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Columbia Fertility Associates
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Genetic counseling
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Administration of shots
Coordinating at-home nursing
Selling medication
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Providing backup medication
Arlington
1635 N. George Mason Dr
Arlington, VA 22205
(703) 525-4776
Bethesda
10215 Fernwood Road
Bethesda, MD 20817
(301) 897-8850
Washington DC
2440 M Street NW
Washington, DC 20037
(202) 293-6567
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34 assessments
5
Age
36
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
2 IVF
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve
5
The nursing staff [at Columbia Fertility Assoc-DC] was very hit or miss. Sometimes they were great -- there were one or two who were always helpful and trustworthy, but the weekend staff and the rest of the team seemed like they were completely overworked and under-resourced. It was sometimes painful having to deal with them and get appropriate information.
+ Read more
Age
36
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
?
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
2 IVF
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve
5
Describe your experience with Columbia Fertility Associates.
Dr. Sacks is great, but the clinic is a disaster. The backend administrative team is next to impossible to work with. Their financial team would call to harass me for payments, despite the fact that I had previously spoken to them to get further information about what I owed. They were impossible to get ahold of unless they called you, they wouldn't respond to or even check their emails, and typically didn't seem to know what was going on with your account. During my last cycle, I got a call asking to make a payment, and it seemed higher than what I was expecting, so I asked for an itemized invoice so that I could verify the charges. I was sent it and then responded to that email with questions, because it didn't look right. I also called the person back and left a voicemail. I sent a subsequent email to the same person two days later. When they finally called me one week later, they stated that they hadn't checked their email in that period of time and had no idea what my questions had been. It then took another few hours to work out and by the time I was done with paying for that last round I had decided I was also done with Columbia Fertility, despite the fact that I liked my doctor. Dealing with every other aspect of the clinic was just too stressful.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?
Dr. Sacks made time to talk with me and my husband. He addressed our concerns and had an easy and personable manner. He was mindful of the fact that our budget was limited. He was present for every single monitoring session I had with the exception of 2 or 3 when he was on vacation during part of one cycle.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Columbia Fertility Associates. (Assigned nurse: Wendy)
The nursing staff was very hit or miss. Sometimes they were great -- there were one or two who were always helpful and trustworthy, but the weekend staff and the rest of the team seemed like they were completely overworked and under-resourced. It was sometimes painful having to deal with them and get appropriate information. One time I went in for monitoring on a Sunday morning and was told I needed to trigger that day. The weekend nurse (not my usual one) promised she would call in the trigger shot to the pharmacy by 10am and then call me (since the pharmacy closed early on Sunday). By noon I still had not heard from her and I was frantically trying to call the on call team to get a call back from her. When I finally got ahold of her, she had confused me with another patient who also needed a trigger shot and had completely forgotten to call in mine. It all worked out in the end and we got the shot with an hour to spare, but it added much unnecessary stress and had I not been proactive, we would have missed out window. This is just one example of how the nursing staff was not always able to adequately serve patients. I don't completely blame them, as they all seemed lovely and competent, they just seemed to be put into a difficult work situation that leaves the patient at risk.
What specific things went wrong at Columbia Fertility Associates?
- Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
- Lost paperwork
- Failed to call with results
- Provided conflicting information
- Failed to convey critical information
How was your experience with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?
He was personable and friendly. I felt like we had a good relationship. I felt he listened to me, but sometimes I wasn't sure what the next step was and had to ask. He was easy to talk to during visits and was present for every one of them, which made it a little easier to come in
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?
Stay on top of your care and be honest with him. While I liked him as a doctor, the back end systems of his clinic are very messy and painful to work with at times.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Columbia Fertility Associates.
Usually a cattle call, would typically take anywhere from 20-45 minutes to get blood drawn and monitoring completed. Clinic seems understaffed and under-resourced.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates.
Canceled cycle $2,000. Embryo Transfer approx $12,000, Egg Retrieval $10,000+
Describe Preston Sacks's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Columbia Fertility Associates.
Dr. Sacks was open to whichever we wanted and had an appropriate conversation with us about our options.
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8
Age
26 - 35
Treated
2009 - 2018
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
3 Fertility Medications
Diagnosis
Anovulation, Male Factor, PCOS, Uterine Fibroids
8
All of my issues are with the finance department [at Columbia-DC]. The are extremely unorganized and seem to be all over the place. On several occasions I was told to expect a call back and did not receive one for days at a time. After following up myself, I would find out there was no action done. It's extremely frustrating when you're paying for a portion or all of your procedures and still have to deal with rude people.
+ Read more
Age
26 - 35
Treated
2009 - 2018
Success with this Doc
?
Race
Black or African-American
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
3 Fertility Medications
Diagnosis
Anovulation, Male Factor, PCOS, Uterine Fibroids
8
Describe your experience with Columbia Fertility Associates.
The billing department is HORRIBLE. They have no problem informing you of a balance, yet are extremely slow providing information or answering questions. On several occasions I've had to follow up as well as get very stern. I'm not sure if they are understaffed or not good at their jobs. There are 2 women in particular I try to avoid at all cost. They are very brash and have somewhat of an attitude.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?
He was always open to listen to my concerns and answer any questions I have. He thoroughly explained every step of the process
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
The nurses that I encountered were extremely nice with perfect bedside manner. Even when they called to say the pregnancy test were negative they were very gentle. These ladies are gems.
What specific things went wrong at Columbia Fertility Associates?
- Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
- Provided conflicting information
- Failed to convey critical information
How was your experience with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?
I started with Preston Sacks prior to TTC. He was always forthcoming with results and painted clear pictures of the obstacles to come. He is very easy to talk to and was very responsive to emails. Early on he determined that the issue was a male factor and referred us to one of his colleagues. He even took the time to set expectations on what to expect when working with the specialist which was extremely comforting. When dealing with infertility, having information is very important as it reduces anxiety regarding the unknown. He was very thoughtful and honest at ever step.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?
Don't be afraid to ask questions. Even if you think they are silly.
Describe the protocols Preston Sacks used in your cycles at Columbia Fertility Associates and their degree of success.
We used clomid and timed intercourse for 3 cycles. When I didn't respond to clomid he used the step up method. After the 3 cycle, he ordered an SA for my husband. Upon the results he suggested IVF. Due to insurance/money issues we took a break.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates.
Competitive compared to other clinics
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8
Age
32 - 34
Treated
2016 - 2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
3 IVF
Diagnosis
Endometriosis, Poor Egg Quality
8
The small team at the Arlington is great. The DC clinic is not as organized or compassionate. Also, the administrative system at this clinic overall is a bit of a mess. The admins can be rude in person and over the phone. The billing department is also disorganized and often rude...I loved nurse Kalandria and the nursing staff overall at the Arlington clinic. The nurses at the DC clinic were not as compassionate.
+ Read more
Age
32 - 34
Treated
2016 - 2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
South Asian
Income
$200K - $499K
Occupation
Engineer
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
3 IVF
Diagnosis
Endometriosis, Poor Egg Quality
8
Describe your experience with Columbia Fertility Associates.
The small team at the Arlington is great. The DC clinic is not as organized or compassionate. Also, the administrative system at this clinic overall is a bit of a mess. The admins can be rude in person and over the phone. The billing department is also disorganized and often rude.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Abbaa Sarhan at Columbia Fertility Associates?
Dr. Sarhan had a warm manner, performed most of my monitoring ultrasounds herself, was attentive during our conversations, answered all my questions, was easy to reach and called me regularly.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Columbia Fertility Associates. (Assigned nurse: Kalandria Waddy)
I loved nurse Kalandria and the nursing staff overall at the Arlington clinic. The nurses at the DC clinic were not as compassionate.
What specific things went wrong at Columbia Fertility Associates?
- Provided conflicting information
How was your experience with Abbaa Sarhan at Columbia Fertility Associates?
Dr. Sarhan was wonderful. She knew the science/medicine and knew my case intimately well, plus she had wonderful bedside manner. I felt I could trust her. The proof is in the pudding - thanks to her, I had a successful pregnancy.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Abbaa Sarhan at Columbia Fertility Associates?
Find out the days she will be at your clinic (in my case it was Tuesdays and Thursdays in Arlington) and arrange your work schedule to be available those days for all monitoring. You will get a ton of face time with her.
Describe the protocols Abbaa Sarhan used in your cycles at Columbia Fertility Associates and their degree of success.
We used the antagonist protocol for each freeze-all retrieval. I had endometriosis so Dr. Sarhan had me suppress with birth control pills for 6-8 weeks before each frozen embryo transfer. She recommended against fresh transfer due to the endometriosis. It took me three retrievals and three transfers to achieve a successful pregnancy/live birth.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Columbia Fertility Associates.
The ‘monitoring hours’ system made t super efficient - I was in and out quickly.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Abbaa Sarhan at Columbia Fertility Associates.
Insurance covered everything, so I don’t know.
Describe Abbaa Sarhan's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Columbia Fertility Associates.
We only transferred single embryos until the third FET, when she recommended increasing to two embryos.
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10
Age
31 - 34
Treated
2014 - 2017
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
12 IUI, 1 IVF, Donor Sperm
Diagnosis
Tubal Blockage, Unexplained
10
The nurses at CFA are wonderful! I've been with them long enough that the nursing staff has changed, but everyone I've interacted with has been so helpful and compassionate. Some are responsive over email, though not all. But they have been extremely helpful at all stages of the process -- whether figuring out prescriptions, helping me get seen "off schedule" or rushing some blood work, or generally being understanding and compassionate and reassuring and friendly. I really feel like they are pulling for me and know me as an individual.
+ Read more
Age
31 - 34
Treated
2014 - 2017
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European, Ashkenazi Jewish
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Consultant
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
12 IUI, 1 IVF, Donor Sperm
Diagnosis
Tubal Blockage, Unexplained
10
Describe your experience with Columbia Fertility Associates.
Overall, I've been very happy with CFA and feel like I get much more personalized care and treatment than I hear about people getting with Shady Grove.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?
