitals I think they would have been happy to remove it, since it’s easy money.
Edit: Apparently Dr. Leaf won the resident Physician Teaching Award, twice, as well a couple of Seattle top doctor awards. So yeah, he’s pretty good. I haven’t seen any other doctors at the polyclinic though.

The surgery center at the Polyclinic:
From the time I arrived at the check-​in desk to the time I took the mandatory wheelchair ride to my car, The people at the surgery center was awesome. It is never fun to have any type of surgery, but for this minor outpatient surgery that I had was made so much better by the great care provided to me by the various staff.
But then there was the «Closet»!
That is what I call the smallest pre-​surgery room I have ever seen, let along been in. I have multiple closets in my house that are bigger than this room. There was room for me to sit but the nurse had to stand and work off the «desk» that folds down from the wall. The good news is they are building a new surgery center that will eliminate this feature. Don’t avoid the polyclinic because of the «closet», but this is the only reason I am not giving the Polyclinic surgery center a 5 star rating. A little more room and a fifth star would there there!

I can’t say enough about Dr. Frownfelter — she is so kind, painless Pap smear — didn’t lecture me about my weight problem, but instead discreetly gave me printed helpful information with my after-​visit summary. Believe me, I know I need to lose weight — I think she gets it that if we are made to feel really bad about it we will not be too willing to make a return visit. Very happy with her.

All of my physicians practice out of The Polyclinic so obviously I love it! I routinely go there for standard office visits plus I have had two surgeries and never once have I had a bad experience (a few funny ones, but nothing bad). At times it can be difficult to see someone right away so my advice is to schedule follow-​up appointments on your way out the door whenever possible. If you’re parking challenged like me you’ll be pleased to know that garage parking is available. If you’re also always in need of a snack or juice at entirely the most inconvenient time possible there is a café.
Last year I was considering plastic surgery and consulted with one of their surgeons. He basically told me he was happy to do the procedure and discussed the pros and cons but he thought I looked great and didn’t need it. Some might be offended by that statement but I was very impressed. He was honest and did not simply try to take my money. My point here is that I truly feel that the physicians at The Polyclinic, at least the ones I have seen, have integrity. If you need a recommendation for a plastic surgeon, endocrinologist, gynecologist, or family practice physician send me an email.
My only complaint is that their accounting department operates on Hawaiian time — SLOW. Don’t expect to have your payments processed quickly, especially if you’re using electronic Bill Pay.

I have a great doctor at the PolyClinic: Christopher Pepin. I have always had great service and experience here. I have read the negative reviews — I have no idea what any of these people are talking about.
One thing I truly admire about The PolyClinic is that they don’t allow drug reps to visit. Drug reps are notorious for trying to influence doctors’ decisions to prescribe their medications.
I’m going there today for a procedure. I feel very confident that I will receive excellent, efficient and professional service.

I have had nothing but exceptional service from them, My Docs spend the time necessary with me to answer my questions, talk about outcomes. I find the medical teams first rate!

Two stars and they haven’t billed me yet.
I love my general practice doctor (no you can’t have his name!). It is a small practice with no wait times and great service. He referred me to the Polyclinic to see a colorectal surgeon. To be fair, the surgeon has awards and I quite liked him. He passed me to another doctor whom I also liked. The doctors were the positive stars.
The wait times!!! I’ve been there 3 times for a combined wait of 6hrs. The doctors spent very little time with me, I just sat around. After the first time, I brought work with me. The parking is horrible unless you’re driving a very small car. You also have to pay for the parking to sit and wait in a little room. I have spent over $ 20 in parking at this building.
Worst, there’s serious HIPAA violations going on. I’m HIPPA certified and was singing songs in my head to not hear other patients information because it is none of my business. It is a crowded facility and they talk too loud.

