I have a complex relationship with this place. I get a couple controlled substance prescriptions

I was very disappointed with the treatment my son received. The dentist, Dr. Duart was rough with his injured tooth even after he said it was painful. No apology was offered, and our concerns were not taken seriously. We felt pressured toward unnecessary procedures rather than addressing the one tooth causing pain. Every child deserves compassionate and respectful care, and unfortunately that was not our experience. read more

I visited Unity Care NW in Bellingham on 6/5/26 at 3:00pm. Ripley at the front desk was super helpful and reassuring--I was very nervous to receive care here as I have had struggles with many transphobic and ableist providers previously, especially when I lived in Missouri. He worked quickly while keeping me informed of the whole check in process. I greatly appreciated his kind demeanor and overall professionalism, especially in the face of a patient with medical trauma such as myself. Ripley is the only reason I'm giving two stars instead of 1 (and honestly, zero if I could). The medical assistant (can't recall her name) was also fairly kind, although she seemed a bit confused by the number of medications I was taking, which was a bit frustrating. Unfortunately, my experience quickly took a turn from mildly frustrating to a complete disaster when I saw NP Lori Sharrow. She refused to fill out my disability parking accommodation form. stating that I needed to "come up with a better reason" than my POTS and fibromyalgia to "qualify". She stated that pots and fibro are not eligible for a disabled parking permit, which is blatantly false, by the guidelines on the form provided by the state, would qualify me for a parking accommodation--the rule on the form is being unable to walk 200ft *without* a mobility device (I use a rollator or a cane depending on the day) or needing to rest (which is also something I have to do). It felt like she thought I was faking needing a mobility aid (even as I was actively using my cane to walk around and stand up). When I later checked my after visit care notes, unfortunately this fear was proven true--she noted in my chart that I "brought a four pronged cane but does not use it and lifts it when walking", which is untrue. I use my cane when walking for stability and to help prevent falling (which I have a documented history of) as well as to help me in getting up from a seated position more easily. Typically for this, I use a rollator, which works better for me and helps with my fatigue more, but unfortunately right before the appointment I flew out of town and the airline broke my rollator. I was not asked any questions at all about my cane or why I use it, nor was I told that I was using it improperly (if I was, which I don't believe is true). She also was extremely ableist in other ways--stating that my autism was "clearly high functioning" because I could "walk, talk, and think by myself". Autistic people often can do those things without assistance, and while I do have lower support needs than some other autistic people, saying that "most" autistic people can't think by themselves is deeply insulting and offensive. Finally, without prompting, she stated that my previous diagnosis of high blood pressure (it's currently controlled by medication--in fact it was relatively low at the time of the visit, measuring at 110/68) must be due to me being overweight. As someone who has previously struggled with a restrictive eating disorder and body image, hearing comments and assumptions regarding my weight was frustrating. Even more frustrating was her repeated insistence that my high BP was due to my weight despite me informing her that I've had high BP most of my life--even when I was at a lower weight (including when I was very underweight at 15 years old, due to the aforementioned eating disorder and also due to being put on stimulants at a young age). Overall, her bedside manner was just extremely poor and I felt criticized and judged for having health issues, despite them not being something I chose for myself or had a way of preventing. I ended up reporting Lori to HELMS. I encourage patients who have interactions such as mine to file a complaint with them--in my experience with healthcare professionals, consulting their in house patient advocacy team does very little good if any, but the licensing boards make them pay attention. They can't keep treating all disabled people/people with chronic health issues like we're disposable. We're human beings too. read more