Dr. Sacks and everyone at Columbia Fertility always made me feel like an individual. He (and they) always knew my name, remembered personal details about me (in a comforting, not creepy way) and I always felt like they were giving me advice based on who I was, not some standard. Dr. Sacks is very responsive over email and is very personable.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
The nurses at CFA are wonderful! I've been with them long enough that the nursing staff has changed, but everyone I've interacted with has been so helpful and compassionate. Some are responsive over email, though not all. But they have been extremely helpful at all stages of the process -- whether figuring out prescriptions, helping me get seen "off schedule" or rushing some blood work, or generally being understanding and compassionate and reassuring and friendly. I really feel like they are pulling for me and know me as an individual.
What specific things went wrong at Columbia Fertility Associates?
- Provided conflicting information
How was your experience with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?
I have been very happy with Dr. Sacks. He's been doing this a long time and really knows his stuff and knows the latest research, etc. He's always very responsive over email, which I really appreciate. And I have felt like overall he does a good job of balancing being realistic with being gentle. Like most fertility doctors, he's not overly emotional or super outwardly compassionate, but I always felt like he cared (he wasn't harsh) and also like he was telling me how it is (not sugar coating). He's often hesitant to give specific chances/percentages, but when he has them, he shares them. There have been a couple times where I wondered why he didn't suggest or say something different, but overall I have been very happy. He also has a really good, calming bedside manner. He's very chatty and personable, which helped put me at ease during a number of procedures. One example: Before my egg retrieval, the nurse had trouble getting the IV started and I ended up passing out. I was very nervous about whether it would affect what happened that day, but he came in and immediately put me at ease, shared stories about himself passing out, etc.! He also remembered personal details about me in a really thoughtful way that I think went above and beyond.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?
Be prepared for the fact that he's very chatty :)
Describe the protocols Preston Sacks used in your cycles at Columbia Fertility Associates and their degree of success.
In summary: 6 natural IUIs with donor sperm; 1 cycle with Clomid where I had the bad side effect that affected my vision; 5 IUI cycles with Letrozole. That included an ectopic pregnancy (after an HSG test) and ultimately doing another HSG test and finding a blocked tube (likely from the ectopic). Then moved to IVF and egg retrieval followed by PGS/PGD. Resulted in two embryos. First resulted in a miscarriage. After that, did a bunch of tests via bloodwork to rule out immunological issues. As of this writing, six weeks pregnant from second FET.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Columbia Fertility Associates.
Monitoring is done between 7:30-9:30 and generally I found it to be pretty efficient. Some days I'd be out of there in 5 minutes, if all I needed was blood work and there weren't many people there. Other days, it might be more like 30 minutes or so, if it was more crowded and I needed blood work and a sonogram.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates.
I did not have insurance coverage so it was very expensive. Natural IUIs were $500. Monitored IUIs were $1,000. Medicated IUIs were $1,500. IVF with FET was about $18,000 not including medication or the PGD testing, which added about $2,000. Just the FET was $3,500.
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8
Age
22 - 33
Treated
2006 - 2017
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
3 IUI
Diagnosis
PCOS
8
Columbia Fertility sees a high volume of patients. They are efficient in seeing all patients, particularly during routine blood tests and sonograms. The front office staff and nurses are friendly and helpful...The nursing staff are capable and compassionate. Columbia Fertility has a variety of nurses who all participate in your care...I occasionally had miscommunication about scheduling of my appointments. However, given that Columbia Fertility has flexible morning hours, the office staff was able to fit me in without a problem.
+ Read more
Age
22 - 33
Treated
2006 - 2017
Success with this Doc
?
Race
European
Income
$200K - $499K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
3 IUI
Diagnosis
PCOS
8
Describe your experience with Columbia Fertility Associates.
Columbia Fertility is a high volume operation, but they are efficient, responsive, and on time with knowledgeable practitioners, reasonably friendly office staff, and friendly and capable nurses.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?
Columbia Fertility sees a high volume of patients. They are efficient in seeing all patients, particularly during routine blood tests and sonograms. The front office staff and nurses are friendly and helpful.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
The nursing staff are capable and compassionate. Columbia Fertility has a variety of nurses who all participate in your care.
What specific things went wrong at Columbia Fertility Associates?
- Failed to call with results
How was your experience with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?
Dr. Sacks is extremely knowledgeable and is able to speak to current literature and studies clearly while taking your individual situation into account. Dr. Sacks is always on time and addresses any questions you ask, though during standard monitoring appointments, his time is somewhat short. For consultations, he will take all the time necessary.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?
Be prepared with questions you want to ask him
Describe the protocols Preston Sacks used in your cycles at Columbia Fertility Associates and their degree of success.
Dr. Sacks diagnosed me with PCOS approximately 10 years ago. He treated my PCOS with metformin and later birth control pills. When trying to conceive, I completed approximately 12 months of treatment with clomid while monitoring my cycles, Dr. Sacks recommending clomid for PCOS treatment. For most of those cycles, I also utilized ovidrel to trigger ovulation. At the end of approximately 1 year, Dr. Sacks conducted a laparoscopy and recommended we proceed with IUI. Following this, I complete IUI, again using clomid and ovidrel. To date, all cycles have resulted in negative pregnancy tests.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates.
IUI was partially covered by my insurance, so that cost was $500 per cycle plus approximately $85 for ovidrel.
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10
Age
34
Treated
2017
Success with this Doc
No
Treatment
3 IUI, 2 IVF
Diagnosis
Unexplained
10
My only complaint about Columbia has been their billing--there are some times that they ask for my co-pay, other times that they don't, and we get billed for three or four visits at a time, which can be frustrating...[Nurse] Heather is amazing--she's warm, positive, and always responsive. She has been a great resource over the course of our treatments...Dr. sacks is very empathetic--very patient and answered all our questions. When he delivered good or bad news, we've gotten it all, he was always responsive and always was the one we heard from.
+ Read more
Age
34
Treated
2017
Success with this Doc
No
Race
European
Income
$200K - $499K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
3 IUI, 2 IVF
Diagnosis
Unexplained
10
Describe your experience with Columbia Fertility Associates.
My only complaint about Columbia has been their billing--there are some times that they ask for my co-pay, other times that they don't, and we get billed for three or four visits at a time, which can be frustrating.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?
Dr. sacks is very empathetic--very patient and answered all our questions. When he delivered good or bad news, we've gotten it all, he was always responsive and always was the one we heard from.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Columbia Fertility Associates. (Assigned nurse: Heather)
Heather is amazing--she's warm, positive, and always responsive. She has been a great resource over the course of our treatments.
What specific things went wrong at Columbia Fertility Associates?
- Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
- Provided conflicting information
How was your experience with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?
While we're still in the midst of our treatment and have had several setbacks, including a recent miscarriage, Dr. Sacks has been empathetic and present throughout our entire time with him. He's always done our exams; our procedures; and been responsive to our emails/calls. After a very negative experience at another doctor's office, I have nothing bad to say about Dr. Sacks or his team.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?
Come prepared with what you want to know, questions/concerns/etc.
Describe the protocols Preston Sacks used in your cycles at Columbia Fertility Associates and their degree of success.
for IVF: I was on 150 mL of Gonal F and 150 of Menopur (plus ganirelix) to stop ovulation.
The first cycle, none of my embryos made it to blastocyst. Second cycle, Dr. Sacks didn't change my treatment (he said that he was happy with our response, so hopefully, we'd get a different batch of embryos)
We got 10 embryos--3 made it to blastocyst--and after PGS, we got two back
One was transferred, which subsequently ended in a miscarriage.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Columbia Fertility Associates.
I found the experience to be efficient...I can get in and out in less than 30 minutes in the morning, before even going to work.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates.
I couldn't tell with you with certainty--some things our insurance covered...we paid for drugs out of pocket, to save on our lifetime insurance maximum.
Describe Preston Sacks's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Columbia Fertility Associates.
We asked Dr. Sacks for his recommendation--and he said one. So we went with one. He talked us through the risks of both.
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9
Age
32
Treated
2016
Success with this Doc
2 Eggs Frozen
Treatment
1 Egg Freezing
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve
9
Strengths [at Columbia Fertility Associates - Washington DC]: Appointments always on time, front desk staff is nice, clinic is convenient to downtown area of DC. Weaknesses: The finance department is one woman who is quite nice, but I've found over 3 errors in our financial communications when first starting out on round 1. I would love if it was standard procedure to tell patients their test results each time on voicemail or email. It felt like I was bothering them to ask for it...
+ Read more
Age
32
Treated
2016
Success with this Doc
2 Eggs Frozen
Race
Ashkenazi Jewish
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Marketer or PR
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
1 Egg Freezing
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve
9
Describe your experience with Columbia Fertility Associates.
Strengths: Appointments always on time, front desk staff is nice, clinic is convenient to downtown area of DC.
Weaknesses: The finance department is one woman who is quite nice, but I've found over 3 errors in our financial communications when first starting out on round 1. I would love if it was standard procedure to tell patients their test results each time on voicemail or email. It felt like I was bothering them to ask for it.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?
Dr. Sacks takes his time to explain answers to all of my questions. I found the most benefit from this during our consultations. When doing quick sonograms or blood tests, I did feel the time crunch but Dr. Sacks always answered me thoughtfully and honestly. He has a nice bedside manner and does make you feel like he cares.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
The service provided by nursing staff varied quite a bit. In person, most are pleasant and helpful. However, I find myself regularly asking for them to leave my test results on email or phone, only to get a call with instructions for next steps and no context. As someone who like to always know all of the information, this was frustrating. I was also originally assigned to one specific nurse for questions but found she didn't always respond and in person did not have great bedside manner. I do with there was one nurse per physician to handle questions/follow up, or at the very least, pass along communications better.
Lastly, there were a few instances where I know the nurse had not looked at my chart before answering questions and then would adjust her response/suggestion accordingly. This was only a few times, but there is room for improvement on patient-nurse connection.
What specific things went wrong at Columbia Fertility Associates?
- Failed to call with results
How was your experience with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?
Weakness: I feel that Dr. Sacks could have better explained my initial test results and what that meant for my likelihood to produce low # of eggs with stim meds. I did most of this research on my own but know he could have prepared me for the less than optimal results BEFORE choosing treatment.
Strengths: Dr. Sacks is clearly an expert in what he does and is more than capable of answering the most complex questions. He has always been patient and willing to explain procedures and outcomes in great detail. Dr. Sacks always has a good bedside manner and is very kind and friendly.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?
