About MGH Back Bay HealthCare Center · Boston
MGH Back Bay HealthCare Center is a comprehensive primary care practice of Massachusetts General Hospital (Mass General Brigham) located at 388 Commonwealth Avenue in Boston's Back Bay neighborhood. It provides primary and preventive health care for patients of every age—from newborns to seniors—in a small, family-focused setting. The practice is designated by the NCQA as a Level 3 Patient-Centered Medical Home and is staffed by board-certified physicians in internal medicine, pediatrics, and family medicine, with access to the full specialty resources of Mass General Hospital.
MGH Back Bay HealthCare Center is a community-based primary care clinic of Massachusetts General Hospital, located on Commonwealth Avenue in the heart of Boston's Back Bay. The practice has long served as a family-focused medical home for residents of downtown Boston, Beacon Hill, the South End, and the surrounding neighborhoods, offering wellness visits, routine physical exams, mental health counseling, pediatric care, adult medicine, geriatric care, and same-day urgent care appointments for established patients. All of the practice's physicians are board-certified and specially trained to care for patients of every age, allowing one doctor to look after an entire family across the lifespan. The center has been recognized by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) as a Level 3 Patient-Centered Medical Home, the highest certification the NCQA awards. That designation reflects how the practice organizes care around the individual patient: each person is supported by a team that includes their primary care provider, nurse practitioners, RNs, LPNs, a flow manager, a managed care coordinator, a physiatrist, social workers, a nurse educator, residents, phlebotomists, and nutritionists. Patients who need specialty care can be referred onsite for diabetes care, mental health, and physiatry, or to any subspecialist within Massachusetts General Hospital and Mass General for Children. Dr. Joseph D. Gesmundo serves as the practice's Medical Director.
- Owner
- Owned and operated by Massachusetts General Hospital (part of Mass General Brigham). Medical Director: Dr. Joseph D. Gesmundo, MD (dual board-certified in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics).
- Serves
- Boston's Back Bay neighborhood and surrounding areas including Beacon Hill, the South End, Fenway, Kenmore Square, Allston/Brighton, and downtown Boston; serves Massachusetts General Hospital's broader primary care catchment area.
- Rating
- Individual physicians rated 4.9/5 on Mass General Brigham physician profiles (e.g., Dr. Reilly: 4.9/5 from 158 ratings / 79 reviews; Dr. Gesmundo: 4.9/5; Dr. Morris: 4.9/5 from 173 ratings / 71 reviews). Vitals.com lists the practice at 3.8/10.
About MGH Back Bay HealthCare Center
MGH Back Bay is a comprehensive primary care practice of Massachusetts General Hospital, part of the Mass General Brigham system. The clinic delivers care as a team with a focus on the individual patient, and has been designated by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) as a Level 3 Patient-Centered Medical Home — the highest level the NCQA approves. All of the practice's doctors are board-certified and specially trained to care for patients of every age, from newborns to seniors, meaning one physician can look after an entire family for life. As part of Mass General Brigham, patients also have access to the full specialty and subspecialty resources of Massachusetts General Hospital when needed.
- Located at 388 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215
- NCQA Level 3 Patient-Centered Medical Home
- Physicians board-certified in Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, and Family Medicine
- Direct access to Massachusetts General Hospital specialists and Mass General for Children
- Medical Director: Dr. Joseph D. Gesmundo, MD
Patient-Centered Medical Home & Team Care
The practice is organized around the patient. Each patient is supported by an integrated team rather than a single provider. The care team includes the patient's primary care provider, nurse practitioners, RNs, LPNs, a flow manager, a managed care coordinator, a physiatrist, social workers, a nurse educator, residents, phlebotomists, and nutritionists. The team coordinates everything from routine physicals and prevention to the diagnosis and treatment of complex medical conditions, with the goal of improving access and quality while reducing costs to patients and the community.
- Primary care provider
- Nurse practitioners, RNs and LPNs
- Flow manager
- Managed care coordinator
- Physiatrist
- Social workers
- Nurse educator
- Residents
- Phlebotomists
- Nutritionists
Treatments and Services
MGH Back Bay is a small, family-focused practice that offers wellness visits, routine physical exams, mental health counseling, pediatric care, adult medicine, geriatric care, and urgent care. Onsite specialty services include diabetes care, mental health, and physiatry. For anything beyond its scope, primary care physicians can refer patients to specialists at Massachusetts General Hospital or Mass General for Children.
- Wellness visits and routine physical exams
- Pediatric care
- Adult / internal medicine
- Geriatric care
- Mental health counseling
- Urgent care and same-day appointments
- Onsite diabetes care
- Onsite physiatry
- Specialist referrals to Mass General Hospital
Urgent Care & After-Hours Coverage
A limited number of same-day appointments are reserved daily for existing patients with an unexpected illness or injury; patients should call 617-267-7171 rather than use Patient Gateway for urgent requests. After business hours and on weekends, a physician remains on call for non-life-threatening emergencies; patients can reach the on-call physician through the main number. The on-call physician does not handle prescription refills, scheduling, or lab results, and any patient with a life-threatening emergency should call 911.
- Same-day urgent appointments by phone: 617-267-7171
- After-hours and weekend on-call physician
- Triage nurse line 8:30 a.m. – 4:15 p.m.
- Life-threatening emergencies: dial 911
Annual Exams & Patient Gateway
Annual physical exams should always be scheduled with the patient's primary care physician. The practice sends a reminder letter three months before each patient's next annual exam is due, and appointments can also be scheduled online through Mass General Brigham Patient Gateway. Patient Gateway is a secure portal that allows patients 24/7 to communicate with the office, request appointments and referrals, check lab and imaging results, request medications and refills, pay bills, and set appointment reminders.
