East Bay Geriatric Ctr in Riverside, RI

Pros

• The staff are thorough, kind, and genuinely caring, with reliable follow-up.
• Erin Pierce is described as the best doctor the reviewer has ever had.
• The nurses and staff are great people who work hard.
• The front desk is nice and attentive.
• The intake process for new patients is thorough, and the team is helpful and attentive.
• The clinic provides support for patients' home life and mental health.
• Dr. Fessler is described as the best doctor the reviewer has had for 28 years.

Cons

• Cindy is condescending and seems not to care.
• She covers up for case managers who are not doing their jobs.
• The case managers are rude and hate their jobs.
• One staff member is a liar and has been caught several times.
• The clinic is poorly staffed, with frequent changes of providers and a poor turnaround time.
• The front desk fails to return calls and mismanages callbacks.
• The service should not be used for loved ones.
• Patients experience long waits and mismanaged appointments.

Review

East Bay Geriatric Center in Riverside, RI is best suited for adults who prize deep, ongoing medical relationships and thorough, attentive physician care - particularly seniors who value a clinician-led approach that tracks health, home life, and mental well-being over time. When a patient can navigate some administrative rough edges, this center can deliver meaningful, long-term medical oversight through doctors who listen and follow through. It is less ideal for those who need consistently smooth front-desk operations and rock-solid reliability in scheduling and callbacks.

Those who may want to consider alternatives include families and individuals who require dependable administrative responsiveness, minimal turnover in care teams, and punctual, predictable appointment flow. If the priority is a clinic where calls are routinely returned promptly, where front-desk interactions are consistently courteous, and where provider continuity is the norm, the current pattern of staffing churn and uneven service makes other options more appealing. For patients who cannot tolerate repeated delays, miscommunications, or feeling dismissed by support staff, a different practice will likely serve better.

On the upside, several physicians earn high marks for medical acuity and personal investment. A number of reviews highlight intake as thorough and supportive, with clinicians who are genuinely engaged in diagnosing and explaining complex issues. Patients cite doctors who listen, persist with difficult diagnoses, and demonstrate real care for both medical and daily living needs. When care hinges on a physician who remains accessible and attentive, these clinicians can produce meaningful improvements and a sense of being truly heard.

However, the dominant thread across the reviews is a pattern of administrative and staffing weaknesses that undermine the medical strengths. Persistent complaints center on poorly staffed teams, frequent provider changes, and slow or inconsistent return calls. The front desk culture can feel impersonal or dismissive, with anecdotes of missed callbacks and frustrating refusals to address urgent questions. Long wait times for visits - sometimes with others seen ahead of a scheduled appointment - and occasional outright service gaps for basic tasks like refills or timely triage compound the frustration.

These dynamics mean the key pros - thorough, capable physicians who care about the whole person and follow through on serious issues - often struggle to offset the frequent operational failings. For families who can leverage a stable physician relationship and advocate relentlessly for timely communication, some comfort and a path to effective health management remain accessible. But for many, the experience will be a constant balancing act: savoring the medical expertise while bracing for administrative shortcomings that disrupt care continuity and timely responsiveness.

In practical terms, prospective patients should approach with a plan. Seek a primary clinician with a demonstrable track record and request clear expectations about appointment cadence and call-backs. Ask specifically about provider stability - whether you'll be consistently seen by the same team - and the process for escalating urgent concerns. If staffing variability or slow communication would compromise essential care, consider other primary care groups with steadier scheduling and more reliably responsive support, even if that means adjusting to a different doctor or atmosphere. East Bay Geriatric Center can be a strong choice for those who can navigate its strengths and weaknesses with clarity and decisiveness.

This part of Riverside, Rhode Island offers a variety of amenities that may be appealing for senior living. With several cafes, pharmacies, hospitals, and physicians within close proximity, residents have easy access to necessary medical services and everyday necessities. Additionally, there are plenty of restaurants nearby for dining out options. The presence of parks provides opportunities for outdoor recreation and relaxation. For entertainment, there is a theater nearby as well as convenient transportation options with Providence Station and Green Airport located within a few miles. Overall, this area offers a mix of convenience and leisure activities that may be suitable for seniors looking for a vibrant community to call home.

Cafes

• Borealis Coffee Roasters (0.2 miles)
• Panera Bread (2.3 miles)
• Starbucks (2.3 miles)
• Seven Stars Bakery (4 miles)
• Daves Coffee (4.2 miles)
• Starbucks (4.4 miles)
• White Electric Coffee (4.5 miles)

Pharmacies

• CVS Pharmacy (0.3 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (2.2 miles)
• Walgreens (2.2 miles)
• Stop & Shop Pharmacy (2.3 miles)
• Walgreens (2.7 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (2.8 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (3.4 miles)

Hospitals

• Bradley Hospital (1.5 miles)
• Hasbro Children's Hospital (3.8 miles)
• Women and Infants Laboratory (3.8 miles)

Physicians

• Coastal Medical - Coastal Family Medicine (1.6 miles)
• University Of Medicine Riverside (1.7 miles)
• Coastal Medical - Waterman Pediatrics (2.7 miles)
• Coastal Medical Sleep Disorder (2.8 miles)
• University Orthopedics (3 miles)
• Barrington Pediatrics (3.2 miles)
• University Surgical Associates - Roth, Leslie A, MD (3.7 miles)

Restaurants

• Chick-Fil-A (2.3 miles)
• McDonald's (2.3 miles)
• What Cheer Tavern (2.4 miles)
• Brass Monkey (2.5 miles)
• Wendy's (2.5 miles)
• Davenport's Restaurant (3.5 miles)
• PVDonuts (3.8 miles)

Parks

• Roger Williams Park (2.8 miles)
• Bold Point Park (3.5 miles)
• Gano Park (3.9 miles)
• Waterman St Dog Park (4.1 miles)
• India Point Park (4.4 miles)
• Blackstone Park (4.4 miles)
• Blackstone Boulevard (4.6 miles)

Theaters

• Providence Place Showcase IMAX Theaters (4.9 miles)

Transportation

• Providence Station - MBTA & Amtrak (PVD) (4.9 miles)
• Green Airport (PVD) (5 miles)
• T. F. Green Airport (5.3 miles)