To ask for detailed explanation of test results and what he will be looking for in continuous testing before and during rounds of treatment. He has the answers, there is just so much to cover to coming prepared with pointed questions is helpful.
Describe the protocols Preston Sacks used in your cycles at Columbia Fertility Associates and their degree of success.
First round of stim meds for egg freezing was 300 IU of menopur. I only needed one ganorelix shot before retrieval as I ended up on the menopur for longer than expected - 13 days.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Columbia Fertility Associates.
Very efficient monitoring appointments. Even when it seemed crowded, their system is optimized for quick visits to get you out the door. I also like that the time frame is early morning so we aren't forced to miss work.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates.
First found of egg freezing was about $8,300 plus the cost of meds. Second round is a little lower to account for freezing cost already covered, about $7500. The third round (not yet completed) will be free besides cost of anesthesia ($500) and meds. This is part of a "buy 2, get one free" egg freezing package.
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7
Age
37 - 38
Treated
2015 - 2016
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
8 IUI, 1 IVF, Donor Sperm
Diagnosis
Uterine Fibroids, Unexplained
7
As mentioned before, the nursing team [at Columbia] could be more professional and better trained. Thankfully, Dr. Sacks was easily accessible and perhaps aware of the nursing staff's deficiencies, so my care did not suffer, but the staff should be reliable as they interact closely with patients...It did not feel like a cattle call. There were other patients present in the waiting room, obviously, but I never felt rushed.
+ Read more
Age
37 - 38
Treated
2015 - 2016
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European, South Asian, Latino, Black or African-American, Other
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Writer
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
8 IUI, 1 IVF, Donor Sperm
Diagnosis
Uterine Fibroids, Unexplained
7
Describe your experience with Columbia Fertility Associates.
As mentioned before, the nursing team could be more professional and better trained. Thankfully, Dr. Sacks was easily accessible and perhaps aware of the nursing staff's deficiencies, so my care did not suffer, but the staff should be reliable as they interact closely with patients.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?
Dr. Sacks personally responded to my emails and phone calls and was always available for appointments. I only met with nurses and other support staff after discussing my care directly with Dr. Sacks. Any problems I had were resolved personally by Dr. Sacks. I never felt like a number or just another patient. He has an excellent bedside manner and treats patients as if he is personally invested in their well-being and success.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Columbia Fertility Associates. (Assigned nurse: Julianna)
I had a mixed experience. Care was far from terrible, but I often had to go directly to Dr. Sacks for confirmation and follow up of details as communication from the nursing staff was inconsistent and sometimes inaccurate. One of the nurses in particular was not well informed and almost caused me to cancel a cycle unnecessarily.
What specific things went wrong at Columbia Fertility Associates?
- Provided conflicting information
- Failed to convey critical information
How was your experience with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?
Dr. Sacks has an excellent bedside manner and treats patients as if he is personally invested in their well-being and success. He worked closely with me to develop a treatment plan and communicated every step in language I could understand. He gave his opinion frankly, but was kind and supportive.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?
Be honest and open to honesty
Describe the protocols Preston Sacks used in your cycles at Columbia Fertility Associates and their degree of success.
Because of my favorable initial testing, Dr. Sacks recommended a conservative approach.
We began with unmedicated IUIs (3 chemical pregnancies, 3 negative tests) and progressed to IVF--for insurance coverage reasons--with low-dose medications (9 eggs retrieved, 7 fertilized, 4 frozen embryos, eSET) which resulted in a chemical pregnancy.
Dr. Sacks helped me overcome my reluctance to medicated IUIs (1 negative, 1 positive), the second of which resulted in a vanishing twin and birth of a singleton.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Columbia Fertility Associates.
It did not feel like a cattle call. There were other patients present in the waiting room, obviously, but I never felt rushed.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates.
About $16,000 in totol
Describe Preston Sacks's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Columbia Fertility Associates.
Because of my strong aversion to having twins, Dr. Sacks advised an eSET, which proved to be the right choice as I still conceived twins (one vanishing at 8 weeks).
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10
Age
33 - 35
Treated
2014 - 2016
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
6 IUI, 2 IVF
Diagnosis
PCOS
10
[Columbia - DC] Strengths -- more personable compared to larger clinics, excellent doctor, mostly great nurses, high frequency of seeing doctors, responsiveness of doctor and nurses by email, choir follow up / communicating test results and answering questions Weaknesses -- billing team is at times disorganized, difficult to contact to resolve question or their errors, and sometimes callous (calling to demand late peymebt even though bills were not mailed)
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Age
33 - 35
Treated
2014 - 2016
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European, Ashkenazi Jewish
Income
$200K - $499K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
6 IUI, 2 IVF
Diagnosis
PCOS
10
Describe your experience with Columbia Fertility Associates.
Strengths -- more personable compared to larger clinics, excellent doctor, mostly great nurses, high frequency of seeing doctors, responsiveness of doctor and nurses by email, choir follow up / communicating test results and answering questions
Weaknesses -- billing team is at times disorganized, difficult to contact to resolve question or their errors, and sometimes callous (calling to demand late peymebt even though bills were not mailed)
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?
Dr. Sacks was incredibly warm, concerned with our personal circumstances, straight with us in terms of managing our expectations but also helping us remain hopeful and not worry unnecessarily. He ALWAYS took the time to answe my questions thoroughly and also was extremely responsive by email the few times I had urgent concerns or questions. Dr. Sacks also took time out of his very busy schedule to attended the Bris of our son. He honestly came to feel like part of our family. We were definitely not numbers to him!
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
There was some variability with the bedside manor of the nurses. One in particular was extremely caring from the beginning. The others were better once my treatment got further along in the process (more intensive treatment). A few didn't study my chart carefully before talking with me, which I found annoying and also at time upsetting depending on the confusion. However, by in large the nursing care was good.
What specific things went wrong at Columbia Fertility Associates?
- Provided conflicting information
How was your experience with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?
I can't recommend him highly enough. Dr. Sacks was extremely caring and thorough. He is very knowledgeable on all subjects related to fertility and was able to help us understand what was known by science and not known by science related to our particular circumstances. Sometimes he felt rushed at non critical visits, but if I initiated he was always available to answer questions. When it came time to handling difficult times/news with us, he was always patient and caring. Dr. Sacks also helped us avoid unnecessary procedures by helping us weigh the pros and cons of different options. I am so grateful that he was our doctor.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?
Be sure to ask all of your questions. He may seem rushed at times at routine visits (e.g. Ultrasounds) if the schedule is backed up, but he will always provide valuable answers to your questions. Also, he's very responsive by email.
Describe the protocols Preston Sacks used in your cycles at Columbia Fertility Associates and their degree of success.
I started with Climid, then the off-label breast cancer drug (can't remember the name) combined with six IUIs, then two fresh IVF cycles. My first IVF cycle none of the eggs fertilized properly (initial failure then ICSI after 24 hours but none implanted). The second IVF cycle we did ICSI and had 7 embryos, one of which we implanted and gave us our beautiful baby boy! (I have PCOS but it seems, perhaps, that the issue was the egg-sperm interaction).
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Columbia Fertility Associates.
The early ones were strssful for me when I was new and leaning the system, and only one nurse seemed sensitive to this. Once I got the drill down, the monitoring visits were fine.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates.
We had Fertility treatments covered by insurance, so it was the cost of the premium (I opened a secondary plan to cover IVF), copays, and some of the drugs for IUI
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7
Age
32 - 36
Treated
2012 - 2016
Success with this Doc
No
Treatment
2 IUI, 2 IVF
Diagnosis
Unexplained
7
The office [Columbia Fertility Associates] is decently run, but be careful if you're paying out of pocket. My insurance didn't cover IVF, so I paid out of pocket for the full IVF procedure. That included blood tests and other monitoring. However, I found that the clinic was also charging my insurance company for all of these tests. I had to ask several times for them to remove the charges to my insurance company, or pay me back for those tests. They eventually pulled the charges from my insurer. The woman who does the blood tests during the week is all business, but remember that she's taking blood for several hours a day, so be nice and you'll eventually get her to crack a smile.
+ Read more
Age
32 - 36
Treated
2012 - 2016
Success with this Doc
No
Race
Ashkenazi Jewish
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Marketer or PR
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
2 IUI, 2 IVF
Diagnosis
Unexplained
7
Describe your experience with Columbia Fertility Associates.
The office is decently run, but be careful if you're paying out of pocket. My insurance didn't cover IVF, so I paid out of pocket for the full IVF procedure. That included blood tests and other monitoring. However, I found that the clinic was also charging my insurance company for all of these tests. I had to ask several times for them to remove the charges to my insurance company, or pay me back for those tests. They eventually pulled the charges from my insurer. The woman who does the blood tests during the week is all business, but remember that she's taking blood for several hours a day, so be nice and you'll eventually get her to crack a smile.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?
Dr. Sacks has a very nice beside manner. He takes the time, particularly at the beginning, to make you feel comfortable. As you go in for more and more ultrasounds, he spends less time with you, but he is always kind.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
Nurses were occasionally helpful, but seemed more interested in getting in and out of the room. I was very disappointed that after the loss of our first baby at 12 weeks, the nursing team called at the baby's due date to ask for information for their statistics. They were made aware that we had to terminate the pregnancy and a phone call at the due date was extremely upsetting.
What specific things went wrong at Columbia Fertility Associates?
- Failed to call with results
How was your experience with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?
I really enjoyed working with Dr. Sacks. He even responded to emails and followed up with me when I had complaints about his staff. My first two transfers with him resulted in pregnancies, and we would have had two children now, but I had a rare occurrence of amniotic band syndrome in the 12th week of my first pregnancy that resulted in the internal amputation of the baby's arms and a portion of its skull, which likely would have resulted in a miscarriage later in the pregnancy or a child who could not survive outside of the womb. For those reasons, we decided to end that pregnancy. On my second round of IVF, Dr. Sacks used the same protocol and medicine for me, although I was four years older, and now over 35. That resulted in only one usable embryo, and I wished that he would have changed the protocol to accommodate for changes in my eggs and body. That transfer did not work, and as we were paying out of pocket for that round, we are not able to try again.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?
Ask as many questions as you need. Never feel like you can't reach out to Dr. Sacks with questions. If you want a doctor with a very gentle and lovely bedside manner, Dr. Sacks is a good bet.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Columbia Fertility Associates.