Unity Care NW in Bellingham, Washington was Interfaith Health Care nearly 20 years when I first sought care there. I've grown older and in need of more services since but the care I've received there has been superlative with very few exceptions. One of those exceptions is the subject of this review. First, I want to say that I have had only one person to person contact with Angela Taylor, ANRP. That is too few contacts from which to generalize but I am adamant about never having another so one must do. On March 21, 2025 I came to Unity Care NW for an appointment which I had been led to believe would be with a doctor I'd seen in the past because my most recent Primary Care Provider (PCP) had proved untrustworthy, uncommunicative and incompetent in dealing with my most basic medical needs. Because I absolutely refused to see that PCP I found myself at the mercy of Ms. Taylor. The interview began decently enough. I told Ms. Taylor that some of the best medical care I'd received came from nurse practitioners like herself and that my youngest daughter is a nurse practitioner (all quite true). Ms Taylor asked me why I had come in that day. I explained the reason for my visit to which Ms. Taylor answered that she wasn't going to do the review I needed not would she refill the prescription I also needed. She flatly stated, "I'm not going to do that!" To which I replied, "Then you better get someone in here who can." Ms.Taylor grew fierce and said, "You're not going to tell me what to do!" I responded that I wouldn't be leaving the exam room without the review and medication for my extreme pain. Ms. Taylor's response was,."I'm calling security!" She then stormed out. At no time did I feel as if Ms. Taylor treated me like a fellow human being. At no time did Ms. Taylor make any effort to explain her refusal. In many cultures there is a "Golden Rule" which I know best as, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." In my experience of Ms. Taylor, she either has never heard of that rule or refused to act as if it made any sense to her. I highly recommend Unity Care NW as a place where your medical, dental and mental health will receive excellent care and you will be respected in most cases but I would not recommend Angela Taylor to any other person who wants to be treated like a human being deserving of respect and care. The Unity Care clinic is excellent but Ms. Taylor is, in my experience, an embarrassment to the clinic. read more

UnityCare(s?) Ferndale has a beautiful building, parking is on-site, great location, easy access, large exam rooms, large open lobby surrounded by windows, really nice. Communication between medical staff and admin is rarely functional, the patients suffer this daily. Staff (Admin and nurses) turnover is high. Board is never seen waiting to see an NP for their own health care needs. Referrals? I received a referral for a specialist, not the one I needed but for one I have been seeing for years. Uhg. Staff pulling records and setting up a professional medical expert that is a NEW referral by your NP ... pretty tough stuff? These references are crucial to my overall health. Wait times!! I find it absurd that UC encourages walk-in's on their web page. In 2024 it is an hour wait, this does not include your courtesy of a 15min early arrival nor your 15min appointment. 2025 The hour+ wait only extends to your wait time in the lobby, you then get another hour+ wait time in one of the many empty exam rooms. 2.5+ hours minimum for a 15min pre-scheduled appointment, which includes listening to your breathing and refilling your meds (5min). I want to say that the wait times are the NP's taking time to care for their patients, but how early in the day they consistently get that far behind makes me wonder where this dysfunction stems from. It is certainly not for any extraordinary professional medical care. If you are working and going to this clinic, you are the working poor and they have just usurped a minimum of 2.5 hours of your daily income, that does not include your commute, if you have to catch a bus, yikes, or worse what you told your boss your appt time was and you lose credibility at work. Is UC not there to help the lower income individuals? Hard to believe that is UC's motto when you are forced to give up so much of your employment hours sitting in UC waiting rooms, costing you money that you desperately need. No worries for UC, they are getting paid for their level of "care" regardless. Do you have children who are also held hostage for hours waiting on scheduled care, while sick? Fun stuff, stress is healthy. Why do single parents have a hard time getting employment? THIS IS ONE REASON WHY. Does the sliding fee even prove effective when you have lost this much income to ... wait? I have seen a comment that the "under privileged should be grateful". I believe that is the motto at UC. UC/board seems to feel that making minimal effort is somehow more profound, because of their client base. Sad, they are actually doing more harm than good with this philosophy. Shame on UC/board, maybe UC is just a good charity to have on your resume? Doubtful the Board have their loved ones health concerns attended to at UC. Best bet they see a Doctor. Yes, yes remain calm. I do understand UC is federally funded, losing money daily, good help is hard to find when they hire students who are looking for a break on their student loans, NP's are overwhelmed...hmm. This would be an easier pill to swallow if the 2-2.5hr wait wasn't EVERY time. COVID trauma by medical professionals, in Whatcom County, I will still acknowledge-ish in 2025. Do you wonder why the ER is full of patients that are not having an emergency? 6-8 hr wait at the ER, but the ER generally forgives all charges. So at least you can plan your day and your finances. Unfortunate for those that actually need emergency care. dammed if you do ... dammed if you don't. The convenient in-house Quest at UC: She calls out a name for 5 minutes before realizing she already "helped" them. Maybe, because she refuses to even try if it is too challenging. If you insist she at least try, she asks you to point out a vein, sticks you and says "see". Then makes up her own rules about drawing blood ... completely debunked by the actual Quest. I immediately go down to the actual Quest, once my turn, they find a vein immediately and draw all the necessary blood. Convenient? *If you are on Medicare, find an independent insurance broker, they are free and will meet with you at your convenience. They will find the insurance that will be what works best for you (not UC) and your health and financial priorities. Giving you the opportunity to go elsewhere, where you and your health are the primary concern. If you have employer/employee paid insurance that you need the sliding scale to afford UC care, there are also other clinics (FCN) that may provide more attentive care, or at least pay better attention. Really. Weigh the loss of income due to the wait time vs the benefit of the sliding scale. FCN has exceptional reviews and UC is clearly too overwhelmed to be effective as a health care option. FCN is accepting new patients and also accepts Apple Health/Medicaid and Molina. I do not like going to a dentist in general. I did not/will not return back to the UC dentist. My new dentist makes me want to back. Take care. read more

