Catholic Health East in Newtown Square, PA

Pros

• The staff and providers are friendly.
• Kristen Griffith is great; she is knowledgeable and helpful.
• The staff answer calls and respond to messages quickly.
• The medical staff are fantastic.
• The doctors, especially Dr. Fox, are awesome.
• The office is top notch.
• Prescriptions are filled the same day.

Cons

• The reviewer states that administrative staff can be rude, aggressive, and unprofessional, and that pushy office staff bully patients into not switching doctors.
• The reviewer notes that some office staff are pushy and unhelpful when patients try to switch physicians.
• The reviewer describes the receptionist as recording incorrect information in a patient’s file and falsely claiming medication requests, which is concerning.
• The reviewer reports repeated prescription refill problems, with scripts forgotten and patients left without meds, even over weekends.
• The reviewer characterizes the staff as lazy and incompetent and says they do not appear to care about patients.
• The reviewer alleges a doctor used their identity improperly and claims the health system protected him, which is alarming.
• The reviewer says no one answers the phone and that callbacks are frequently not returned.
• The reviewer describes long wait times for appointments, lack of urgent triage, and inability to see their regular doctor when sick.

Review

Catholic Health East in Newtown Square is best suited for seniors who want solid primary care within a respected health system and who can tolerate some administrative rough edges in exchange for access to experienced clinicians. The strongest fit is patients who value clinicians who are capable, responsive when reachable through the patient portal, and who can rely on a dependable medical team for routine care and referrals. This setting serves those who don’t require flawless front-desk service or perfect scheduling and who are comfortable taking an active role in coordinating care when administrative gaps surface.

Those who may want to consider alternatives are seniors whose care needs hinge on seamless access to appointments, rapid prescription refills, and consistently courteous, well-organized administrative support. If urgent or near-term visits are a frequent requirement, or if a caregiver cannot oversee portal communications and refill requests, another practice or network with stronger front-desk reliability and more predictable triage protocols could prevent avoidable delays and frustration. In short, this option favors medical depth over administrative polish.

The key pros revolve around clinical competence and responsiveness from the medical side. Several reviews highlight physicians and clinicians who are knowledgeable, direct, and willing to engage through online messaging. The presence of capable practitioners, staff who respond to portal inquiries and handle prescription decisions promptly, can offset some friction by keeping medical needs well managed when the patient portal is used effectively. In scenarios where the emphasis is on solid medical judgment and continuity with specific doctors, these strengths can carry real value.

That clinical strength is most evident in the remarks about particular providers. CRNP Kristen Griffith earns praise for being knowledgeable and helpful, with patients noting quick, practical guidance through the portal. Dr. Fox is singled out as an excellent physician by multiple users, described as responsive with efficient prescription handling. The caliber of these clinicians creates a credible baseline for care, and when the patient–provider relationship is stable, it can deliver meaningful healthcare momentum even as administrative processes lag behind.

The main drawbacks are administrative in nature and consistently disruptive to smooth care. Several reviews describe rude or pushy front-desk staff, misfiled information in patient records, and errors in documenting medication requests. Prescription refills emerge as a recurring pain point, with repeated failures to process scripts promptly and weekend gaps that threaten medication continuity. Phone access is frequently cited as problematic, with messages going unanswered or delayed, and some patients feel that urgent needs are not triaged efficiently. These systemic gaps undermine the overall value of otherwise strong clinicians, especially for seniors who rely on timely, predictable access to care and medications.

Bottom line: this community can serve as a practical, capable option for seniors who prioritize high-quality clinical care and are prepared to manage a learning curve around administrative logistics. The presence of skilled doctors and responsive clinicians provides a meaningful upside when care plans require thoughtful management and coordinated communication. However, for those who cannot tolerate inconsistent front-desk service, frequent refill headaches, or uncertain phone access, alternatives with stronger scheduling reliability and more streamlined administrative support deserve serious consideration. A careful plan should include confirming the preferred physician, aligning expectations about appointment windows, and establishing a caregiver or family point of contact to oversee portal use and medication logistics. This approach balances the clinic’s clinical strengths with its operational weaknesses to inform a sound decision in the suite of senior care options.

Physicians

• Mid Atlantic Retina (0.8 miles)
• Bowen, Anne Main Line Healthcare Westtown Family Medicine (5.4 miles)
• Main Line Center For Oral & Facial Surgery (6.4 miles)
• Dr Madonna's Family Practice (7.3 miles)
• Children's Hospital of Philadelphia - Specialty Care Center (7.6 miles)
• Main Line Health King of Prussia (7.7 miles)
• Main Line Spine (7.7 miles)

Cafes

• Starbucks (1.4 miles)
• Starbucks (5.8 miles)
• Starbucks (6.7 miles)
• 320 Market Cafe (6.9 miles)
• Starbucks (7.3 miles)
• Nordstrom Ebar Artisan Coffee (7.7 miles)
• Starbucks (7.9 miles)

Places of Worship

• St Anastasia Rectory (1.9 miles)
• Willistown United Methodist Church (4.2 miles)

Parks

• Ridley Creek State Park (3 miles)
• Clem MacRone Memorial Park (5.3 miles)
• Ellson Glen Park (6.3 miles)
• Wilson Farm Park (6.7 miles)
• Goose Creek Park (7.6 miles)
• Valley Forge National Historical Park (8.5 miles)

Restaurants

• McDonald's (3.1 miles)
• Chick-Fil-A (4.6 miles)
• Brick & Brew Gastropub (6.3 miles)
• Flying Pig Saloon (6.4 miles)
• Anthony's Pizza & Italian Restaurant (6.5 miles)
• Jack McShea's (7.1 miles)
• Chick-Fil-A (7.2 miles)

Pharmacies

• CVS Pharmacy (3.6 miles)
• Walmart Pharmacy (4.4 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (4.6 miles)
• GIANT Pharmacy (4.7 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (4.7 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (4.8 miles)
• Rite Aid (5 miles)

Hospitals

• Riddle Hospital (4.5 miles)
• Bryn Mawr Hospital (5.9 miles)
• Paoli Hospital (6.3 miles)
• Universal Health Services (7.4 miles)
• Lankenau Medical Center (8.4 miles)

Transportation

• SEPTA/Amtrak: Paoli Station (5.7 miles)
• Septa Malvern Station (6.5 miles)
• Septa: Radnor Station (7.2 miles)
• SEPTA: 101/102 Lansdowne Avenue Station (7.5 miles)
• Darby Transportation Center (9.2 miles)

Theaters

• Regal UA King Of Prussia 4DX, IMAX & RPX (8 miles)