The monitoring appointments were a bit of a cattle call. Earlier in the morning took longer. But this was fine for me because I couldn't guarantee I would be there on time if I had a specific appointment time.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates.
$10k for IVF, another $2k for ICSI, ~$2,400 for freezing, plus medication
Describe Preston Sacks's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Columbia Fertility Associates.
The doctor asked what we were comfortable with -- would we be OK with twins? When i expressed that my husband was terrified of twins, he said he would only do one embryo at a time. It seems like he would not do more than two at a time.
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10
Age
39
Treated
2016
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
1 IUI
Diagnosis
Anovulation, Male Factor
10
I did have some issue with the office/front desk staff in the beginning when getting started; the staff did not know I had already had an insurance check and was ok to do bloodwork and sono later in my cycle. I was away on vacation when I suddenly got my period. They shut be down without speaking with the doctor because they are trained that insurance is the guiding force behind fertility treatments. I spoke to several people, none of which bothered the check my records. It was Dr. Sarhan who told me to ignore the office staff and just come in for my first check.
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Age
39
Treated
2016
Success with this Doc
?
Race
Native American
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
1 IUI
Diagnosis
Anovulation, Male Factor
10
Describe your experience with Columbia Fertility Associates.
I did have some issue with the office/front desk staff in the beginning when getting started; the staff did not know I had already had an insurance check and was ok to do bloodwork and sono later in my cycle. I was away on vacation when I suddenly got my period. They shut be down without speaking with the doctor because they are trained that insurance is the guiding force behind fertility treatments. I spoke to several people, none of which bothered the check my records. It was Dr. Sarhan who told me to ignore the office staff and just come in for my first check.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Abbaa Sarhan at Columbia Fertility Associates?
Dr. Sarhan remembers me each time I see her and remembers my treatment plan. She is personable and friendly and continues to give me hope to achieve my goal.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Columbia Fertility Associates. (Assigned nurse: Kalandria)
The nursing staff at Columbia Fertility are great. They have been very helpful and thorough.
How was your experience with Abbaa Sarhan at Columbia Fertility Associates?
Dr. Sarhan has been kept me hopeful that I can have a child. When another fertility doctor would not treat me due to my weight, Dr. Sarhan was agreeable to treatment as long as I knew the risks. She has not stopped when we have come across issues and has made sure I was comfortable with every step. I do wish I could spend a bit more time with her, but I know she is a busy doctor with many patients. That would be my only criticism.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Abbaa Sarhan at Columbia Fertility Associates?
The doctor tries to do all the monitoring appointments herself. Prepare a list of questions when you go in each time so you can get your answers. It's a quick visit and she will try to head out with out spending too much time with you. However, if you know what you want to ask, she is very helpful and does answer thoroughly.
Describe the protocols Abbaa Sarhan used in your cycles at Columbia Fertility Associates and their degree of success.
I started out doing 100mg of clomid. When I did not produce follicles we upped my clomid to 150. Still nothing. We then moved on to Gonal-f 150 injections. I was still producing slowly, so we upped it to 225. I then took 250 ovidrel injection to trigger with iui roughly 36 hours later.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Abbaa Sarhan at Columbia Fertility Associates.
All of my medications were out of pocket. I paid a co-pay for each monitoring appointment. My iui was 100% covered by insurance.
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10
Age
38 - 42
Treated
2011 - 2015
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
1 IUI, 6 IVF, 6 Egg Freezing
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Poor Egg Quality
10
Washington Fertility Associates - the clinic - is a bit chaotic and you must actively manage your care - but it's all worth it for Dr. Sacks!! The nurses that work directly with Dr. Sacks both in the examination room and in the procedure theater are great - compassionate, helpful, knowledgeable. Unfortunately, when it comes to ordering your meds, tracking your bills, and basic information the nurse coordinator and the financial coordinator must be heavily managed.
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Age
38 - 42
Treated
2011 - 2015
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
Ashkenazi Jewish
Income
$200K - $499K
Occupation
Investor
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
1 IUI, 6 IVF, 6 Egg Freezing
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Poor Egg Quality
10
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?
Dr. Sacks is fantastic! We received and currently receive first rate care. We came to Dr. Sacks after our third 10 week miscarriage within 20 months. He listened to our history and spent hours discussing options and treatment. Due to insurance, we had to try an IUI prior to moving to IVF, although we knew it was an egg quality (chromosomal) issue. Dr. Sacks negotiated the insurance down from 3 to 1 IUI. However, 21 weeks into the pregnancy, the amnio revealed fatal chromosomal abnormalities. We made the decision to end the pregnancy. After that horrific experience, Dr. Sacks was simply amazing! He remained engaged, thoughtful, and empathetic throughout the next 6 cycles of IVF to retrieve eggs and create enough embryos to test via PGD. He discussed every step in detail; shared studies; and introduced me to my therapist - we even laughed along the way. We now have a 7 month old incredible little girl and are just about to return to transfer one of the two male embryos we have frozen. Washington Fertility Associates - the clinic - is a bit chaotic and you must actively manage your care - but it's all worth it for Dr. Sacks!!
Describe your experience with your nurse at Columbia Fertility Associates. (Assigned nurse: Wendy Hemingway)
The nurses that work directly with Dr. Sacks both in the examination room and in the procedure theater are great - compassionate, helpful, knowledgeable. Unfortunately, when it comes to ordering your meds, tracking your bills, and basic information the nurse coordinator and the financial coordinator must be heavily managed.
What specific things went wrong at Columbia Fertility Associates?
- Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
- Failed to order appropriate test
- Failed to send your chart to another clinic
- Failed to inform you of changes in protocol
- Provided conflicting information
How was your experience with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?
See earlier comment
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?
He is incredibly knowledgeable and up to date with the latest research; therefore I would not hesitate to engage him and ask as many questions as necessary to make you feel comfortable.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Columbia Fertility Associates.
Monitoring is easy - everyday from 730-900 and the wait is not that long.
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7
Age
35 - 37
Treated
2013 - 2015
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
3 IUI, 2 IVF
Diagnosis
Anovulation, Male Factor, PCOS
7
The doctor was great, but the clinic [Columbia Fertility Associates] was pretty bad. The people working at the desk and the finance person were not friendly. They had a lot of problems doing things like printing receipts and having a functioning computer system. Sometimes I couldn't pay for my visit because the system was down. I was annoyed when I began discussing IVF and was referred to the "financial advisor." She just gave me a sheet telling me how much it would all cost and said I had to pay it all up front. That didn't seem like advising. Then I could only pay by credit card, not check. That meant I had to max out two separate credit cards. I would like to have had more options. On the plus side, scheduling was easy, and I almost never had to wait. I really appreciated that since I was there 1-3 times per week for three years!
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Age
35 - 37
Treated
2013 - 2015
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
Ashkenazi Jewish
Income
—
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
3 IUI, 2 IVF
Diagnosis
Anovulation, Male Factor, PCOS
7
Describe your experience with Columbia Fertility Associates.
The doctor was great, but the clinic was pretty bad. The people working at the desk and the finance person were not friendly. They had a lot of problems doing things like printing receipts and having a functioning computer system. Sometimes I couldn't pay for my visit because the system was down. I was annoyed when I began discussing IVF and was referred to the "financial advisor." She just gave me a sheet telling me how much it would all cost and said I had to pay it all up front. That didn't seem like advising. Then I could only pay by credit card, not check. That meant I had to max out two separate credit cards. I would like to have had more options. On the plus side, scheduling was easy, and I almost never had to wait. I really appreciated that since I was there 1-3 times per week for three years!
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Abbaa Sarhan at Columbia Fertility Associates?
Dr. Sarhan was warm and treated me with respect. She never talked down to me or made me feel bad about my decisions or my diagnosis. She genuinely seemed to care about the success of my treatments. She also took the time to explain everything to me in detail and understood the kind of treatment I desired.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
The nursing staff went through a lot of changes while I was there. The first nurse I had did not seem compassionate or warm at all, but when I miscarried, she was wonderful and sat with me for a long time. When she left, I didn't really get to know anyone else as they were each only there for a few months. Some did a great job drawing blood, while others left huge bruises every time.
How was your experience with Abbaa Sarhan at Columbia Fertility Associates?
Dr. Sarhan seemed very knowledgeable and up-to-date on all the scientific debates relative to the field of infertility. Therefore, I completely trusted her to recommend the right things and to know all the potentials for success and failure. I saw her during every visit that required more than just taking blood, so she got to know me pretty well. We always talked about me during the visits which made me feel that she cared about me as a person, not just as a patient. She also listened to me and reassured me at every step. I think she might have wanted to perform more aggressive treatments, but she knew that I was hesitant, and never pressured me. She never sugar-coated anything, but she handled all bad news with respect and compassion. She handled good news in a way that let me know she actually cared about me as a person. She was clearly skilled in her performance of all medical procedures, so again, I trusted her completely.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Abbaa Sarhan at Columbia Fertility Associates?
Don't be afraid to ask for what you need. If you have any questions at all, just email her or call her office. It can take up to a day or two to receive an answer, but she will answer, and she will not be (or at least seem) annoyed that you asked.
Describe the protocols Abbaa Sarhan used in your cycles at Columbia Fertility Associates and their degree of success.
It has been a couple of years, so I don't remember all the details, but I can say that we started out conservatively, using Letrozole for stimulation. I had had adverse reactions to Clomid with a former provider, so we started with Letrozole. On my third cycle, I had a chemical pregancy. We tried for another 3 cycles and I achieved pregnancy, but I miscarried at about 6 weeks. After that, Dr. Sarhan thought we should become more proactive, so we did a few rounds of IUI, still with Letrozole since that was providing enough eggs. After three rounds of that with no success, she again recommended we become more aggressive. We did the first round of IVF with Bravelle and Menopur. That was a long (12 days maybe) and not very successful cycle. We did a trigger shot and then the retrieval. On that cycle, we only got 7 embryos, and only 2 made it to become day 5 blastocysts. Dr. Sarhan said neither looked great, but she transferred them anyway. The cycle did not result in pregnancy. For the next cycle, she changed the drugs to Follistim and Menopur. This was more of a "textbook" cycle, resulting in 12 embryos, 7 of which made it to day 5. Two were transferred, resulting in my mono-di pregnancy which resulted in 2 live births. The other 5 were frozen.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Columbia Fertility Associates.