We have been able to get a lot of our health care needs quickly addressed, as well as receive referrals to other care providers in the community for medical services that they don't provide there that will take our insurance. We've been hooked up with multiple providers both at Unity Care NW and with others within the Bellingham Community, and while sometimes we might have to get on a waitlist to get seen for certain things they do their best to make sure that we have access to other providers until we can get into our regular provider when needed. read more

Make an appointment to see a doctor, sat an hour and a half before being seen. This appointment was made 3 months in advance. Then they know my insurance suggested and set up an appointment for a month later with a dentist within their network and took time off work to go and find out the dentist office doesn't take my insurance. WTH!!!! looking for new offices. read more

THIS PLACE IS THE WORST...my first unfortunate dealings with them following treatment for small cell lung cancer (sclc)...Saw Dr. Sarvasy I think his name was ...his words to me were "I don't give you long"...I assume that he meant ' not long to live' then he turned me over to an LPN...(whose name is missing from my medical records...) he would talk to me and then tell a PA (whose name also seems to be missing) what he thought I should have...Im a terminal cancer patient listed as a drug addict/drug seeker first day...one week I had to drive from Birch Bay to Bellingham THREE times to simply get enough pain meds for my TERMINAL CANCER pain...I was able to survive...barely...10% chance of survival...I made it VERY VERY clear that that lpn would NEVER be part of my care team again...guess what? back with this lpn...I made it very clear how unhappy I was with this and the administrator of the facility wrote a letter to me saying " that since I have expressed extreme displeasure at the care provided by this un=named lpn...that he would be my ONLY contact with Interfaith the rest of my time there".(they seem to have a very limited understanding of patient rights...Now, 12 years later I went looking for a new PCP...a new building was being built in Ferndale...I checked and they were NOT named Interfaith went in with BRAIN DAMAGE from chemo....very severe cognitive issues...the person I talked to...Marion Schultz...I told her that I was afraid of being listed as a mental case instead of brain damage from chemo...guess what she did...listed me as a mental case...major depressive episode with delusional imagry...no mention of chemo brain at all...guess she only gets paid if her patients have depession...workin on a lawsuit now read more

Unity care said I had two cavities I ended up a few years later going to a different dentist and I have no cavities either my cavities went away in there own or this unity care loves to bill for its work and will work up fake cavities read more

