Pacific NW Fertility

From the first time I met her [Dr. Lora Shahine] I felt so comfortable. You can tell she genuinely cares for her patients, getting to the cause of your fertility problems and coming up with an individual care plan to help achieve your end goal. I feel welcomed and listened to each time I’m with her and her clinical team...has a sweet demeanor, has great bedside manor and is very to the point. She is great at listening and answering every question I present. I began seeing her after my previous RE retired within the practice. The transition was seemless and I am so pleased with the attention to detail and protocol she has put in place for me.

[The nurses at Pacific NW Fertility were] Very attentive and thorough in answering my questions and in a timely matter...Front office staff hasn’t been calling to remind me of my upcoming appointments. Also, I have had a few issues with the billing department. Make sure you take notes and review billing statements. Thankfully I am very organized. Everyone is very friendly. The clinic is clean. And I’m always brought back on time or if not they have communicated with me. I appreciate that.

How was your experience with Lora Shahine at Pacific NW Fertility?

Dr. Shahine has a sweet demeanor, has great bedside manor and is very to the point. She is great at listening and answering every question I present. I began seeing her after my previous RE retired within the practice. The transition was seemless and I am so pleased with the attention to detail and protocol she has put in place for me.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Lora Shahine at Pacific NW Fertility?

Initially starting with a fertility consult can be very scary and intimidating and although she wasn’t my initial Dr on this journey I had to start over with a new protocol with her and I was immediately heard and cared for. She is relatable and incredibly knowledgeable. She is every active in the community, an author and advocate. Overall a great physician!

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Lora Shahine at Pacific NW Fertility?

From the first time I met her I felt so comfortable. You can tell she genuinely cares for her patients, getting to the cause of your fertility problems and coming up with an individual care plan to help achieve your end goal. I feel welcomed and listened to each time I’m with her and her clinical team.

Describe the protocols Lora Shahine used in your cycles at Pacific NW Fertility and their degree of success.

Dr. Shahine has set up a FET protocol for my which included birth control pills, a saline sonogram, Lupron, Estrogen patches and Progesterone in Oil injections. Lupron was part of my protocol due to the suspicion of endometriosis.

Describe your experience with your nurse at Pacific NW Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Emily Gray)

Very attentive and thorough in answering my questions and in a timely matter

Describe your experience with Pacific NW Fertility.

Front office staff hasn’t been calling to remind me of my upcoming appointments. Also, I have had a few issues with the billing department. Make sure you take notes and review billing statements. Thankfully I am very organized. Everyone is very friendly. The clinic is clean. And I’m always brought back on time or if not they have communicated with me. I appreciate that.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Lora Shahine at Pacific NW Fertility.

I did get a sheet with the 2018 FET cost estimate. I don’t have the specifics on hand but with meds it was around $6,000 per transfer.

Describe Lora Shahine's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Pacific NW Fertility.

All of the physicians with in the clinic agree that 1 healthy pregnancy at a time is best. Best for Mom and baby as a pregnancy with multiples run a higher chance of encountering risks. However, they will consider transferring 2 on a case by case basis.

10

Doctor

Lora Shahine

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

10

Clinic

Pacific NW Fertility

Seattle

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

2018, Successful

10

Age 27

1 IVF

1 Egg Freezing

Recurrent Pregnancy Loss

Income $100K - $199K

Only Doc Seen

Strongly Recommends

Successful

Review of

Doctor Shahine is very sympathetic to fertility struggles. Especially miscarriages. It doesn’t feel like you are a statistic or a dollar sign- she really does want to help you emotionally as well as physically to get results you want.... In my case I have a “balanced translocation” a condition with my chromosomes that can be passed down to my eggs that lead to miscarriages. Since a large number of my eggs would not result in a viable pregnancy, Doctor Shahine told me we would be more aggressive with the egg retrieval medication.