The monitoring hours were always in the morning, which worked out fine for me. I was lucky because I was a full time student with a flexible schedule. There were sometimes a lot of people in the waiting room, but I almost never waited more than about 15 minutes. There were probably a handful of times over three years where I had to wait more like 45-60 minutes.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Abbaa Sarhan at Columbia Fertility Associates.
My health insurance covered fertility medications and monitoring until I started doing IUI. The IUI procedures cost $1500 each. The IVF procedures cost around $20,000 each plus the cost of medications. I can't remember exactly how much those cost, but it was several thousand more dollars.
Describe Abbaa Sarhan's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Columbia Fertility Associates.
She didn't really give me the choice for single or multiple embryo transfer because of the quality of the embryos, my age, and my previous lack of success. For both IVF cycles, she transferred two embryos.
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10
Age
32 - 35
Treated
2012 - 2015
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
1 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Male Factor
10
The billing at Columbia Fertility was a mess, I had a lot of back and forth to ensure that I was billed appropriately for a frozen cycle - the first cycle was cancelled and then I did another back-to-back, so there was a lot of items that had to be "credited" before I paid for the real cycle. They seemed to never remember a phone conversation I had with them, so it was like starting from scratch each time. The billing office was fine when dealing with the insurance company though. The people at the front desk who I saw each day/week were all lovely.
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Age
32 - 35
Treated
2012 - 2015
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
Ashkenazi Jewish
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
1 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Male Factor
10
Describe your experience with Columbia Fertility Associates.
The billing at Columbia Fertility was a mess, I had a lot of back and forth to ensure that I was billed appropriately for a frozen cycle - the first cycle was cancelled and then I did another back-to-back, so there was a lot of items that had to be "credited" before I paid for the real cycle. They seemed to never remember a phone conversation I had with them, so it was like starting from scratch each time. The billing office was fine when dealing with the insurance company though. The people at the front desk who I saw each day/week were all lovely.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?
Dr. Sacks knew me and my husband and took the time to talk to us during our consultation and during each monitoring appointment. He was warm and friendly. He even saw me on the street (fully clothed!) and stopped to talk.
How was your experience with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?
I want lots of clear information about process and pros and cons of any options, to help me make decisions. Dr Sacks took tons of time to explain all of the treatment options we had to choose from, why he recommended IVF over IUI and what was a reasonable success rate. When deciding on how many embryos to transfer, he spoke to my husband at length about the statistical possibilities of multiple embryos leading to multiple births from an educated, well versed position. He was supportive of all of our decisions. He had a great sense of humor and brought levity to the tense medical procedures. Two years after a successful IVF cycle, I emailed Dr Sacks out of the blue to ask him to participate on an educational panel to teach people about fertility treatment and options and he jumped at the opportunity to help out - on a Sunday! He is an all-around great doctor and person.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?
Try to get him talking about his personal life or his kids :)
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Columbia Fertility Associates.
Monitoring was in the morning, but always made me a little late to work. I think hours started at 730am
Describe the costs associated with your care under Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates.
A frozen cycle was $5K plus a mandatory $500ish for cracking the embryo. I can't remember the full fresh cycle from 2012.
Describe Preston Sacks's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Columbia Fertility Associates.
Dr Sacks recommended transferring 1 embryo due to my age and the way the embryo looked. He would have been ok if we wanted to do 2. He spoke at length to my statistics-expert husband about the rates of success with one or two embryos.
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10
Age
34 - 35
Treated
2013 - 2014
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
7 Fertility Medications
Diagnosis
Anovulation, PCOS, Tubal Blockage
10
Because they [Colmbia] are in high demand it can be crowded but its a peaceful place. Getting an appointment is easy and everyone is compassionate...He [Dr. Sacks] didnt linger. If it wasn't yielding results he looked for he had no problem moving on to something else which is what i liked...Dr. Sacks was the only doctor that treated me like my issue was important. He tested every hormone under the sun until he figured out the issue...He tested everything and finally found the issue with my pcos.
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Age
34 - 35
Treated
2013 - 2014
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
Black or African-American
Income
$0 - $49K
Occupation
Operations
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
7 Fertility Medications
Diagnosis
Anovulation, PCOS, Tubal Blockage
10
Describe your experience with Columbia Fertility Associates.
The only issue I have is location. I would love for them to open up an location in Maryland. Because they are in high demand it can be crowded but its a peaceful place. Getting an appointment is easy and everyone is compassionate
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?
Dr. Sacks was the only doctor that treated me like my issue was important. He tested every hormone under the sun until he figured out the issue.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Columbia Fertility Associates. (Assigned nurse: Julie)
I just remember her first name (Julia) but she was amazing.
How was your experience with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?
He tested everything and finally found the issue with my pcos. It was a hormone imbalance. He prescribed a medication and after about 7 months my period became regular. He started off with a low dose to gradually bring on change. My period was on time and fantastic for the first time in 18 years. He did a uterine xray to check for blockage which no one ever did before. And with that info we talked about what was best. He started with clomid slowly increasing the dosage, then injections. After no success I took a break for about a year. I went back to him in 2014 and we picked up right were we left off. We did clomid, and he did a uterine xray. things were still the same and then boom pregnant on first cycle back. He monitored me for the first 8 weeks and then I left. He is AMAZING
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?
Have patience. He is knowledgeable and kind. This is a long process and frustrating at times. He will be there to walk you through it and keep you hopeful.
Describe the protocols Preston Sacks used in your cycles at Columbia Fertility Associates and their degree of success.
He was by the book. Started with clomid and then moved to injections. He didnt linger. If it wasn't yielding results he looked for he had no problem moving on to something else which is what i liked
Describe the costs associated with your care under Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates.
Minimal. My shots were covered ( i paid $75) and my clomid was covered. I paid a typical copay of $20
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6
Age
34
Treated
2014
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
1 IUI, Donor Sperm
Diagnosis
—
6
The staff at the clinic [Columbia Fertility Associates] is terrible. I would call the financial coordinator over and over, have to leave a message, and never get a call back. Because of miscommunications with the clinic, my IUI wasn't covered by insurance, even though the clinic had told me in my initial meeting that my insurance would cover it...I had to wait longer to start than I planned because they lost the paperwork they needed to send in to sign me up with the sperm bank I chose to use, and no one would call me back when I left a message. Also, they told me that my cycle was covered by insurance but never sent my insurance company the information they needed for pre-approval and, again, never returned my calls about financial issues or insurance. It's partially my fault since I should have held off until I was sure about insurance coverage, but that would have been frustrating too since I couldn't get them to call me back and wasn't sure they would ever do the paperwork correctly.
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Age
34
Treated
2014
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
Lawyer
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
1 IUI, Donor Sperm
Diagnosis
—
6
Describe your experience with Columbia Fertility Associates.
The staff at the clinic is terrible. I would call the financial coordinator over and over, have to leave a message, and never get a call back. Because of miscommunications with the clinic, my IUI wasn't covered by insurance, even though the clinic had told me in my initial meeting that my insurance would cover it.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?
The nurses were great, but other than our initial consultation, I never really saw Dr. Sacks except for procedures. Then, he basically came in and did the fertility test or the IUI and left. It felt very clinical and impersonal, particularly given that it was the start of the most meaningful and important thing I've done in my life.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
The nurses were primarily responsible for communicating with me both by phone and in the office. They did all of the ultrasounds to monitor my ovulation and gave me all of the doctor's instructions in preparation for my IUI. They were all very nice and were prompt about calling me after a blood test. They weren't quick about calling back if I called them though.
What specific things went wrong at Columbia Fertility Associates?
- Lost paperwork
- Provided conflicting information
How was your experience with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?
Dr. Sacks was very friendly at the initial consultation, but I never really spoke to him again. It may have been different if I'd had a longer relationship with him, but I got pregnant after my first IUI. Basically, after the initial consultation, I saw Dr. Sacks at the HSG and the IUI, but he didn't really talk to me. The nurses handled all communications.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?
Dr. Sacks helped me get my son for which I am forever grateful, but it all felt very clinical and impersonal.
Describe the protocols Preston Sacks used in your cycles at Columbia Fertility Associates and their degree of success.
I was with Dr. Sacks for two cycles. The first was unmedicated and unmonitored, but the home ovulation tests were never positive, so I asked the nurse if I could do an unmedicated, monitored based on my Internet research. I never spoke to Dr. Sacks about strategies or protocols. When the nurse scheduled my IUI, she told me that Dr. Sacks wanted me to have a trigger shot, so that was the only medication I used for my one IUI.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates.
I don't remember exactly. The testing, bloodwork, and ultrasound appointments were covered by insurance either at my usual co-pay or under the terms of my deductible. I had to pay for the IUI. I think it was about $750.
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8
Age
37
Treated
2012
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
13 IUI, 2 IVF, Donor Sperm
Diagnosis
Recurrent Pregnancy Loss, Immunological
8
If you can get to the Bethesda clinic of CFA [Columbia Fertility Associates], it is much smaller and much calmer. You have to go down to the bottom floor for your blood tests but the nurse was so nice there compared to the super busy nurses at the D.C. Clinic...Dr Abbasi is very straightforward and not as chatty as other doctors. However I felt that she was very interested in coming up with a protocol to address my miscarriages. She ordered tests that showed a bacterial infection and thus put me on a protocol for antibiotics. I had been taking Chinese herbs on my own for months while taking a TTC break so I insisted on doing one unmedicated IUI. She agreed to let me do only one and insisted that I do back-to-back inseminations in two days. It worked out well because I did get pregnant but it turned out to be my fourth miscarriage. Then she really went to town on bloodwork and ordered special immunological testing that was not considered mainstream. She sent me to a hematologist to interpret the results. He recommended that I do IVIG prior to transfer .
+ Read more
Age
37
Treated
2012
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
East Asian
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
Teacher
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 3 Docs
Treatment
13 IUI, 2 IVF, Donor Sperm
Diagnosis
Recurrent Pregnancy Loss, Immunological
8
Describe your experience with Columbia Fertility Associates.