This place is the worst. I have been trying to find a dentist up here and tried this place. I gave them all my insurance info and had a first patient visit. I initially came here to get a night guard but they told me they don't make them for anyone over 20 years of age. Fast forward to these last couple months they have been trying to bill me & saying I did not have any insurance on file. It's been so aggravating and annoying. They just want your money and that's it. read more

I know counselors are not there to be my friend or even like me but by being cold and indifferent to me does nothing to help me. Supposed to help me rite? read more

They knowingly committed fraud by billing me for a service that was supposed to have been provided for free back on July 20th of 2018 during a project homeless connect event in bellingham WA. do not I repeat DO NOT go to them they are a bunch of liars who the only thing they care about is money read more

I joined Unity after moving here from Seattle, after 20 years with Virginia Mason Outstanding healthcare, outstanding doctors and staff. Cannot recommend highly enough. read more

Parking isn't great but the level of care was higher than expected. I visited Dr. Lien, who prefers to be called "Casey". He is an excellent family medicine doctor who is well-versed on the latest nutritional science. Smart guy, very friendly and caring, good listener. Highly recommended. read more

I love my doctor, but it's IMPPOSIBLE to get in to see him without weeks of delay. Lately seems more of a bureaucracy then a health care provider. read more

I am extremely happy and satisfied as far as dentists and oral surgery goes. They are very personal and flexible. They were available when I needed help and I always felt welcome. Thank you Unity Care for taking such god care of me. -Amanda Tallman read more

(Psychiatry) If you have insurance, go somewhere else or get scammed! (Everything said below happened during the sessions where I pay by the hour and not during a consult) TL:DR They will spend most of the time in appointments trying to find more reasons for you to keep coming back and not why your'e currently there. I went to be seen for ADHD and after 3 months, 3 appointments, with 3 different people it went nowhere. 90% of each hour long appointment was spent talking about my PTSD even though I made it clear that I have already received treatment for that and it is no longer an issue. They went on about all the services they offer for PTSD related issues and I reminded them that I already got treatment and I'm fine. They said PTSD is a cause for ADHD and would like more information on my past traumas (which is very long list). I told them all about them and almost everything I said they would tell me about a service they have for that and my insurance will cover it. I said "I'm only here to get help with school and not for PTSD" which was followed by a general statement of "We understand but in-case you want treatment later on." Which I get but like I said, IT'S ALREADY BEEN TREATED! I had to repeat, in length, all my personal and war time traumas to each person, each appointment. Like I said, I have it all under control but talking about it in length kind of ruins my day so repeating over and over is not fun. Maybe if someone read the notes from the last person I won't have to relive horrible experiences just to hear about the services they have for that. The actual Doctor (who was also a walking commercial) I finally got to see on the third appointment waited until the end of the session to say that yes I have ADHD but won't prescribe anything unless I can pass a cannabis screen as per clinic policy and to make a new appointment with them in 30 days for a UA since I would show up hot right now. This would have been really nice to know 3 months ago when I told them I smoke on weekends ON THE FIRST VISIT! I don't have any issues with quitting cannabis but now there is another appointment with another co-pay and another month of wasted time. So now I've wasted 3 months and a couple hundred dollars all for a commercial of what else they do and how well my insurance will cover it. read more

This is the WORST place for any kind of health care there us from medical, dental, and physical. Do not go to this place you will leave feeling defeated, ignored and worse off from every visit. The doctors do not care in the slightest for your concerns. At best you will get a 10 minute appt after a two hour wait and that's if they can even book you in less than a month out. All they will do is refer you to a "specialist" for even the common cold. Pulled my wife's tooth gave her NO pain meds none. No antibiotics nothing. Did not numb her enough she told them they didn't and they just yanked it. Now she is in terrible pain and none of them care. This is after years of going nowhere on many other health issues my family has faced. We done completely with this horrible place and I would seriously ask that anyone thinking about getting their family's medical care here please reconsider. All the other complaints I read above are right on. I mean it don't go to this place. read more