The clinic [Pacific NW Fertility] is always clean and has a relaxing atmosphere. I’ve been seen in a timely manor and everyone I’ve come in contact with has been very kind and helpful. Getting to the office can be confusing the first time. The office is good about giving you instructions beforehand how to get there. You will have to pay for parking ($8) each appointment, that is a downside, however for good treatment it is worth it.

How was your experience with Lora Shahine at Pacific NW Fertility?

Doctor Shahine is really good at giving you all the options and staying neutral to allow you to make the best decision for you. However if you ask her “what would you do if you were in my situation?” She will give you an honest answer and list the reasons why. Which I appreciate. Doctor Shahine is really good at explaining treatment procedures and keeping you informed of what needs to happen.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Lora Shahine at Pacific NW Fertility?

You can never ask too many questions. Do some research on each treatment beforehand and come in with some questions written down.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Lora Shahine at Pacific NW Fertility?

Doctor Shahine is very sympathetic to fertility struggles. Especially miscarriages. It doesn’t feel like you are a statistic or a dollar sign- she really does want to help you emotionally as well as physically to get results you want.

Describe the protocols Lora Shahine used in your cycles at Pacific NW Fertility and their degree of success.

In my case I have a “balanced translocation” a condition with my chromosomes that can be passed down to my eggs that lead to miscarriages. Since a large number of my eggs would not result in a viable pregnancy, Doctor Shahine told me we would be more aggressive with the egg retrieval medication. That way we’d have better odds of getting a “good egg.” The results were effective as we ended up with one embryo to transfer.

Describe your experience with your nurse at Pacific NW Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Tara)

I don’t know how she manages to do this for every patient, but Tara is SO organized and quick to respond to any questions you have. She is sincere while being professional. She is fantastic at explaining procedures and giving you instructions on how to administer medication.

Describe your experience with Pacific NW Fertility.

The clinic is always clean and has a relaxing atmosphere. I’ve been seen in a timely manor and everyone I’ve come in contact with has been very kind and helpful. Getting to the office can be confusing the first time. The office is good about giving you instructions beforehand how to get there. You will have to pay for parking ($8) each appointment, that is a downside, however for good treatment it is worth it.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Lora Shahine at Pacific NW Fertility.

A large portion of our treatment was covered by insurance. Treatment costs included egg retrieval, kearotype testing, fertility medication, PGD and PGS testing.

10

Doctor

Lora Shahine

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

10

Clinic

Pacific NW Fertility

Seattle

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

2018, Unknown Success

8

10

Age 31

1 IVF

Male Factor

Tubal Blockage

European

Income $100K - $199K

Only Doc Seen

Neutral

Strongly Recommends

Success w/ Doc Too early to know

Review of

Dr. Lamb has always been a candid and proactive part of my treatment. My partner and I came to the clinic with some complicated issues, so we are still undergoing treatment and discussing potential future treatments. I appreciated Dr. Lamb's personalized approach to my care, and I know that she truly wants us to leave the clinic with a baby.... I shared my ideas for potential protocol changes, and Dr. Lamb always explained to me why those changes would be good or bad with evidence to back up her answers. Don't be afraid to play an active role in your care and approach IVF as a team process.

I always feel like a human at Pacific Northwest Fertility. Everyone knows me by name and offers a kind word or a greeting when they see me.... The nursing staff is extremely busy, so it does take 24-48 hours to receive a response. I recommend sending all questions at once, rather than spacing them out over several e-mails and phone calls. The nursing staff is knowledgeable and professional, even when faced with the tough task of sharing bad news with the patient.

How was your experience with Julie Lamb at Pacific NW Fertility?

Dr. Lamb has always been a candid and proactive part of my treatment. My partner and I came to the clinic with some complicated issues, so we are still undergoing treatment and discussing potential future treatments. I appreciated Dr. Lamb's personalized approach to my care, and I know that she truly wants us to leave the clinic with a baby. It's just a matter of finding the right path to get there. Dr. Lamb has been patient with my severe anxiety, and I appreciate her direct and scientific answers to my questions. I am very happy with my experience as a patient.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Julie Lamb at Pacific NW Fertility?