I had to have surgery earlier this year and went through a nervous process of trying to pick a medical care provider based on the scant reviews out there online, so I figure I should contribute now that I’ve gone through the process.
Before finding Polyclinic, I was new-​ish to Seattle, didn’t have a primary care provider, and just gotten insurance after going without for years. I had gone to Country Doctor for a few minor issues (they’re a great community resource if you’re uninsured and just need a prescription for, say, an ear infection) but I started getting severe (and I mean collapsed on the floor and gasping) pains in my stomach and knew I needed better care.
I called Polyclinic, found a gastroenterology specialist who was taking new patients, and went in to see the doctor. Immediately he honed in on my real problem (gallstones, cholecystitis) that had been dismissed at Country Doctor twice as minor gastritis or «maybe an ulcer.» Like I said, Country Doctor is great for minor issues but I was living with severe pain for six months when a GI specialist figured out what was wrong in my first appointment, had me in for an endoscopy and ultrasound that week, and set me up for surgery within two weeks.
The surgeon, Dr. Hackerman, was wonderful. Competent, friendly, professional, just all-​around made me feel like I was in great hands. Had my gallbladder removed, and I’ve been living pain-​free for seven months now.
Before I picked Polyclinic, I was nitpicking reviews for everything, letting comments about parking, hospital layout, busy-​ness, etc. sway my opinion. But after finding myself in a new city, in a lot of pain and needing surgery, ultimately what mattered was the quality of medical care. I went through a harrowing time when I thought I’d never be able to eat solid food again, and now I’m back to my normal self and I can thank Polyclinic’s doctors for that.
But since the other stuff matters too: Parking is decent. I’ve never had a problem getting a spot. If you’re going in and out repeatedly in a short time frame the parking fees could add up, though I never paid more than $ 5 each time. The facility is clean, I’ve never had a problem checking in, and I’ve found it easy to find my way around.

I must say that as far as hospitals/​clinics go, this place is by far the worst, at least in Seattle.
I came here a few months ago and prior to my surgery there was an incident where I was being prepped for surgery a mistake happened. Instead of following the hospital’s protocol, I was interrogated and mistreated. Since this was a «needle stick,» my blood came into contact with the anesthesiologist was very unprofessional. He asked me if I had AIDS, if I had unprotected sex and etc. It was very disturbing especially since I was on the operating table and hadn’t ate for approximately 18 hours.
I submitted a complaint to the hospital and received multiple emails and voicemails from various Directors within the Polyclinic. From all the emails exchanged, phone calls and etc. the complaint was never resolved in my eyes.
I am considering placing a complaint with the Seattle BBB as well as informing my fellow Unilocalers.
If this has happened to you or if you are going into surgery, I just wanted to prepare you for the anesthesiologist to overreact and make you feel like a victim. He will make you feel shallow, small, and abuse his position.
The only thing that I was offered from the Polyclinic was to take care of my remaining balance of $ 300-​something. I received no apology from the anesthesiologist or the Polyclinic.
I hope to never take my business to the Polyclinic again since they have been very unprofessional to me.
The sad part is that I had several doctors that I respected at the Polyclinic which I have not contacted since because I want nothing to do with the Polyclinic anymore…

I’m definitely not a fan of this place. I only went because I was on a time crunch and other doctors had a wait list of more than a week. As far as I’m concerned, this place is only a step up from Virginia Mason (and they are horrible — only go there if you have third party insurance). The only thing decent about this place is the location and you can find street parking easily if you go in the mornings.
The young girls that work at the front desk always sat there talking to each other and didn’t address you until their conversation is over (even though they can clearly see you are standing in front of them). There were usually at least five people (two sitting) and not one of them seemed competent. They also do not follow HIPAA guidelines. I’ve worked in hospital settings before and we NEVER refer to specific tests or procedures over the phone or within earshot of anyone else because it’s confidential.
A patient should never have to call back multiple times for lab results that were supposedly put in STAT. If I’m told the nurse will call me as soon as they are available then that is what should happen. Especially during a work day when I don’t have time for 30 minute phone calls (most of it being put on hold) and I shouldn’t have to explain over and over again what it is I am calling about (read my chart).
Dr. Pourmassina is pleasant but needs to work on her bedside manner. A good doctor listens and has compassion and understanding for their patients. They do not blame the patient for whatever is going on, nor question what the patient has told them. I go to the doctor for medical advice and treatment, not to be treated like I’m incompetent and don’t understand how to work a thermometer. I take good care of my health and I do not need a lecture that is subjective and based on assumptions. Get to know your *new* patient before you pass judgment. In fact, don’t pass judgment at all.
It is very difficult to find a good doctor but I would suggest that you look elsewhere. It’s not worth it to go here. That’s just my two cents.

