I have to say, my experiences with Dr. Pourmassina have not been great. I was looking to make a change from my previous doctor and had heard good things about the Polyclinic. I called, and they set me up with Dr. Pourmassina. I went to my appointment, with what I thought was a very simple issue, and right away Dr. Pourmassina told me that "It couldn't be" what I thought it was, and gave me a list of very scary things that she thought it was. I asked for a full work up, because I wanted to be sure - and she said that she didn't want to do that because "she didn't want the insurance company to wonder what we were doing." Um... the insurance company should think you're trying to help a patient...? Anyhow, after a few days AFTER she told me all the labs would be back, they called and said that they weren't sure, and sent me to a specialist. Of course, by this time I'm freaking out, and you know what? After I went to the specialist, she was able to tell me - in less than 10 minutes mind you - that it was what I had suspected all along. If Dr. Pourmassina would have taken a few more minutes to talk to me, or listen to what I was saying, then all my weeks of worry and stress could have been avoided. I decided just to let this one instance go, but my second run in with Pourmassina was also odd. I called the Polyclinic on a Saturday because while at work my heart started beating very fast and my vision was starting to go. It turned out that Pourmassina was the On-Call Doctor. She called me back, and I started telling her my symptoms, and asking if I should go to the Emergency Room. First of all - I know that being on call is difficult, but she sounded as though she had just woken up from a nap. There was no sense of urgency in her voice, nor was there (again) any sign of caring in her voice. She told me I could go to the Emergency Room if I wanted, or I could wait until Monday and see. She kept saying "you can do what you want, it's your choice." Yes, I realize it was my choice but I am calling you for YOUR MEDICAL ADVICE. I'm glad I made the choice to go to the emergency room that day, and didn't take such a lackadaisical approach to my own health the way that I feel Linda Pourmassina approaches her patients. She writes a good blog, people follow her on Twitter, but in real human life, I feel she could make more of an effort to at least seem caring. read more

It really amazes me that Dr. Pourmassina has been so highly reviewed. I have recently switched doctors because I was very unsatisfied with the care I was receiving. Everyone raves about how she blogs about health care, but in my opinion she should spend a little more time focusing on the needs of the patient. There is no greater value then actually focusing your time and energy towards your patient's needs. She is a little hard to communicate with. Every time I visited her for a problem, she would simply tell me to come back in three weeks if it didn't go away. The reason I was coming to her was because it hadn't gone away. She would also run the same tests repetitively until I asked her to stop because my insurance wouldn't cover it and then bills were really adding up. They were unnecessary. I really thinks she wants to care, but lacks the initiative to truly do something about patients' problems. read more

I understand people's sentiments about Dr. Pourmassina seeming passive or inattentive but I don't think that is the case. She is very laid back and quite honestly I appreciate her calm approach when talking to patients. I know if I potentially had something serious going on I wouldn't want a Dr. getting vocally excited about the issue. Also to respond to negative comments, I think ordering tests demonstrates more attentiveness to a patent's well-being than no tests at all. Lastly, I appreciate doctors that are conscientious about cost and are financially aware of what insurance companies may or may not cover. With all of that said, I have been a patient of Dr. Pourmassina for approximately 1 year. I have been very satisfied with her advice and am always grateful that she is willing to talk with me for more than 5 minutes. Dr. Pourmassina has given me in depth info on my medical issues and concerns and hasn't hesitated to send me to a specialist when needed. I appreciate her willingness to work with other doctors as a way to provide holistic services rather than pretending that she is an expert on everything. read more