Don't be afraid to ask questions and ask for more explanations. I shared my ideas for potential protocol changes, and Dr. Lamb always explained to me why those changes would be good or bad with evidence to back up her answers. Don't be afraid to play an active role in your care and approach IVF as a team process.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Julie Lamb at Pacific NW Fertility?

I always feel like a human at Pacific Northwest Fertility. Everyone knows me by name and offers a kind word or a greeting when they see me. I definitely do not feel like a stranger coming into the clinic as just another number. The nurses and front desk staff are all incredibly warm and caring.

Describe the protocols Julie Lamb used in your cycles at Pacific NW Fertility and their degree of success.

We used a higher dose of Follistim during cycling and triggered with HCG. All of my eggs produced were mature, but we didn't get as many healthy embryos as expected. We used IVF + ICSI. We are in the process of troubleshooting our approach for our next cycle since we are dealing with severe male factor infertility and less eggs making it to blast.

Describe your experience with your nurse at Pacific NW Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Clare Hatch)

The nursing staff is extremely busy, so it does take 24-48 hours to receive a response. I recommend sending all questions at once, rather than spacing them out over several e-mails and phone calls. The nursing staff is knowledgeable and professional, even when faced with the tough task of sharing bad news with the patient.

Describe your experience with Pacific NW Fertility.

This clinic is clean, professional, and warm. It was important for me to choose a clinic where I felt personally cared about. (I toured other clinics in the Seattle area that left me feeling like a number.) I never waited more than ten minutes for an appointment, and I was quite often seen early upon arrival. My monitoring appointments were a breeze and the clinic was running like a machine to move me through each step. Although this isn't what I planned for my life, I am happy to say that I feel like PNWF is my family.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Julie Lamb at Pacific NW Fertility.

The cost for a full cycle was approximately $18,000. This doesn't include medications and optional PGS testing.

Describe Julie Lamb's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Pacific NW Fertility.

Dr. Lamb prefers eSET/pursuing one healthy singleton pregnancy at a time.

8

Doctor

Julie Lamb

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

10

Clinic

Pacific NW Fertility

Seattle

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

2018, Unknown Success

9

10

Age 34

1 IVF

1 Embryo Freezing

Endometriosis

European

Income $100K - $199K

Operations

Only Doc Seen

Strongly Recommends

Success w/ Doc Too early to know

Review of

She [Dr. Marshall] is very straight forward but not too blunt. When talking about my chances being lower than others because of low egg count she talked us through specific number examples and let us throw in hypothetical questions. She set the expectations really well in our very first appointment so we have felt like we've been "on track" because it's working out to match what she set us up for - it's not ideal (of course I wish it was way easier) but she's been really good about knowing what we can expect.

I was able to talk to someone at the clinic [Pacific NW Fertility] whenever I needed to. My nurse took my calls and emails every day - even when I repeated myself and she didn't make me feel like I was bothering her. ...The clinic has been great. The hours work well - during a cycle you get appointments around 8 and 8:30 on the weekdays. The Saturday/Sunday appointments are all morning appointments.

How was your experience with Lorna Marshall at Pacific NW Fertility?

She is very straight forward but not too blunt. When talking about my chances being lower than others because of low egg count she talked us through specific number examples and let us throw in hypothetical questions. She set the expectations really well in our very first appointment so we have felt like we've been "on track" because it's working out to match what she set us up for - it's not ideal (of course I wish it was way easier) but she's been really good about knowing what we can expect.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Lorna Marshall at Pacific NW Fertility?

Don't be afraid to ask your questions. She is so smart and it could be intimidating to ask what might feel like a dumb question but she's actually very patient with the crazy things I've asked her. It's ok to keep asking why - she'll answer when she can and be honest when there is no explanation for a specific result.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Lorna Marshall at Pacific NW Fertility?

