Marcy Bolster's Online Review Report Card

She’s managed my autoimmune disease for about 5 years and I haven’t had a flare up since. Unfortunately rheumatology is a watch and wait specialty, so they cannot solve everything especially when it’s sub clinical. I think it leads to a lot of negative reviews on docs from patients who do not get an answer. I feel for these people, struggling for help, and all their tests come up negative. I think she has great bedside manner, she’s always kind to me.. even when I’m not the best patient. You know what they say about health care professionals as patients. She’s given me great advice when I ask her about stuff that has nothing to do with rheumatology. I appreciate her intelligence.

Horrible. I found her to be condescending and unresponsive. I have been dealing with chronic pain for years and waited 6 months for the appointment. I am an MD myself, and actually trained at MGH. She introduced herself as "DR. ", but called me by my first name, and later addressed me in her follow up letter as "Ms", not "Dr". I know that is a little thing, but it represents her general attitude. She ordered routine tests that had previously been ordered by others and told me to keep taking the NSAID that I was taking, do some PT and return in three months. That's what I had been doing for FIVE YEARS! Meanwhile, It was impossible to reach her to discuss the test results. A total waste of time.

I am so fortunate to have Dr Bolster as my Physician. I am a nurse from Maine. I had been misdiagnosed in Maine for 4 years when I was near death and admitted to a local hospital and they told us they didn’t know what was wrong but wanted to do a spinal biopsy and give me mega dose steroids. I was barely able to comprehend as this point I was so I’ll but I knew that was not appropriate. A Dr took my husband aside and said “Get her to Boston”. My Boston team is incredible. Led by Dr Bolster, she correctly diagnosed me and her and her colleagues Saved my life. She has excellent bedside manner and always stays on top of my healthcare. She is extremely attentive. I don’t have words enough to express my gratitude for her.

Kind, competent, understanding, empathetic, brilliant. One of the best physicians I have ever had.

This was one of the worst doctor appointments I've ever experienced. She refused to read the medical history I brought with me, claimed my medical records were not on file after I was told by Mass General that they had indeed been received. She snapped at me because I having a hearing problem and misunderstood her question. She snapped, "I don't speak loudly." Well, when you have a patient with a hearing deficiency, isn't she obligated to accommodate the patient? It was awful.

Profound experience (more than 15-20 years), impressive intelligence and curiosity, heightened observation skills [she detected a problem which 4 other physicians overlooked].

Dr Bolster has fantastic relations with her patients. Injections are usually done with ease ... even with the most difficult joints. She follows up on her patients regularly. Please come back to Charleston.