If passive, aloof, disengaged, inattentive and "calm" are your idea of medical attention then by all means see Dr. Pourmassina, as some report appreciating these traits. My sister is terminally ill, and a patient of Dr. Pourmassina. Apparently she isn't interested in my sister's case because she doesn't seem to be engaged - Not in the appointment, not in her communication, or in her decisions. She sent my sister, who can barely stand up at all, whom she diagnosed with a fractured hip, home on crutches. Crutches! My sister is too weak to even put in her own pin number at the grocery store! Our family had to facilitate my sisters care with minimal help from Dr. Pourmassina, and she wouldn't come to the phone, sending her nurse instead, who also seemed equally as disinterested. The ortho at the hospital said had my sister actually walked on this hip, it may well have snapped off due to where the fracture is. I think Dr. Pourmassina may be better suited to research. academia and blogging. Some brilliant physicians just aren't cut out for direct patient care. Her care of my sister has seemed nothing short of careless. She is so "laid-back" that I'm not sure if she even registered what we, or my sister has said to her. We will find a new doctor, whom we can have a dialogue with and who values her patient enough to pay attention. read more

I recently switched over to Dr. Pourmassina because I wanted a pcd in the main Polyclinic building, which is walking distance from my office. My other doctor, whom I loved, was in the Medical Dental building, which is inconvenient for me and has no free parking. It was a tough decision to switch doctors, but so far Dr. Pourmassina has been great. I appreciate the fact that she is calm and laid-back. I also liked her assistant, who was friendly and made me feel comfortable being there. So far, so good...I would definitely recommend Dr. Pourmassina! read more

I picked Dr. Pourmassina out when I became insured again. She was in my coverage plan, female, and taking new patients. It had been seven years since my last DR visit. I had a pinched nerve in my foot that was an ongoing issue for 2 months. She didn't even ask me to take my sock off to look at my foot, let alone touch it. She just said "yeah that happens as we get older". My second visit went even worse. I ended up getting more useful information (and compassion) from the pharmacy tech at Bartell's when I picked up my prescription. I don't have very many health problems, nor do I expect my doctor to be my best friend, but the lack of interest, engagement, and effort from Dr Pourmassina was enough to have me convinced going through the hassle of changing primary providers is worth the effort to avoid going back to her office a third time. read more

Dr. Linda Pourmassina is a great general practice doctor. She is calm and laid back and listens well. She is honest about treatments and I feel wants the best for her patients. I have been seeing her for 3 years and would recommend her to a friend. I also really like the nurse staff at her office; they are kind and thorough. read more

Maybe the doctor is great---wouldn't know. Check-in staff are terribly rude, unhappy people and I will NOT go there again because of them.

Dr. Pourmassina was assigned as my primary care doctor when, under recommendation from a friend, I contacted the Polyclinic. I was on Medicare at the time, and my options were somewhat limited. Her assistant is fantastic, and always made me feel warm and comfortable. Dr. Pourmassina herself is an intelligent, composed professional. If we'd met in a social setting, I would have quite enjoyed her company. On basic matters like infections, flus, and minor physical injuries, she is spot on and does a good job. I always felt like she was knowledgeable with these things, and felt taken care of. However, when I finally began to trust her enough to ask for help with my chronic dietary health issues, she was worse than unhelpful.. She didn't listen to a word I said, and then recommended I do things which I just told her I had already found to be actively harmful. Additionally, she asked almost no questions during my history to get more information about the issue, which I found unusual by the standards of other physicians who have helped me with this same problem. To be frank, by the time I quit seeing her I was demoralized, frustrated, and sicker than I started out. If you're a relatively healthy adult with few chronic issues, Dr. Pourmassina is a great doctor. However, if you have a dietary problem, she is not only not very knowledgeable but outright condescending. I would recommend seeing a different doctor for such issues. read more