I am so thankful I went here.
I had to use them back in December after having ongoing stomach issues for a couple of months. It was to the point where I couldn’t sleep at night due to stomach pain, on top of having a dull pain during the days. Not comfortable at all.
So in I went, & I saw Dr. Patrizia Showell. She took the time to listen to me describe my symptons, & let me know what it possibly might be. I was prescribed omeprazol & referred to Dr. Stanley Lee.
I had to go through a barium swallow. Basically it’s a procedure that allows the doc to take a look at how your digestive system is functioning & processing food, liquids, etc. Dr. Lee also performed a procedure called an Upper GI Endoscopy where they put you to sleep, & take piece of tissue from your stomach lining so that they can study it & see what is going on inside of your tummy.
It was determined that I had a stomach infection. No cancer or anything worse than the stomach infection thankfully. So yay me (not really) I was on about 4 – 5 meds at one time for about 30 days. I was good to go after that time period though!
They are a bit pricey even with insurance, but I don’t mind. The level of service, & expertise of these people are top notch. They are easy to work with as well, & seem to care about their patients a lot. I’ll be back if I ever happen to need them for anything in the future.

While the doctors are good, the operations of the place left a lot to be desired. I have had a couple of long waits at their doctors’ office. One time I waited 45 min. just to see my doctor. A big waste of my time.
Recently went in and got some lab work done (urine and blood). After a full week nobody called me to give me any results. I called and they said the doctor commented on the urine results which was negative. However, there was no notation about the blood work. Meanwhile, my symptoms persists and I have not been provided guidance by my doctor’s office as to what to do. Frustrating!

If you can figure out of this whole place is an in-​network provider, it’s a nice one-​stop-​place for everything.
In the ridiculous game of health care billing, medical records swapping, referral generating, and pre-​authorization requesting, the Polyclinic makes it easy to get things done.
Also if you have a motorcycle, you can park it outside near the bike rack for free. This made everything extra awesome for me.

I usually go to the downtown Polyclinic, but I’ve seen specialists at the First Hill location several times. I don’t like this office nearly as much. It’s busier and crowded and lacks the sense of calm that presides over the other office. What I mostly hate is the layout. This office is bigger and has several floors and it’s extremely confusing. There are seemingly hundreds of little clinics and departments and offices spread out in different «aisles» and I make a wrong turn every time I’m here. I have no sense of direction, but even so, I don’t usually get lost more than once in the same building. A couple times when I’ve asked someone for directions, they were unable to help me – and they work there?!
Aside from the panic inducing labyrinth of clinics, this place is pretty good. You check in downstairs and deal with paperwork before heading up to your physician. The lines can be long but really depend on time of day. The people at the front desk are usually very nice. Wait times for the doctors are usually pretty short. A patient passed out once while I was waiting for bloodwork and staff were quick to take care of the patient and move all of us to another lab. You can get labwork done onsite which is convenient. The First Hill location also boasts a pharmacy, coffee shop/​deli, parking garage, and Xray lab, and can perform outpatient services and other diagnostic and therapeutic services. That is the benefit of this office being so large, they pack a ton of doctors and services in here!
At this Polyclinic I’ve seen Dr Marc Antezana for allergy testing and Dr Peggy Headstrom for a gastrointestinal issue. Dr Antezana didn’t really solve my allergy mystery, but overall was very nice and competent (and pretty good looking). He also patiently answered my many questions. Dr Headstrom is brisk but kind and is definitely knowledgeable. Her staff made me feel very taken care of on the day of my procedure. Overall I prefer the quieter downtown Polyclinic but for anything other than basic services and dermatology I have to go over to First Hill. I can deal with that, still beats Virginia Mason.