If you can get to the Bethesda clinic of CFA, it is much smaller and much calmer. You have to go down to the bottom floor for your blood tests but the nurse was so nice there compared to the super busy nurses at the D.C. Clinic.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Rafat Abbasi at Columbia Fertility Associates?
Dr Abbasi saw that I had had 3 miscarriages already and so she really wanted to get to the bottom of it.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Columbia Fertility Associates. (Assigned nurse: Can't remember -- so mad!)
I can't believe I can't remember her name because she was amazing and took so much time and was the best. Will look up her name in my records and emails.
How was your experience with Rafat Abbasi at Columbia Fertility Associates?
Dr Abbasi is very straightforward and not as chatty as other doctors. However I felt that she was very interested in coming up with a protocol to address my miscarriages. She ordered tests that showed a bacterial infection and thus put me on a protocol for antibiotics. I had been taking Chinese herbs on my own for months while taking a TTC break so I insisted on doing one unmedicated IUI. She agreed to let me do only one and insisted that I do back-to-back inseminations in two days. It worked out well because I did get pregnant but it turned out to be my fourth miscarriage.
Then she really went to town on bloodwork and ordered special immunological testing that was not considered mainstream. She sent me to a hematologist to interpret the results.
He recommended that I do IVIG prior to transfer .
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Rafat Abbasi at Columbia Fertility Associates?
I would say that she is an excellent doctor so don't be put off by her manner. She might be a bit brusque but she used to be a military doctor! I think she was in the Army.
Describe the protocols Rafat Abbasi used in your cycles at Columbia Fertility Associates and their degree of success.
Dr Abbasi let me do an unmedicated cycle but also antibiotics for a bacterial infection. I did use a trigger shot.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Rafat Abbasi at Columbia Fertility Associates.
I did a double IUI for an unmedicated cycle with a trigger shot. Will have to look up my costs!
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3
Age
35 - 36
Treated
2010 - 2011
Success with this Doc
No
Treatment
13 IUI, 2 IVF, Donor Sperm
Diagnosis
Endometriosis
3
There was a lot of variability in the followup of the nurses and the bedside manner of the nurses who take your blood. The Bethesda CFA was fabulously staffed. The D.C. CFA was always much more crowded and relatively more impersonal, so I preferred getting my monitoring done in Bethesda. I had an amazing nurse in Bethesda and am mortified that I cannot remember her name!...Only once I was waiting for results on my beta HCG when I had a pregnancy that did not seem to be progressing. They were going to call me with the results before I left for a vacation but I did not hear from them.
+ Read more
Age
35 - 36
Treated
2010 - 2011
Success with this Doc
No
Race
East Asian
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
Teacher
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1st of 3 Docs
Treatment
13 IUI, 2 IVF, Donor Sperm
Diagnosis
Endometriosis
3
Describe your experience with Columbia Fertility Associates.
There was a lot of variability in the followup of the nurses and the bedside manner of the nurses who take your blood. The Bethesda CFA was fabulously staffed. The D.C. CFA was always much more crowded and relatively more impersonal, so I preferred getting my monitoring done in Bethesda. I had an amazing nurse in Bethesda and am mortified that I cannot remember her name!
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?
He was personable.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Columbia Fertility Associates. (Assigned nurse: Lorna)
There are many nurses at CFA but Lorna was particularly excellent and compassionate during one of my miscarriages that was treated as a possible ectopic pregnancy and was thus resolved with methotrexate.
What specific things went wrong at Columbia Fertility Associates?
- Failed to call with results
How was your experience with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?
Dr Sacks is a very kind man. He has a good bedside manner. My only critique is that he did not seem to be that focused on my treatment plan. I did 12 IUI's (half medicated and half unmediated) and had 3 miscarriages. I know that hindsight is 20/20 but I would have liked to see him try harder to determine a cause for the miscarriages and recommend more aggressive treatment.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?
I would tell a prospective patient that she should make sure she doesn't stay on the same protocol for too long if success is not happening with whatever Dr Sacks is doing. Although it is super hard to go on the internet and research other things, and we tend to assume that the doctor with the training knows what he is doing, and there is always value in being patient while TTC, sometimes you have to push!
Describe the protocols Preston Sacks used in your cycles at Columbia Fertility Associates and their degree of success.
I myself wanted to do unmediated IUI to start since I had a good HSG, good ovarian reserve and was 34 years old. I did 5 rounds.
Then I went medicated with a trigger shot and Clomid. I had a miscarriage on my second medicated IUI. I had two more miscarriages with medicated IUI.
Then I went for the gonadatropins but the change in protocol was at my request. I did not get pregnant on any IUI with gonadatropins. At this point I decided to change doctors and take a break!
Describe the costs associated with your care under Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates.
I did only IUI with Dr Sacks. I will have to go back to my records to look at the price for unmedicated but the fee for medicated was around $1000 per cycle not including meds.
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10
Age
34 - 35
Treated
2010 - 2011
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
3 IUI, Donor Sperm
Diagnosis
Other
10
They [Columbia - VA] have a number of locations which is good and they have a central location that is open on the weekends if you need it. They seemed well run. The insurance person was amazing. She knew more about my coverage than the people on the help line at the insurance company....I paid for the sperm and I paid for the defrosting and prep of the sperm. I think that the sperm was about $750 a vial and the prep was $250. My insurance covered everything else....[Nurses] were fine. Professional and organized. The clinic seemed to run on time...
+ Read more
Age
34 - 35
Treated
2010 - 2011
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European
Income
$200K - $499K
Occupation
Lawyer
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
3 IUI, Donor Sperm
Diagnosis
Other
10
Describe your experience with Columbia Fertility Associates.
They have a number of locations which is good and they have a central location that is open on the weekends if you need it. They seemed well run. The insurance person was amazing. She knew more about my coverage than the people on the help line at the insurance company. I was shocked at how much of my treatments were covered by my insurance.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Rafat Abbasi at Columbia Fertility Associates?
She was patient with my questions and honest about my chances. She agreed that IUI made sense first (given my age and medical history) and explained that after 6 cycles, she would recommend other options. ("cross that bridge when we come to it") When I got pregnant with twins (I'm a single mom), she was amazing candid about explaining how selective reduction would work--although I did not decide to go that route in the end. No judgment at all about any of it.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
As I recall they were fine. Professional and organized. The clinic seemed to run on time.
How was your experience with Rafat Abbasi at Columbia Fertility Associates?
She was upfront and honest. I found her to be warm, but honestly I'm fine with more medical facts and less bedside manner. She was super cool with me being single. It really never came up after I explained why I was there in the beginning.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Rafat Abbasi at Columbia Fertility Associates?
She has a piecemeal approach--don't think about things too far down the road if you don't need to. Don't do tests that you don't need to. I really liked that.
Describe the protocols Rafat Abbasi used in your cycles at Columbia Fertility Associates and their degree of success.
We tried two cycles without any clomid or injections. (My choice.) Then we tried one cycle with clomid and an injection. She was supportive of my decision to try and do it naturally, but was also supportive when I changed my mind.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Rafat Abbasi at Columbia Fertility Associates.
I paid for the sperm and I paid for the defrosting and prep of the sperm. I think that the sperm was about $750 a vial and the prep was $250. My insurance covered everything else.
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10
Age
35 - 38
Treated
2015 - 2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
5 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Anovulation, Male Factor, Uterine Fibroids
10
When you walk in to CFA especially for monitoring visits it can be quite overwhelming. I’m greeted by the receptionist who actually knows my name and the wait time to see Dr Butler is very minimal. Even when it’s time to go back for the ultrasound he checks in to see how I’m doing and that’s so important.... Clomid times intercourse Injectables with IUI (Gonal F) responded well. One successful cycle but ended 13 week miscarriage
+ Read more
Age
35 - 38
Treated
2015 - 2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
Black or African-American
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Nurse or HC Services
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1st of 2 Docs
Treatment
5 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Anovulation, Male Factor, Uterine Fibroids
10
Describe your experience with Columbia Fertility Associates.
The clinic overall is run very smoothly. Everyone cares, everyone!
The only weakness is the parking situation in DC. Some days you can find street parking other days $20 for 15 minutes in the parking garage.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Maurice Butler at Columbia Fertility Associates?
When you walk in to CFA especially for monitoring visits it can be quite overwhelming. I’m greeted by the receptionist who actually knows my name and the wait time to see Dr Butler is very minimal. Even when it’s time to go back for the ultrasound he checks in to see how I’m doing and that’s so important. Going through cycles especially when my husband is overseas can be very draining the check-in makes me feel like I’m not just another number.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Columbia Fertility Associates. (Assigned nurse: Heather)
Heather was ahhhmazing! Daily calls and responded to emails in a timely fashion. Compassionate, organized, and dedicated.
How was your experience with Maurice Butler at Columbia Fertility Associates?
Dr Butler doesn’t beat around the bush at all but at the same time he is compassionate. I’ll say again it’s been very hard to go through some cycles without my husband by my side. I’m thankful for supportive family and friends but it makes it easier to know that he truly cares.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Maurice Butler at Columbia Fertility Associates?
Ask questions he is a wonderful teacher! He’s able to explain in the some of the simplest ways.
Describe the protocols Maurice Butler used in your cycles at Columbia Fertility Associates and their degree of success.
Clomid times intercourse
Injectables with IUI (Gonal F) responded well. One successful cycle but ended 13 week miscarriage
Describe the costs associated with your care under Maurice Butler at Columbia Fertility Associates.
With insurance 50%. Now we have no coverage, we pay 100% of all cost.
Describe Maurice Butler's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Columbia Fertility Associates.
N/A
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9
Age
41 - 42
Treated
2016 - 2017
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
3 IUI, 4 IVF, Donor Sperm
Diagnosis
Unexplained
9
The staff [at Columbia Fertility Associates - DC] will try to get each patient through the morning walk-ins for ultrasound and blood work in a decent time frame...Both [nurse] Heather and Sarah explained the process each time. They would share if any of the pharmacies had a sale of the fertility medications because everything adds up in cost...So far I've spend roughly $45.000 on treatments. An additional $8,000 on medications and $6,000 of donor sperm...
+ Read more
Age
41 - 42
Treated
2016 - 2017
Success with this Doc
?
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
3 IUI, 4 IVF, Donor Sperm
Diagnosis
Unexplained
9
Describe your experience with Columbia Fertility Associates.
