Bastyr Center for Natural Health

07/13/10

Bad Choice - lots of better places to go

by Janet964 at Citysearch

Saw a N.D. in their private practice, a menopause exeprt, insurance covered it. She asked questions, gave a typed up sheet with general information then gave a very long list of supplements to try saying they worked for some of her patients but she didn't know anything that worked for my specific complaint. I slowly worked down the list (trying 1-2 items at a time to figure out which one worked), and the final one After going down the entire list, I found the last item did help out. But spent a lot of time and money to figure this out on my own.

Went back with a friend who didn't have insurance that would cover the visit but had a discount program that could be used. Initially was told $!50-300 for a visit, the higher end covering tests & supplements. Was told they didn't accept the discount program (20% off). Called discount program and they said they HAD to honor the contract, after bunch of back and forth calls Bastyr's said they would honor it. When went to make the appointment, price now was $300-$500. When tried to ask what it was for just the visit, no test, special treatments, or supplements, was given the same figure. They said the Dr decided in the middle of the session (which later was confirmed to be a set time) how much they would charge you. Crazy Mad. Oh, also the appointment maker got angry I was even asking this so never put the appointment she confirmed into the books (I found this out later when I went to cancel it) and said I am transferring you to the office manager. I called billing and they said there was 5 different prices & the Dr decided in the middle of the visit what to charge you. The office manager, when told of the problems just went Yep, Yep, Yep. Again would not give a standard price and didn't really care about how the front office people were treating me.

I have found, thru experience, if the front office does not do normal ordinary things, like give you a price up front, do pre qualifications with your insurance for dental work, etc., things that the vast majority of Drs/Dentists do, you will continue to get sub standard care from the entire office. It is the Drs who set the tone of care & communicate this to the front office.

There are a ton of good qualified alternative care offices in the Seattle area, I strongly suggest you go try one of them.

• Pros: If you give them enough money & time they MIGHT help
• Cons: Pricy (hike up prices middle of session), Mediocre knowledge

11/12/09

If you love pain, go here!

by mak89 at Citysearch

I went here the other day for a blood draw, and I couldn't have imagined it turning out worse. The girl who did my draw was extremely incompetent and rude and had horrific bed-side manner. I let her know I was nervous, and asked her to use a butterfly needle. She then proceeded to puncture my vein multiple times (even though it was literally bulging out of my arm), which was very painful. It felt like she was giving me a tattoo. When she took the needle out, she pushed on my arm much harder than was necessary, all of which resulted in the worse bruise I've ever had, and I am someone who almost never bruises. A week later, it is still black and green and throbbing. My cat could have done a better job than these people. I will never go to this place again, needless to say!

• Cons: very low quality work...not worth what you might save

11/04/09

Affordable professional health care

by M Anderson at Citysearch

When I was a student at the UW, this was a great spot to drop in a get affordable acupuncture, naturopathic care, phys med, etc. I appreciate the time the clinicians took with me (1 hr per appt!) and their attention to get to the underlying cause of the health concerns I presented to them.

• Pros: sliding scale rates, student drop in price of just $20!
• Cons: Student clinicians change shifts every quarter

07/16/09

Bastyr Center changed the direction of my life

by erinsabine at Citysearch

I am so grateful for my accidental introduction to Bastyr Center. I had heard about natural medicine but wasn't sure it was for me. Three years ago I started going to Bastyr Center on a whim for this chronic health issue that I couldn't resolve with my traditional doctors. The NDs did extensive testing and were finally able to diagnose me! Not only that they were able to provide me a natural remedy to treat the cause of the illness (versus reducing symptoms). At first I was dubious that an herb could cure me, but it worked!

Now three years later, I continue to see the NDs at Bastyr Center and we continue to push for my optimal health. I am the healthiest I think I have ever been. I lost 50 pounds, I have energy and drive again, and feel great! Who new you could actually feel better later on in life? I have been able to make some substantial life changes as a result of my new health and I am pursuing personal challenges I thought were once insurmountable.

I really recommend trying it out. They are great at long-term health improvements.

• Pros: A cure!
• Cons: Long appointment times

03/16/09

Not a healthy place.

by Gudrun at Citysearch

Don't bother unless you'd like to consult with students who don't even know the basics of detox protocols ala Linda Page. Her writings are standard, and are even used as texts in some schools. Your Bastyr trainees won't have a clue.

It's not just students who are incompetent and poorly trained. I recommended a Bastyr faculty ND to a friend who was struggling with illness. The ND fired her as a patient and implied she was mentally ill. My friend later met with a non-Bastyr nutritionist who made a diagnosis that should have been easy for the ND: Crohn's Disease. The diagnosis was correct. My friend is well, and I will never recommend Bastyr again. Not only incompetent, but dangerous to your health.

After Northwest Institute of Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine in Fremont was forced to close, many of their faculty and students moved to Bastyr. This is why the Bastyr Acupuncture and OM clinic suddenly became competent. in 2002. Before that, you might have ended up like me, booking an appointment with two studens trying to decide who gets to put the needles in.

• Pros: Acupuncture Clinic is good
• Cons: Incompetent faculty and students