I was able to talk to someone at the clinic whenever I needed to. My nurse took my calls and emails every day - even when I repeated myself and she didn't make me feel like I was bothering her. She let me express my worry and explained the process as many times as I wanted to hear it very kindly.

Describe the protocols Lorna Marshall used in your cycles at Pacific NW Fertility and their degree of success.

My first IVF cycle was with hcg (20 units) and folistim (450 units). The folistim is at the highest dose because I have very few eggs for someone my age. We started a day earlier than planned and retrieved a day earlier than predicted. I stayed at those dosages the whole cycle and the trigger was planned when the largest follicle was at about 19 mm. Early on she let me know it would be best to do retrievals now if I want to plan for more than one child because my egg count is so low so we are starting a second cycle now.

Describe your experience with your nurse at Pacific NW Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Emily)

The staff at this clinic has treated me so well since our first appointment - they are actually the reason I was even open to the idea of IVF. Before meeting them I had imagined it to be too difficult and painful for me to take on. After our first appointment I felt I was in good hands and they were already reassuring me that I could do this. Emily my nurse and coordinator is the best support I could ask for. She has been so kind and patient and available during what has been the biggest challenge of my life. I can't imagine doing this all without Emily. I can't recommend her enough.

Describe your experience with Pacific NW Fertility.

The clinic has been great. The hours work well - during a cycle you get appointments around 8 and 8:30 on the weekdays. The Saturday/Sunday appointments are all morning appointments. They have wifi in the lobby so when I've had to wait for results I was able to stay busy. Everyone on the phone and in person is kind and understanding.

9

Doctor

Lorna Marshall

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

10

Clinic

Pacific NW Fertility

Seattle

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

2018, Unknown Success

8

6

Age 31

1 IUI

Recurrent Pregnancy Loss

East Asian

Income $100K - $199K

Nurse or HC Services

2nd of 2 Docs

3 IUI With Other Docs

Neutral

Doesn't Recommend

Success w/ Doc Too early to know

Review of

Dr. Shahine considered all my previous testing and medical files from my previous RE and fully reviewed everything before we came in for our consult. I felt that she really took her time to familiarize herself with our case and that means a lot. She had so much compassion and approached our current situation with kindness.... She suggested we change the dosage on some meds due to those complications. This clinic also times the IUIs differently than my last clinic to be anytime on the day after trigger shot instead of a set 36hrs after trigger like my previous clinic's IUIs.

PNWF is a much larger clinic than my previous clinic. There are many doctors on staff here and most of your appointments are handled by the nurses. As a new patient, you'll most likely not meet with your doctor right away. You meet with a nurse first and do any testing required first. (i.e.: RPL bloodwork) Then you will see Dr. Shahine to review those results at a later time. So it may take you several weeks to get in for the first appointment with the nurse and then several more weeks after that to actually meet with your Dr.

How was your experience with Lora Shahine at Pacific NW Fertility?

Dr. Shahine is a very active person in the field of fertility medicine. She is very active on her social media Instagram to help raise awareness for infertility including available grants and support groups. She is also a specialist for recurrent pregnancy loss and an author. The reason why I seeked her out for a second opinion on my recurrent pregnancy loss was to gain some new insights on why I've miscarried two babies already in the last two and a half years. So far, I'm not sure I've learned anything new, that I haven't heard from my previous RE. To be honest, I did not expect her to have the magic pill that would fix RPL, but maybe we'll learn more as our treatment at this new clinic moves forward.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Lora Shahine at Pacific NW Fertility?

Dr. Shahine is good about making sure you have your questions answered. She is also reassuring and encouraging. I say this about any Dr or situation, to be your own advocate and bring those hard questions to them.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Lora Shahine at Pacific NW Fertility?

Dr. Shahine considered all my previous testing and medical files from my previous RE and fully reviewed everything before we came in for our consult. I felt that she really took her time to familiarize herself with our case and that means a lot. She had so much compassion and approached our current situation with kindness.

Describe the protocols Lora Shahine used in your cycles at Pacific NW Fertility and their degree of success.

