Dr. Buffi Marie Ward, MD

I would never want anyone to experience what I did with this doctor. She was reactionary, cold, and rude. Maybe she was having a bad day. There is no excuse for such treatment however, especially for something as serious and sensitive as breast cancer related surgery.

do not recommend this doc

Dr. Ward placed my port into an artery instead of a vein. This was pointed out to her by two other doctors, but she dismissed them and me in three subsequent visits. This error eventually led to me his TIA (stroke) and emergency surgery to remove the misplaced port. While she did call to apologize, this shook my faith in doctors at a time when I most needed to trust them.

Overall a very negative experience with this surgeon. She did not listen when I voiced concerns and I will have to have additional surgery to fix what can be fixed from the surgery she performed on me.

I had a lumpectomy and lymphnodes removed. One week after surgery had 120ml of fluid drain from under are. My breast was very large, painful and dark purple. She said I had a hematoma and it would absorb. It was very painful. The next week I call for appt because more fluid under are and breast very painful. Aspirated another 120ml of fluid from under my arm. Still had hematoma in breast and continued to be very painful. She said it would absorb. One week later called for appt because breast very large and painful. Finally she decided to remove hematoma the next day. A few days later breast still very large and I could hear fluid in my breast. Call to office and nurse said it would absorb and laughed. 2 days later very large amount of fluid started leaking from my breast for 2 days. A few days later my breast was dark pink, hot and painful. Called for appt and no one called my back. I called the office back and found out they wanted to see me but never call me to… inform me what time. Waited another day in pain. Saw MD and was put on antibiotic and sent home. One week later in terrible pain went back to MD and had to insist something be done. Left the office in tears after waiting 35 minutes in the room not know what was going to be done. The next morning called office and was informed I would have a ultrasound aspiration done. 120ml of pus was removed from my breast. My breast was sunk in and misshaped and discolored. The next day my breast was back to dark pink, swollen and painful. Call and was told to take another 10 days of Keflex. 2 days later my breast started leaking from several areas foul smelling pus. Went to ER and PA said no surgeon will touch me. Sent home and the next day back to Dr. Ward. She opened breast up and drained infection. I am now packing my breast daily to keep it from getting infected. It will take months to heal and I am not able to receive radiation until wound is healed. I have changed surgeon and oncologist. I always heart U-Mass was one of the best breast cancer hospitals. I would not recommend. Some people have a good experience and some people have not.

Horrible surgeon

Dr Ward is a excellent Dr surgeon I was dx with aggressive breast cancer in 2014 she did mastectomy ND lumpectomy she stayed with me til I calmed down was there during chemo ND rads then this year had other mastectomy she has ND will take excellent care of me she is kind compassionate knowledgeable ND has very compassionate bedside manner never ever cold mannered I will go to her always ND tell any women if you need breast surgeon she's the one thanks Dr Ward for everything your the best

Dr.Ward seemed to be very well versed and trained, it's most likely she is a great surgeon but her people skills and bedside manner were not great. I felt patronized and not always fully informed. As any woman afraid of the worst case scenario I had questions and was very nervous particularly on the day of my surgery yet I did not get any reassurance or validation from her. She was cold. I did not even see her after my surgery. She didn't stop by to check up on me or to tell me how the surgery had gone. I had never had a doctor not come by the recovery room and say goodbye before being discharged. Again, her strengths might lie on the medical stuff, which in the end is most important. Let's hope that's the case.

Dr. Ward is an amazing doctor! I was referred Dr. Ward by my primary after I found a painful lump in my breast. Dr. Ward removed a fibroadenoma out of my breast a while ago and I have never been more satisfied. I have always had huge fear of hospital, doctors, and needles and she eased my fear so much.She is a great surgeon and I would recommend her to anyone.

Dr. Ward was very good, very professional, proactive, gave me very interesting info, etc. She performed an excision and my regular MD said her work was excellent and left almost no scarring. My complaint was with the office who never got insurance clearance for the procedure and I had a $15K bill with LIJ for over a year before I found a helpful person at my insurance company who intervened and got ex post facto permission for it. Until that point, her office wouldn't talk to my insurance company and my insurance company wouldn't talk to her office or LIJ. Fortunately, the biopsy was negative because I can't imagine had the biopsy results been positive, trying to deal with such intransigence and treatment at the same time (granted, it was my insurance company that was the most uncompromising).