The staff will try to get each patient through the morning walk-ins for ultrasound and blood work in a decent time frame.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?
Dr. Sacks has taken the time to explain everything throughout the cycle process. I was never left with unanswered questions.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Columbia Fertility Associates. (Assigned nurse: Heather and Sarah)
Both Heather and Sarah explained the process each time. They would share if any of the pharmacies had a sale of the fertility medications because everything adds up in cost.
How was your experience with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?
Dr. Sacks shares his knowledge of both the IUI and IVF process. He is straight forward and does not require additional procedures if they are not needed. He takes his time and understands this is a frustrating and stressful undertaking for his patients.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?
If having a child is truly your goal, have patience and understand the road may be (really) long but so worth the process when rewarded with a child.
Describe the protocols Preston Sacks used in your cycles at Columbia Fertility Associates and their degree of success.
I was diagnosed with unexplained infertility after trying to have a second child. Dr. Sacks is not a big believer in overwhelming the body with a large amount of fetility drugs. A set drug regimen hoping to obtain a small amount of good quality eggs over a large batch of low quality eggs is the goal.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates.
So far I've spend roughly $45.000 on treatments. An additional $8,000 on medications and $6,000 of donor sperm.
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7
Age
40
Treated
2015
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
1 IUI, Donor Sperm
Diagnosis
—
7
The front-desk staff [at Columbia - DC] was a bit brusque during my interactions with them....I only interacted with the nursing staff minimally. Most of my interactions were with Dr. Sarhan....All fertility testing was covered under my employer-provided health insurance....Dr. Sarhan was extremely personable, and very calming. She was knowledgeable, but I also felt like she really cared about what was going on with me -- and went as far as she realistically could in reassuring me during the tests and exams.
+ Read more
Age
40
Treated
2015
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
Black or African-American
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1st of 2 Docs
Treatment
1 IUI, Donor Sperm
Diagnosis
—
7
Describe your experience with Columbia Fertility Associates.
The front-desk staff was a bit brusque during my interactions with them.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Abbaa Sarhan at Columbia Fertility Associates?
Dr. Sarhan was extremely personable, and very calming. She was knowledgeable, but I also felt like she really cared about what was going on with me -- and went as far as she realistically could in reassuring me during the tests and exams.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
I only interacted with the nursing staff minimally. Most of my interactions were with Dr. Sarhan.
How was your experience with Abbaa Sarhan at Columbia Fertility Associates?
Great provider. She is knowledgeable, and empathetic. I felt she really related to me as a person, and didn't appear to offer any biases. Given my age, she was also up-front that, while diminished fertility might not affect me, it could. She also offered a modest course of treatment, instead of jumping to the most invasive/expensive immediately.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Abbaa Sarhan at Columbia Fertility Associates?
Listen to what she has to say, weigh the options she provides you, and make an assessment of the direction you want to go in after that. She can help, but the decision to move forward is ultimately up to the patient.
Describe the protocols Abbaa Sarhan used in your cycles at Columbia Fertility Associates and their degree of success.
I did not ultimately use Dr. Sarhan to complete my fertility journey, but she was great for the baseline testing and assessments.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Abbaa Sarhan at Columbia Fertility Associates.
All fertility testing was covered under my employer-provided health insurance.
Describe Abbaa Sarhan's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Columbia Fertility Associates.
N/A
– Read less
N/A
Age
29 - 30
Treated
2013 - 2014
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
1 Fertility Medications
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve
N/A
Try to be in contact with him [Dr. Sacks] directly as much as you can. The nurses are fine, but the quality varies, and I find him to be much more responsive and on top of things... Dr. Sacks was wonderful!
+ Read more
Age
29 - 30
Treated
2013 - 2014
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European, Ashkenazi Jewish
Income
$200K - $499K
Occupation
Lawyer
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
1 Fertility Medications
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve
N/A
How was your experience with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?
Dr. Sacks was wonderful! I was a secondary infertility patient, who saw him on the recommendation of several dear friends after we struggled to get pregnant a second time. He seemed to strike an appropriate balance for a secondary infertility patient between running tests on the things that had changed (in my case, a precipitous decline in my ovarian reserve) and proceeding to treatment on the assumption that other things were unproblematic (my husband's fertility, tubal issues, etc.). He was incredibly compassionate during a very difficult time; I had had a complicated miscarriage right before I started seeing him, and he was very supportive and thorough when I subsequently became pregnant and had some complications that required a lot of early monitoring. I found him very responsive by e-mail, and very willing to provide me with the research base supporting his treatment decisions, which I really appreciated. We've since left the area, but I would absolutely consult with him when and if we try to get pregnant again.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?
Try to be in contact with him directly as much as you can. The nurses are fine, but the quality varies, and I find him to be much more responsive and on top of things.
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10
Age
32
Treated
2014
Success with this Doc
No
Treatment
1 IUI
Diagnosis
Male Factor, Unexplained
10
[Dr. Sachs] is also extremely accessible via email and I always had positive experience with his nurses and the rest of the hospital staff. We would wholeheartedly recommend Dr. Sacks and Columbia Fertility and would use them again in a heartbeat (but are hoping we don't have to!)...We went in to talk to Dr. Sacks about moving forward with IVF, and he suggested we try one more IUI, as they like to try 3 times before moving onto something else.
+ Read more
Age
32
Treated
2014
Success with this Doc
No
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Operations
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
1 IUI
Diagnosis
Male Factor, Unexplained
10
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?
Dr Sacks was wonderfully, understanding, and hopeful.
How was your experience with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?
I'm actually 16 weeks pregnant now - our 3rd IUI with Dr. Sacks worked! My husband and I had originally agreed to try IUI twice before moving onto IVF (which I'm sure you know has a much higher success rate). We went in to talk to Dr. Sacks about moving forward with IVF, and he suggested we try one more IUI, as they like to try 3 times before moving onto something else. We agreed to try one more IUI and it worked! We are thankful that he steered us in this direction, and didn't just let us go ahead with IVF (which is much more profitable). He has always been attentive and confident that we would be able to have a baby, and always suggested what would be best for us. He is also extremely accessible via email and I always had positive experience with his nurses and the rest of the hospital staff. We would wholeheartedly recommend Dr. Sacks and Columbia Fertility and would use them again in a heartbeat (but are hoping we don't have to!)
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?
You're in good hands!
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10
Age
30
Treated
2013
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
2 IUI
Diagnosis
—
10
I do remember feeling welcome and at ease [at Columbia], and have no complaints. As someone who previously did not want to seek fertility help, I would suggest that new patients keep an open mind....She [Dr. Sarhan] was great throughout the whole process. She was thorough in recording my medical history, and we talked about what had brought me and my husband to the point of seeking fertility help. My experience with her was very positive.
+ Read more
Age
30
Treated
2013
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
Other
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
Teacher
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
2 IUI
Diagnosis
—
10
Describe your experience with Columbia Fertility Associates.
I don't remember much because it has been several years since I had treatment at this clinic. I do remember feeling welcome and at ease, and have no complaints. As someone who previously did not want to seek fertility help, I would suggest that new patients keep an open mind. I always thought I would become pregnant the good old-fashioned way, but I'm so happy I sought help. Now I have beautiful twin girls!
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Abbaa Sarhan at Columbia Fertility Associates?
She was very welcoming and warm, and made me feel at ease right away. I could tell she genuinely cared about me.
How was your experience with Abbaa Sarhan at Columbia Fertility Associates?
She was great throughout the whole process. She was thorough in recording my medical history, and we talked about what had brought me and my husband to the point of seeking fertility help. My experience with her was very positive. I can't remember a time when I felt uncomfortable around her or the different treatments we discussed. She was patient, understanding, and answered all of my questions.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Abbaa Sarhan at Columbia Fertility Associates?
Be open to different treatments, especially those you may not have considered.
Describe the protocols Abbaa Sarhan used in your cycles at Columbia Fertility Associates and their degree of success.
I don't remember the specifics, because it has been several years since I had treatment. I took Clomid and had IUI, and I believe I did this for two cycles. If I remember correctly, I became pregnant the second cycle.
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7
Age
43 - 50
Treated
2004 - 2011
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
4 IUI, Donor Sperm
Diagnosis
PCOS
7
Staff [at Columbia Fertility] was outstanding - compassionate, thoughtful, clear, encouraging. fabulous...Sacks is caring but with me at least, was not as creative or thoughtful as he could have been. It took me three years to get pregnant and I felt more like he was following his standard playbook than thinking through what I really needed...Felt that Sacks ( who I love) still spent too much time looking at the numbers and not at ME.
+ Read more
Age
43 - 50
Treated
2004 - 2011
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
—
Income
$200K - $499K
Occupation
Consultant
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
4 IUI, Donor Sperm
Diagnosis
PCOS
7
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?
I eventually succeeded with a drug that I found through my own research. Felt that Sacks ( who I love) still spent too much time looking at the numbers and not at ME.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
Staff was outstanding - compassionate, thoughtful, clear, encouraging. fabulous
How was your experience with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?
Sacks is caring but with me at least, was not as creative or thoughtful as he could have been. It took me three years to get pregnant and I felt more like he was following his standard playbook than thinking through what I really needed. I finally did some of my own research and after 3 years of trying, I suggested I should be on Metformin. Given my history of PCOS this seemed like an obvious choice and he was not especially receptive when I suggested it. But we did try it and I was pregnant within 6 weeks. A miracle!
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?
Push to see him directly (as opposed to just reviewing your data) and encourage him to review your chart beyond the numbers. I was just within the range of normal in several categories so he never identified me as a candidate for different treatment. But in retrospect, the aggregation of these data points created a very different picture when put all together.
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8
Age
39 - 42
Treated
2009 - 2012
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
1 IUI, 1 IVF, 1 Egg Freezing
Diagnosis
Poor Egg Quality
8
I trust Dr. Sacks more than I trusted his nurses [at Columbia Fertility Associates], so I would stay in close touch with him and always double[check] directions...I thought the nurse gave very confusing directions leading up to the transfer.
+ Read more
Age
39 - 42
Treated
2009 - 2012
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
—
Income
$500K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
1 IUI, 1 IVF, 1 Egg Freezing
Diagnosis
Poor Egg Quality
8
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?