After not having insurance for upwards of three years, I finally arrived at that paragon of adulthood and decided that it was time for a check-​up and some blood work. I found Dr. Milah Frownfelter online and set up an appointment.
One complaint — maybe it was the season, but I had to schedule three weeks in advance to see her. December must be busy. It also took three weeks for my bloodwork results to arrive, but the fact that they mail your results to your home with a handwritten note from your doctor is pretty awesome. And when I had to reschedule, I was able to get an appointment for the first week of January, no problem.
The receptionist in Dr. Frownfelter’s area had scary long, garish nails. And I was told to arrive a half hour before I really needed to be there, so I didn’t really have to wake up at 6am… but no big deal. Dr. Frownfelter herself was the sweetest, most sincere and considerate healthcare provider I’ve ever met. She didn’t push meds on me, and instead commended me on taking all the right vitamins and even recommended yoga. I’m a bit partial to holistic and natural medicine, so to hear an MD recommend natural cures and prevention was quite welcome. She even had no problem calling in a prescription to a pharmacy nearby when I needed a couple of refills — same day!
The Polyclinic is convenient, if a bit scary at times (the nurse drawing my blood had no sympathy for the fact that I was about to pass out in the chair due to squeamishness and the required 12-​hour fast, but I’m sure she sees wimps like me every day) but Dr. Frownfelter is amazing and worth putting up with the minor inconsistensies of the clinic itself.

Ugh.. . welcome «almost» mid-30’s! Yearly Check-​up! Passed with flying colors.. .
I have been going to the Polyclinic for a while and I always have a great experience– well, as good an experience as a person can have at their yearly check-​up.
I went to my general practitioner and he gives me the once over. He then sends me for blood work, EKG, and an X-​ray (sore shoulder.) Blood work– down the hall and results within a week. EKG– down the hall and they hand me the print out to bring back to my doctor. X-​Ray– down the hall it is saved as a pdf file that is accessible to my doctor immediately upon taking.
After the blood-​work, EKG, and X-​ray, my doctor sees me immediately to go over the EKG and X-​ray. All perfect! All finished in just over an hour.
The Polyclinic has really found the perfect balance between personal attention and efficiency. I would rather spend more time talking to my doctor about my test results than driving all over the city to get the tests taken. I am sure you will too.

The Polyclinic is a multi-​specialty clinic that is based in the First Hill location. The clinic has a number of great and talented doctors in a wide array of fields. The clinic is setup by specialty so you can find internists together and cardiologists together, etc.
The central check in is quick to process your reservation and doctors are quick to see you once you get into their area. Unlike normal practices where you wait 15 – 30 minutes after you arrive, my wait has never been more than 5 minutes!
The staff are friendly and show genuine care for your health, all in all a great place to find your doctor!

A decent medical establishment on First Hill.
I come here maybe once a year or once every other year since my dermatologist resides here. If I didn’t have such great doctors elsewhere I would probably take a look here.
Very modern building with tons of sad looking cube farms inside. The parking entrance on Broadway is dark and uninviting. However, the elevators are some of the fastest in any of the medical buildings in Seattle.
I always forget to report to the main lobby and then find my doctor. It’s pretty much normal procedure everywhere now.
While the offices are nice, it really is broken down like a grocery store. On this aisle you have orthopedics, on this aisle you have radiology. It just makes it very sterile.
Regardless of the environment, the people working here are all very nice and they house some great doctors.

My previous experiences with going to the doctor in the past are marked by 90 minute waits, 2 minute consultations and crap follow up. Apparently things have changed!
After moving to Seattle I needed to find a new GP — on my cousin’s recommendation I went to see Dr. Milah Frownfelter at the Polyclinic — and what an awesome experience that was!
I called Dr. Frownfelter’s office and was able to get an appointment for the next day.
When you enter the Polyclinic you first go to the very friendly centralized check in area — a very friendly person will then check you in and take your copay. Super easy and even on my first visit it took no longer than 5 minutes.
I went to the station as directed to wait for my appointment with Dr. Frownfelter, expecting a long wait — I barely had time to sit down before my name was called. I was ushered into the examining room where a nurse took my vitals and then settled down, again expecting a long wait before the good doctor herself entered the room.
BAM! Enter Dr. Frownfelter! What a fantastic practioner! Her bedside manner was great, I felt an immediate rapport, she listened to what I had to say and did not push meds — useful or otherwise — on me at all. Her follow ups have been consistent, helpful and no longer than a week after my appointments. My subsequent visits have been just as fantastic.
All in all, if you want an easy solution for your health needs, I can’t recommend the Polyclinc enough. It’s also great to be able to get your lab work, x-​rays et al done in the same facility.