I am a medical professional who was forced to seek a new primary care physician because my physician of 20 years decided to retire. A colleague advised that I see Dr. Pourmassina. My visits with her have been thorough, professional, courteous and thoughtful. I know that she read my past medical records because she asked me very pertinent questions on my initial visit. On my follow up visits we ran a series of labs which provided her with an up to date picture of my current medical state. Dr. Pourmassina proceeded to guide me through the process of minimizing my pharmaceutical intake, which I was very wary of at first. However, she was spot on in her diagnosis. As a result I have been able to minimize my medications and feel a lot better as a result. I am grateful to her for not following the footsteps of my previous physician. I really appreciate her calm demeanor. She was never animated in all of my visits, always gave me sound medical advice (which I cross referenced), and subtly guided me to a more holistic approach to my wellbeing. I am now seeing her at Polyclinic in Seattle and highly recommend her to anyone who is seeking sound medical guidance. read more

was searching for Dr Pourmassina's blog and accidently found this review. I am glad I did and also very surprised. My experience with Dr Pourmassina has been nothing but great. She always listens carefully to what I have to say and is one of the most thorough doctors I know. She always explains things to me very clearly and has been very caring about my wellbeing. I have always received great medical advice from her. I have a few years of experience with Dr Pourmassina and have yet to have an unpleasant or unhelpful interaction. So much so that I am willing to travel a distance to see her. read more

I had a very bad all around experience with Linda Pourmasina. During our initial visit I found her to be aloof, but that was OK as we hadn't established a relationship. I take medication for high blood pressure. The first time Pourmassina ordered my meds she doubled the dosage on two of the three hypertension drugs. I called her office and asked to have this mistake corrected. That was never done. Again, during our initial visit, I requested that this person review a CAT scan I had done at UW. I never heard back from her. As a physician, Linda Pourmassina sure does write a blog. read more

I highly recommend Dr. Pourmassina. She's extremely knowledgeable and has a calm, caring personality that instantly puts me at ease.

I am surprised at the criticism of Dr. Pourmassina and her staff. I LOVE her and the service from her staff. Truly, if one has been to other disinterested and too busy doctors, the contrast is remarkable. She has referred me to specialists as needed and I had the most wonderful treatment from D. Keem for back surgery as a result. I have recommended her to all my friends looking for a doctor. She is simply one of the best I have been to and I am old!!!! read more

While I have taken a survey from the Polyclinic, it does not do justice to the care I received from Dr. Linda Pourmassina. She is respectable, intelligent, and receptive to her patients, utilizing her critical thinking skills to investigate medical concerns as opposed to simply reviewing symptoms. In my short lifespan, I have lived in many different locations and too many physicians frequently provide unwarranted life advice. This is unprofessional, as it frivolous to engage in such concerns, compromises the experience of the patient, and hinders their personal process. Dr. Pourmassina maintains a professional, non-judgmental attitude during her office visits, and I would recommend her. She is the quintessential example of a professional primary care physician. read more

I had the pleasure being a patient of Dr. Pourmassina. I found here to be extremely caring and a great listener. Which I can't say about some of my previous providers. Dr. Pourmassina has a calming effect with her patients and take the time needed to understand the concerns of her patients. She helped me through a very difficult time in my life with her good counsel and sound medical advice. I can go as far as to say unequivocally "she saved my life." If you are looking for a great doctor look no further than Linda Pourmassina. read more

Dr Pourmassina is not a terrible person at all, and I knew going in to be her patient that some people had some issues, nonetheless she is a nice person and a good doctor. I however have not received what I wanted out our patient/doctor relationship. I do really love the staff in her office, they are the best people ever! She doesn't really like my insurance company and their restrictions, but neither do I and there's nothing I can do about it, so unfortunately what she wants isn't always available or covered by them, and it clearly displeases her. She always took the time to talk to me, and I realized that some of her comments were because she didn't really know me as a person or how my body worked, I've only been seeing her twice a year for 3 years, and I had been with my previous internal med doc my whole life along with my mother, so although I'm a super even hyper sensitive person, she didn't bother me. I even recommended her to my mother. Now that she has moved on, I can say that I was not completely satisfied with her as a doctor, but I'm disappointed that we didn't get a chance to improve our relationship because she was clearly brilliant, but awkward, most super smart people are. read more