When I first met Dr. Robin [Poe-Zeigler] I felt she was wonderful, very warm, compassionate, and understanding; after that, I felt as if she forgot who I was unless she was holding my chart. I only saw her six times in eight years; my first consultation, one IUI, my egg retrieval and embryo implantation for IVF, once in the hallway, and at my consultation after my miscarriage. Even though I was still going to the practice at the beginning of this year, I hadn't actually seen her in person since 2010...
[New Hope of VA clinic] Strengths: Dr. Perez - he is charismatic, warm, friendly, and takes his time with you. He preformed both of my DNCs and I was very happy with him. Weaknesses: Waiting room times, inept and inattentive PAs that are never there very long, almost never seeing Dr. Robin, communication and accuracy issues with med refills and referrals, and things not being explained enough or often enough...
How was your experience with Robin Poe-Zeigler at New Hope Center for Reproductive Medicine?
When I first met Dr. Robin I felt she was wonderful, very warm, compassionate, and understanding; after that, I felt as if she forgot who I was unless she was holding my chart. I only saw her six times in eight years; my first consultation, one IUI, my egg retrieval and embryo implantation for IVF, once in the hallway, and at my consultation after my miscarriage. Even though I was still going to the practice at the beginning of this year, I hadn't actually seen her in person since 2010. Up until I was "shopped out" to another doctor, I felt she only remembered me when reviewing old patient files.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Robin Poe-Zeigler at New Hope Center for Reproductive Medicine?
Expect to almost never see her except at a consultation appointment, an in-office procedure, if she's filling in, or you bump into her in the hallway.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Robin Poe-Zeigler at New Hope Center for Reproductive Medicine?
I only felt like a human when being seen/treated in person by Dr. Robin or Dr. Perez; though I always felt that they forgot me as soon as I walked out the door. The myriad of revolving PAs I saw during my time there, never took the time to get to know me. Most tried to tell me they knew my body better than I did, and they repeatedly ignored issues and problems I brought to their attention. For example: Even after alerting one PA to certain issues, she ignored me and my subsequent endo-biopsy procedure sent me into shock; then the PA swore that there was no way I could be in shock after I told her.
Describe the protocols Robin Poe-Zeigler used in your cycles at New Hope Center for Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
It's been so long, I really don't remember much. I know I did Clomid with the IUIs. For the IVF we used birth control pills, Follistim and Braville? with progesterone in oil injections and vaginal progesterone inserts (I hated those - I reported that the medication turned black after being inserted - which was not a listed side-effect - and nothing was ever done. I even reported it to the pharmaceutical company who just referred me back to my doctor.) There was one other med we used besides what we used to induce ovulation, but I can't remember what it was.
After I was pregnant, we continued the progesterone in oil and something else I can't remember.
We used ICSI and Assisted Hatching during the IVF because the outer membrane of my eggs was so thick due to the PCOS. I do remember her telling me, at age 33, that I had the eggs of a 40 year old but produced the embryos of a 25 year old.
Describe your experience with your nurse at New Hope Center for Reproductive Medicine. (Assigned nurse: Willa (IVF team), then Kelly, then Willa (not for IVF though), then Erica)
Willa was always awesome, organized, and communicated better than anyone. She was the head nurse for IVF cycles.
Kelly was good until we had a major med refill incident, then the Office Manager sent me back to Willa even though I was not undergoing IVF.
Last year, for some reason, I received Erica as my nurse and had nothing but problems; from med refills to trying to get everything the new doctor they were sending me to wanted so that I could make an appointment. What should have been easy took months.
Describe your experience with New Hope Center for Reproductive Medicine.
Strengths: Dr. Perez - he is charismatic, warm, friendly, and takes his time with you. He preformed both of my DNCs and I was very happy with him.
Weaknesses: Waiting room times, inept and inattentive PAs that are never there very long, almost never seeing Dr. Robin, communication and accuracy issues with med refills and referrals, and things not being explained enough or often enough.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Robin Poe-Zeigler at New Hope Center for Reproductive Medicine.
I don't remember the IUI med costs. The IVF costs were about $10,000 for the meds, and almost $20,000 for the IVF because I required ICSI and assisted hatching. Chriopreservation and embryonic genetic testing were not offered at that time, so that was also not included.
What specific things went wrong at New Hope Center for Reproductive Medicine?
- Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
- Lost paperwork
- Lost appointments
- Failed to call with results
- Failed to order appropriate test
- Failed to send your chart to another clinic
- Provided conflicting information
- Failed to convey critical information
- Failed to consider drug intolerance
Describe the specific things that went wrong at New Hope Center for Reproductive Medicine.
Waiting room times were horrendous - about 30-45 minutes in the waiting room and another 15-30 minutes in the exam room. Lab waiting times were about 15 minutes.
IVF should have been a recommendation up front because of my PCOS; it was not suggested until we'd wasted money on 3 failed IUIs.
My IVF journey was delayed almost a year by a nurse not explaining the information she gave me on my odds of conceiving and my resulting depression over it.
After I was pregnant with twins and nearing the end of my monitoring cycle, I requested an OB/GYN referral I never received. I chose my own doctor. No one explained what to look for, and I was unaware that I should be seeing a "high-risk" pregnancy doc, and ended up not being monitored closely enough and gave birth at 20 weeks.
Staff repeatedly dropped the ball with my med refills. The two major incidents required me to contact the Office Manager to resolve the issues.
I found myself suddenly "shopped out" to an outside Endocrinologist after my last annual and labs. I was told I was now diabetic, even though the new doc says I am not. I believe I was sent elsewhere because I had not been enrolled in an IVF cycle for 5 years while I saved up for another round of IVF. During the referral process, staff dropped the ball forwarding records and paperwork to the new doc. It took 3 months of constant back and forth with both offices; I had to contact the Office Manager again to resolve those issues.
I requested a copy of my med records at the end of April 2016. It's October and I finally just got my requested copy.
I gave New Hope chance after chance for eight years; I'm taking my dreams, and my money, elsewhere.
0
Clinic
New Hope Center for Reproductive Medicine
Virginia Beach