After reviewing and discussing our last IUI treatments with our first RE, she noticed the dosage of the fertility meds and some complications I had. She suggested we change the dosage on some meds due to those complications. This clinic also times the IUIs differently than my last clinic to be anytime on the day after trigger shot instead of a set 36hrs after trigger like my previous clinic's IUIs.

Describe your experience with your nurse at Pacific NW Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Michelle Peterson)

Communication at this clinic is mainly with your nurse coordinator or the front office relaying your phone calls and scheduling your next appointments. No portal message system but you can email your coordinator directly. So far they do call back within reasonable time. It does seem as though, when your taking to a nurse who is not your set coordinator, there is some mix ups and misunderstandings.

Describe your experience with Pacific NW Fertility.

PNWF is a much larger clinic than my previous clinic. There are many doctors on staff here and most of your appointments are handled by the nurses. As a new patient, you'll most likely not meet with your doctor right away. You meet with a nurse first and do any testing required first. (i.e.: RPL bloodwork) Then you will see Dr. Shahine to review those results at a later time. So it may take you several weeks to get in for the first appointment with the nurse and then several more weeks after that to actually meet with your Dr.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Lora Shahine at Pacific NW Fertility.

Medications for a hybrid oral/injection cycle ran about $440 and the IUI and sperm prep were covered at 80% by our insurance.

What specific things went wrong at Pacific NW Fertility?

Provided conflicting information

Describe the specific things that went wrong at Pacific NW Fertility.

Communicating with a nurse who is not your own nurse coordinator may inform you with conflicting information regarding your treatment. Which is what happened when I asked about getting a specific prescription filled by a certain time, and was told I wouldn't be taking it on a day that I actually was scheduled to start taking it.

8

Doctor

Lora Shahine

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

6

Clinic

Pacific NW Fertility

Seattle

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

2018, Unsuccessful

8

Age 32

1 Fertility Medications

Diminished Ovarian Reserve

Endometriosis

Male Factor

Unexplained

European

Income $100K - $199K

2nd of 3 Docs

4 IUI With Other Docs

Neutral

Unsuccessful

Review of

I was only able to meet Dr Swelstad once before he left the practice I saw him at. Because I was a new patient to him and he was in transition to move out of state to a different practice, I feel he had several things to juggle. I believe he couldn't be as concrete with his suggested plan/approach with IVF as he knew we would have to go through in a change of provider very soon.

Appointments are always on time, you can call 7 days a week, prompt replies from nursing team via email, and large(r) practice thus I believe they do a good job of staying current with evidence based practice to optimize pt outcomes. They [Pacific NW Fertility] also have many resources for fertility exercise classes, acupuncture, counseling etc. Only downside is this supplemental care is not reviewed with the provider

How was your experience with Brad Swelstad at Pacific NW Fertility?

I was only able to meet Dr Swelstad once before he left the practice I saw him at. Because I was a new patient to him and he was in transition to move out of state to a different practice, I feel he had several things to juggle. I believe he couldn't be as concrete with his suggested plan/approach with IVF as he knew we would have to go through in a change of provider very soon. The next provider may have a very different plan to his which could introduce doubt. He went the safest route with disseminating information to us.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Brad Swelstad at Pacific NW Fertility?

Ask clarifying questions about exact timelines for your specific scenario.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Brad Swelstad at Pacific NW Fertility?

My impression of Dr Swelstad may not be reflective of his normal care. I was transferred onto his caseload and ended up having a consultation with him just before he left that practice. I am sure he was pressured to continue seeing new patients up until he left due to clinic demands and shortage of providers so I can not fault him. In a perfect world I wish the clinic would have informed me he would be leaving the practice soon and allowed me to either keep the apt with him or wait to get in with another provider.

Describe the protocols Brad Swelstad used in your cycles at Pacific NW Fertility and their degree of success.

Interventions were previously established by another provider thus we did not change anything. We did discuss IVF as an option however did not review when we should consider this route more seriously.

Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Pacific NW Fertility.

I can not recall who my nursing team was while under care of Dr. Swelstad as I was only with him for one visit thus I communicated with previous MD's nursing team (at same clinic) since they were familiar with my case/care.

Describe your experience with Pacific NW Fertility.

Overall this clinic is excellent. Appointments are always on time, you can call 7 days a week, prompt replies from nursing team via email, and large(r) practice thus I believe they do a good job of staying current with evidence based practice to optimize pt outcomes. They also have many resources for fertility exercise classes, acupuncture, counseling etc. Only downside is this supplemental care is not reviewed with the provider. Pamphlets are nicely displayed and you have to specifically ask for details if you want further information.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Brad Swelstad at Pacific NW Fertility.

Visit was covered as I met my deductible for the year.

Describe Brad Swelstad's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Pacific NW Fertility.

We did not review this in detail.

What specific things went wrong at Pacific NW Fertility?

Failed to order appropriate test

Describe the specific things that went wrong at Pacific NW Fertility.

One provider discussed getting a number of labs drawn and forgot to include AMH on the orders (we verbally discussed this). This was not identified until 1 year later when another provider was reviewing results and surprised to see this was missed.

8

Doctor

Brad Swelstad

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

8

Clinic

Pacific NW Fertility

Seattle

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

2018, Unknown Success

9

10

Age 37

1 IVF

PCOS

European

Income $200K - $499K

Entrepreneur

2nd of 2 Docs

1 IUI With Other Docs

1 IVF With Other Docs

Strongly Recommends

Success w/ Doc Too early to know

Review of

[Dr. Lamb's] schedule books quickly, and I did not see her on the majority of my visits or my egg retrieval...I'm 37 and had one prior egg retrieval that only resulted in 5 eggs, so we did BCP agonist, a higher dose of Gonal-F with the addition of mini HCG, and a HCG trigger. I generally have a high amount of follicles but my eggs need more to mature, and this seemed to do the trick.

This clinic [Pacific NW Fertility] has a rule that for PGS embryos, they will only transfer one single. I'm not sure of the policy on non-tested embryos, since we did not go that route...So far, we've had nothing bad to report. We've had no unexpected charges, and the lab and front desk have always been great. I particularly liked my nurse anesthetist, who really put me at ease during the actual egg retrieval.

How was your experience with Julie Lamb at Pacific NW Fertility?

Dr. Lamb has been very compassionate and really clearly explained every step of the procedure, as well as the studies behind certain options that make her recommend or not recommend them. She seems incredibly up to date on the latest science.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Julie Lamb at Pacific NW Fertility?

Her schedule books quickly, and I did not see her on the majority of my visits or my egg retrieval, so you might want to plan that out ahead of time. However, all of the doctors or NPs I saw were great.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Julie Lamb at Pacific NW Fertility?

Dr. Lamb consistently takes the time to talk to me about my emotional state in addition to what's actually happening with treatment.

Describe the protocols Julie Lamb used in your cycles at Pacific NW Fertility and their degree of success.

I'm 37 and had one prior egg retrieval that only resulted in 5 eggs, so we did BCP agonist, a higher dose of Gonal-F with the addition of mini HCG, and a HCG trigger. I generally have a high amount of follicles but my eggs need more to mature, and this seemed to do the trick.

Describe your experience with your nurse at Pacific NW Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Clare Hatch)

I ADORE my nurse coordinator, who has been helpful and easy to access via email whenever I have any questions. The staff is also exceptionally good at preparing you for what's to come.

Describe your experience with Pacific NW Fertility.

So far, we've had nothing bad to report. We've had no unexpected charges, and the lab and front desk have always been great. I particularly liked my nurse anesthetist, who really put me at ease during the actual egg retrieval.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Julie Lamb at Pacific NW Fertility.

We went through insurance, so we were only out of pocket about $3000 for genetic testing. I believe the total billed to insurance was something like $18k.