- Annual physical exam reminders mailed 3 months in advance
- Online scheduling via Mass General Brigham Patient Gateway
- Secure messaging with the doctor's office
- Lab and imaging result access
- Online prescription refill requests
- Bill pay and appointment reminders
Lab Work, Tests & Results
An on-site lab serves the practice Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. and 1:15 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. (closed 12:15–1:15 p.m.), by appointment only. Patients can also walk in for ordered lab tests during posted hours. Most results are available within 48 hours through Patient Gateway, though some specialty tests such as Pap smears can take several weeks to finalize, and providers may wait until all results are returned before posting them.
- On-site lab, by appointment
- Lab hours: Mon–Fri 8:30 a.m.–12:15 p.m. and 1:15 p.m.–4:30 p.m.
- Most results available within 48 hours via Patient Gateway
- Mail-back of results within ~2 weeks
Nurse Visits & Triage
On-site triage nurses are available between 8:30 a.m. and 4:15 p.m. to answer medical questions, suggest home remedies for minor symptoms, and address concerns about a child's health. Patients are encouraged to use Patient Gateway for non-urgent issues or to call the front desk and leave a message for a return nurse call.
- Triage nurse line 8:30 a.m. – 4:15 p.m.
- Suggestions for minor symptoms
- Patient Gateway messaging for non-urgent issues
Prescription Refills
The practice uses an electronic prescription process. Patients should call their pharmacy first for refills; the pharmacy will contact the office electronically. Refills can also be requested through Patient Gateway. Prescriptions received between 9:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 9:00 a.m. to noon Friday, are filled within 24 hours; those received after those hours are filled within 48 hours. The on-call physician is not available for prescription refills after hours.
- Pharmacy-initiated electronic refill requests
- Patient Gateway refill requests
- Refill fax line: 617-262-2608
- 24–48 hour turnaround
- No after-hours refills
Medical Records
To obtain a copy of medical records, patients complete the Mass General release form and fax it to MGH Release of Information at 617-726-3661, or mail it to 121 Inner Belt Road, Room 240, Somerville, MA 02143-4453.
- Medical Release of Information fax: 617-726-3661
- Mail: MGH Release of Information, 121 Inner Belt Road, Room 240, Somerville, MA 02143-4453
Location, Transit & Parking
The center is conveniently located at 388 Commonwealth Avenue, accessible by MBTA Green Line to Hynes Convention Center Station. Metered street parking is available, but the maximum stay is two hours and quarter-fed meters or the ParkBoston app are recommended. Paid parking is available at the Somerset Garage on Newbury Street Extension (no validation). On-street parking is prohibited 8:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. on the second and fourth Mondays of the month for street cleaning, and patients are advised to allow extra time during Red Sox home games.
- MBTA Green Line — Hynes Convention Center Station
- Metered street parking (2-hour max)
- ParkBoston app accepted
- Somerset Garage on Newbury Street Extension (paid, not validated)
- No on-street parking 8 a.m.–noon on 2nd and 4th Mondays
- Allow extra time on Red Sox game days
Becoming a New Patient
New patients begin the registration process by calling the Mass General Registration and Referral Center at 866-211-6588. The center creates a unique Mass General Medical Record Number (MRN) and is open Monday through Thursday 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Patients may also schedule appointments and manage care online once enrolled through Patient Gateway.
- Mass General Registration and Referral Center: 866-211-6588
- Hours: Mon–Thu 8 a.m.–6 p.m.; Fri 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
- Unique MRN assigned to each new patient
Physicians on Staff
The practice's physicians are all board-certified in internal medicine, pediatrics, or family medicine and are trained to see patients of every age. Notable providers identified through Mass General Brigham include Medical Director Dr. Joseph D. Gesmundo, MD (Internal Medicine & Pediatrics, Albany Medical College '93), Dr. Andrea Jeanne Reilly, MD (Harvard Medical School '95), Dr. Nicolas M. Oreskovic, MD, MPH (University of Rochester '02, fluent in Spanish, German, and French), Dr. Michelle Morris, MD (Family Medicine, Trinity College Dublin / UPenn), and Dr. Lien Wei, MD. The practice covers ten specialty areas of medicine across roughly fifteen physicians.
- Dr. Joseph D. Gesmundo, MD — Medical Director; Internal Medicine & Pediatrics
- Dr. Andrea Jeanne Reilly, MD — Internal Medicine & Pediatrics
- Dr. Nicolas M. Oreskovic, MD, MPH — Internal Medicine & Pediatrics; speaks Spanish, German, French
- Dr. Michelle Morris, MD — Family Medicine
- Dr. Lien Wei, MD — Internal Medicine
- Dr. Amir Mohsen Mahoozi — Internal Medicine
Patient Experience
Patient feedback is mixed. Many long-time patients describe the practice as efficient, conveniently located on Commonwealth Avenue, and praised for thorough, relationship-based care — particularly physicians such as Dr. Joseph Gesmundo and Dr. Lien Wei, who are repeatedly highlighted in reviews for careful listening and accurate diagnosis. Other reviews cite difficulty reaching the front desk, billing or coding errors that required insurance follow-up, lab wait times, and challenges being reassigned to a new primary care physician when a doctor leaves the practice.
- Long-tenured patients (12+ years) cite continuity and convenience on Comm Ave
- Doctors repeatedly praised for thoroughness and diagnostic skill
- Reported concerns: front-desk responsiveness, occasional billing/coding issues
- Reported concerns: lab wait times and parking difficulty