Northern Light Mercy Primary Care - Windham, Maine

Adam M.

Not very happy with Northern Lights. Was a PC patient for four or five years,

A few years ago had a very painful spot on my foot for six years. I finally went in to PC. They thought it was a plantar wart. I went in about five different times for them to charge me $80 copayment each time and squirt it with some liquid nitrogen but with no results. They finally referred me to a podiatrist.

Went to see that doctor and within 20 seconds he diagnose some kind of clogged pore. So, I basically paid $400 in copayments to Northern lights to be treated for a case of plantar wart when it wasn’t even the right diagnosis.

Maybe close to a year later I went to set up my annual physical exam and to get an annual script written which was running low. Was informed they no longer accepted my insurance.

Found a new primary doctor. Huge pain.

Then, over the last five years I’ve lost my insurance through my work twice. Lost my new PCP doctor I got when I had to quit going to Northern lights. Went two years with no health insurance and got another new policy early this year. I hadnt used my insurance since I got it and had not established a primary care.

Last summer I got some kind of weird rash outbreak going on over my face. My whole face was breaking out. I literally had blistery hot rashes and pimply bumps oozing lymphy liquid out of my forehead and on my cheeks. Bright red splotches on my head and cheeks as well. It was a mess.

Since I didn’t have a primary care doctor and everybody has multi months waits, or isn’t accepting new patients altogether, I had no choice but to go to the quick care clinic here. My insurance covered it as long as I paid the copayment of $80. My face was completely out of control and people giving me looks like I’m a drug addict or something.

First visit. The doctor spent maybe 20 seconds looking at my face and told me it was impetigo. Prescribed some antibiotics and some kind of prescription ointment.. For the next two weeks my face problem just got worse. I went in two more times desperate for help because my insurance would pay here and I had no primary care doctor. On each visit they said that if I needed any more help to please call them. Prescribed some topical steroids, third time.

On the third visit the nurse practitioner I talked to thought maybe it was some kind of form of acne rosacea? He recommended me visiting a dermatologist. Went home and discovered my insurance will pay for a dermatologist visit but not without a referral.

Northern lights quick care will not give referrals. It’s their policy,

In the meantime, I have no primary care doctor and my face is out of control oozing liquid out of my forehead and cheeks! Burning like sunburn in localized areas. Had to spend $1500 out-of-pocket to go to an emergency dermatologist visit and get a biopsy because my insurance won’t cover it without a referral. Had I had a referral than I would’ve only paid maybe $150!

I have insurance so if something this happens than don’t have to pay for it. Northern lights couldn’t help me out at all even though I was having somewhat of an emergency. They even suggested I call Mercy Portland, or even the ER there, but I called and they wouldn’t even give me a referral!

I understand Northern lights policy. They don’t do referrals at the quick care center. But come on. If someone’s having some kind of an emergency and they need medical help and their insurance covers it, they’ve been in three times in four weeks, but they need a referral and don’t have an established PCP,. you guys could make at least some kind of exception and take a couples minutes to call somebody and refer somebody! I’ve literally got insurance and I had blisters and burning rashes and fluid oozing out of my head/face and nobody will help!

After a two visits and biopsy at the dermatologist, turned out to be a rare prolonged sunlight allergy reaction condition.

D

Jennifer Drouin probably should dress more appropriately and relay accurate information if working in the medical field be it as a nurse practitioner or maybe one day an actual doctor who holds something more than a recent bachelor's degree.

Anita G.

I recently saw Mark Ouellette FNP-C for vertigo.
I was not expecting such a good experience.... It seems that whenever I go to the doctor for an issue, they simply didn't listen well and don't want to. Their the doctor, and I'm the patient.
This visit with Mark was really good and I thanked him for listening so well. He knows I see alternative doctors, he seemed to understand that other opinions do matter. He thoroughly did his exam and treated me for vertigo. I'm starting to feel a little better. I only wish that this nurse could be my "regular" practitioner. I couldn't hesitate to see him in the future. I'll definitely try to request him. Good guy! Smart and caring? 😊
Thank you Mark!

Albert A.

The doctors are great and will take their time and listen. I have a great bond with my doctor, but the staff is so unorganized. You cannot get a call back or get any questions answered.

Beth G.

I have been using mercy primary care for 12 yrs. The staff gets ruder, the nurses more obstructionist, and the pcps worked harder more every year. I feel bad they are in such a horrible situation and wish them better jobs. I praise my pcp for being amazing, but her staff can bite me.

chip F.

The refill people at Mercy are the most inept people at mercy. Laziness is a big part but they fail everytime I call in prescriptions I have taken for years. Mercy is in a nose dive with its tail on fire ever since northern lite took over. I recently moved to Florida to receive cancer treatment treatment at the Mayo clinic and it was the best decision I ever made. If you are still a patient at mercy you need to find another hospital before they kill you.

Andrea

Really nothing to write home about. My prescriptions are almost always late (I have to call the pharmacy AND the docs office to get it filled) appointments are hard to come by, etc...medical care in this country is ATROCIOUS.

Kendra C.

Well I'm very upset and angry 😡 that I would go through acted of Congress to just get my damn medicine 💊 now two weeks ago I went in for my depo shot and I told them I need my medicine the assist who gave me my shot 💉 wrote a note to my doctor so instead of just looking at the note and filling my prescription up like I requested that Friday another nurse called and all this week I been calling Heather all week and she is with a patient I get it shot staffed I understand but she of called me back after the patients and she never did that's no excuse she should took the time to call and she didn't I was forced to call my pharmacy center well pharmacy instead sad I called several times this week why do I have to go through acted of Congress to get my medicine why can't they just do it I have no 90 solifenacin my urine medicine for two weeks now