Dr. Sacks was responsive and attentive. He has a great bedside manner; he's caring but straightforward. His staff didn't always communicate very well, though he responded quickly whenever I raised concerns.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
The nurse assigned to me for our first child was very good and seemed to be on the ball. I went through two other embryo transfers and had a mixed experience. For our last embryo transfer, which did not work, I thought the nurse gave very confusing directions leading up to the transfer. When I raised concerns with her, she was a little cold.
What specific things went wrong at Columbia Fertility Associates?
- Provided conflicting information
How was your experience with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?
I thought he was great. I trusted his judgment and always found him to be very responsive. He gave us his email address and always followed up quickly on any questions or concerns. I had several miscarriages before we saw him and now have two healthy children.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?
I trust Dr. Sacks more than I trusted his nurses, so I would stay in close touch with him and always doubleck directions.
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10
Age
38 - 42
Treated
2007 - 2011
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
6 IUI, 3 IVF, Donor Sperm
Diagnosis
—
10
This was over seven years ago, so things might have changed now, but CFA [Columbia Fertility Associates] was known for great doctors and a not very strong admin team...They thawed my frozen embryo for a transfer once - but for a wrong date. They refroze it, apologized profusely and refunded costs of that cycle to me. We still went ahead with the cycle as scheduled and transferred that frozen-thawed-frozen-thawed embryo, but that cycle didn't work.
+ Read more
Age
38 - 42
Treated
2007 - 2011
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
Operations
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
6 IUI, 3 IVF, Donor Sperm
Diagnosis
—
10
Describe your experience with Columbia Fertility Associates.
This was over seven years ago, so things might have changed now, but CFA was known for great doctors and a not very strong admin team.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?
Dr. Preston Sacks has a very warm and SMC-friendly personality. He was very personal and sympathetic during the treatment and is a great doctor!
Describe your experience with your nurse at Columbia Fertility Associates.
I spent almost two years trying to conceive, so had several nurses during that period. I was happy with all of them.
What specific things went wrong at Columbia Fertility Associates?
- Lost appointments
- Scheduled the wrong procedure
How was your experience with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?
I had an overall great experience with Dr. Sacks. He is very knowledgeable, sympathetic and a great communicator. CFA and Dr. Sacks was first recommended to me by another single mothers by choice (SMCs) in the DC area for his single-mom friendly attitude. I had a very positive experience with Dr. Sacks.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?
I have no advice...
Describe the protocols Preston Sacks used in your cycles at Columbia Fertility Associates and their degree of success.
Frankly, I don't remember the protocols as my daughter is 7 years old now. We tried 6 or 7 IUIs (few last ones were medicated) and then moved on to IVFs.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates.
Oh, I don't remember anymore as I had a good insurance at that time and they did help me navigate it.
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7
Age
42 - 43
Treated
2010 - 2011
Success with this Doc
No
Treatment
20 IUI, IVF
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Male Factor, Tubal Blockage, Other
7
The [Columbia] office staff could care less about patients...if you are 42 or over, go to NY. DC labs can't handle older eggs. Check the SART stats to confirm my statement.
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Age
42 - 43
Treated
2010 - 2011
Success with this Doc
No
Race
Ashkenazi Jewish
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Professor
Order & Number of Docs Seen
3rd of 8 Docs
Treatment
20 IUI, IVF
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Male Factor, Tubal Blockage, Other
7
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?
The office staff could care less about patients. The doctor was good at first. Not later.
How was your experience with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?
Dr. sacks is one of the best in DC. I would probably send people to Dr. Abbasid instead since she does immunological issues. Two big problems here: sacks has a huge ego and when we mentioned we wanted to see Dr David in NY about immunological issues and adjunct alternative care, Sacks flipped out and was very rude to us. A very bad experience. Second, if you are 42 or over, go to NY. DC labs can't handle older eggs. Check the SART stats to confirm my statement.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?
See Dr. Abbasi instead, or prep yourself for a big ego and stupid, irrelevant conversations about restaurants and the fancy private club Sacks belongs to.... He is a good doc, but the ego comes with, and he is closed to immunological issues. Also, he thought I had a blocked tube while two other docs looking at the same photos disagreed with.
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8
Age
34 - 40
Treated
2010 - 2016
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
10 IVF, Donor Eggs
Diagnosis
Endometriosis, Poor Egg Quality
8
I trust Dr. Sacks and that's the clinic's [Columbia Fertility Associates] primary strength from my perspective. They are not well organized at all....The nursing staff seems overburdened. They frequently fail to return phone calls, to follow up with test results or to call with time sensitive information like when to begin medication.
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Age
34 - 40
Treated
2010 - 2016
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
—
Income
$500K
Occupation
Lawyer
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
10 IVF, Donor Eggs
Diagnosis
Endometriosis, Poor Egg Quality
8
Describe your experience with Columbia Fertility Associates.
I trust Dr. Sacks and that's the clinic's primary strength from my perspective. They are not well organized at all.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?
Dr. Sacks does a good job of treating patients like humans, but the staff - both nurses and administration are completely incompetent. The routinely fail to call with directions about next steps for medications or results from tests.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
The nursing staff seems overburdened. They frequently fail to return phone calls, to follow up with test results or to call with time sensitive information like when to begin medication.
What specific things went wrong at Columbia Fertility Associates?
- Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
- Lost appointments
- Failed to call with results
- Failed to inform you of changes in protocol
- Lost results
- Provided conflicting information
- Failed to convey critical information
- Canceled a cycle due to clinic error
How was your experience with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?
Dr. Sack's is willing to provide detailed information, response to questions, he'll respond to emails, he had endless consultations with me. I don't have any complaints about Dr. Sacks.
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9
Age
34 - 35
Treated
2013 - 2014
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
2 Fertility Medications
Diagnosis
—
9
You will not see him at every visit [at Columbia - DC], but trust that the nurses know what they are doing...
+ Read more
Age
34 - 35
Treated
2013 - 2014
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European, Latino
Income
$200K - $499K
Occupation
Business Executive
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
2 Fertility Medications
Diagnosis
—
9
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?
Dr. Sacks listened to what I had to say and was completely realistic with treatment options - he did not encourage me to proceed with treatments that were unnecessary. He gave me his email address which was wonderful and he personally responded to emails!
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?
You will not see him at every visit, but trust that the nurses know what they are doing.
Describe the protocols Preston Sacks used in your cycles at Columbia Fertility Associates and their degree of success.
My treatment was very limited. I took chlomid and he monitored my ovaries during the process so that we timed intercourse correctly. It was very easy and worked!
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10
Age
29
Treated
2014
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
1 IVF, Egg Freezing
Diagnosis
Other
10
I only had to wait once or twice. VERY efficient... I thought she [our nurse] was cold and disinterested. Other nurses were fantastic... he [Dr. Sacks] always took the time to talk, and worked within my natural cycle instead of pumping me full of hormones so I could be on his schedule.
+ Read more
Age
29
Treated
2014
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
—
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
1 IVF, Egg Freezing
Diagnosis
Other
10
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?
Because he always took the time to talk, and worked within my natural cycle instead of pumping me full of hormones so I could be on his schedule.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Columbia Fertility Associates. (Assigned nurse: Wendi)
I thought she was cold and disinterested. Other nurses were fantastic
How was your experience with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?
He clearly knows his stuff, and is confident in his work. We trusted him. The only thing is that he talks a whole lot!
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?
be patient with his chitchat
Describe the protocols Preston Sacks used in your cycles at Columbia Fertility Associates and their degree of success.
I don't remember but we only had to do one cycle and it was extremely successful
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Columbia Fertility Associates.
I only had to wait once or twice. VERY efficient.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates.
I believe we paid 20% (insurance paid 80%)
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1
Age
35
Treated
2013
Success with this Doc
No
Treatment
IVF
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve
1
Be forewarned that the admin and billing department can be very frustrating and this added frustration will come with an already emotionally trying and time consuming process.
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Age
35
Treated
2013
Success with this Doc
No
Race
European, Other
Income
$500K
Occupation
Entrepreneur
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1st of 3 Docs
Treatment
IVF
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve
1
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?
I truly felt that Dr. Sacks cared about his patients. We did not initiate a cycle with him because we did not feel the team around him was the right fit for us.
What specific things went wrong at Columbia Fertility Associates?
- Lost paperwork
- Failed to call with results
- Provided conflicting information
- Failed to convey critical information
How was your experience with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?
Dr. Sacks was recommended by my OB/GYN. During our initial visits, he was very pleasant and informative. We ultimately did not cycle with him because we were unbelievably frustrated with our inability to get him to return phone calls in a timely manner, and the ineptitude of the billing department.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?
Be forewarned that the admin and billing department can be very frustrating and this added frustration will come with an already emotionally trying and time consuming process.
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10
Age
43 - 46
Treated
2009 - 2012
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
1 IUI, 6 IVF, Donor Eggs
Diagnosis
Uterine Fibroids, Immunological, Unexplained
10
It's [Columbia Fertility Associates] a smaller clinic so it didn't feel like a factory. The doctor spent many visits talking to me and spending more time than expected. Monitoring appointments were done early in the morning. I always tried to get there as early as possible so I wouldn't have to wait a long time. At times it was stressful if only 1 nurse was available.
+ Read more
Age
43 - 46
Treated
2009 - 2012
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
1 IUI, 6 IVF, Donor Eggs
Diagnosis
Uterine Fibroids, Immunological, Unexplained
10
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Rafat Abbasi at Columbia Fertility Associates?
It's a smaller clinic so it didn't feel like a factory. The doctor spent many visits talking to me and spending more time than expected. They always returned calls and made suggestions for treatments.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
It was a small group and they listened and were attentive.
How was your experience with Rafat Abbasi at Columbia Fertility Associates?
Dr. Abassi was trustworthy and compassionate, but straight to the point. She did not sugar-coat anything. She made recommendations that ultimately resulted in a pregnancy. She was compassionate.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Rafat Abbasi at Columbia Fertility Associates?
She has your best interest at heart. She does not sugar coat anything.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Columbia Fertility Associates.
Monitoring appointments were done early in the morning. I always tried to get there as early as possible so I wouldn't have to wait a long time. At times it was stressful if only 1 nurse was available.
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