Describe Julie Lamb's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Pacific NW Fertility.

This clinic has a rule that for PGS embryos, they will only transfer one single. I'm not sure of the policy on non-tested embryos, since we did not go that route.

9

Doctor

Julie Lamb

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

10

Clinic

Pacific NW Fertility

Seattle

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

2017 - 2018, Unsuccessful

10

Age 25 - 26

1 IVF

European

Income $50K - $99K

Teacher

Only Doc Seen

Strongly Recommends

Unsuccessful

Review of

Lora Shahine makes us feel like family every time we enter her office! WE love her deeply and her care for us shows in her words and actions.... She always has a smile on her face and cares for her patients deeply. She has been a light in our darkest hours and I am grateful for her. Even in the hard times she shows hope for us.... We used estrogen patches and Lupron first cycle but it affected my lining negatively so we went with estrogen and estrace and no Lupron and it helped! Once we transferred I was on estrogen, progesterone, estrace and aspirin. This ended in a Chemical pregnancy

Pacific Northwest Fertility is a great clinic the staff, the lab techs, the blood drawers the nurses and main doctors are always there to help! I have no negatives! I would like to explain to a new patient that goes in expecting a baby the first round that it's not always like this and its a hard pill to swallow when it happens to you. But this clinic is there for you to help you get to your baby. Even with the struggles they are always comforting. Even when you just need to cry.

How was your experience with Lora Shahine at Pacific NW Fertility?

Lora Shahine is a caring individual. She always has a smile on her face and cares for her patients deeply. She has been a light in our darkest hours and I am grateful for her. Even in the hard times she shows hope for us.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Lora Shahine at Pacific NW Fertility?

Know that you aren't just working with a doctor. You will be working with a friend.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Lora Shahine at Pacific NW Fertility?

Lora Shahine makes us feel like family every time we enter her office! WE love her deeply and her care for us shows in her words and actions.

Describe the protocols Lora Shahine used in your cycles at Pacific NW Fertility and their degree of success.

We used estrogen patches and Lupron first cycle but it affected my lining negatively so we went with estrogen and estrace and no Lupron and it helped! Once we transferred I was on estrogen, progesterone, estrace and aspirin. This ended in a Chemical pregnancy

Describe your experience with your nurse at Pacific NW Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Emily Grey)

Emily has been so amazing! I am the patient that sends over a million emails a day and she answers every single one in a timely manner! She is always smiling at our appointments and laughing along with us. She is a gem and we love her dearly and once again we are grateful God picked her for our team!

Describe your experience with Pacific NW Fertility.

Pacific Northwest Fertility is a great clinic the staff, the lab techs, the blood drawers the nurses and main doctors are always there to help! I have no negatives! I would like to explain to a new patient that goes in expecting a baby the first round that it's not always like this and its a hard pill to swallow when it happens to you. But this clinic is there for you to help you get to your baby. Even with the struggles they are always comforting. Even when you just need to cry.

Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Pacific NW Fertility.

Monitoring appointments were great for us. We live over an hour and a half a way and we had back to back appointments during the winter and they always would either see us earlier or get us in right on time because they understood our travel.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Lora Shahine at Pacific NW Fertility.

So far for our whole experience we have spent a grand total of 30,000.00 including retrieval and transfer. Meds we have spent around 15,000.00 through our pharmacy.

Describe Lora Shahine's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Pacific NW Fertility.

I trust our doctor and what she says will be best for my body.

10

Doctor

Lora Shahine

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

10

Clinic

Pacific NW Fertility

Seattle

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

2017 - 2018, Successful

10

Age 29 - 30

1 IVF

PCOS

Unexplained

European

Income $100K - $199K

Nurse or HC Services

2nd of 2 Docs

6 IUI With Other Docs

Strongly Recommends

Successful

Review of

She [Dr. Lorna Marshall] has told me her concerns and what she feels would be best but always giving me options to choose from...she was very informative and concise, which is what I look for in a doctor. She took the time to explain the entire process of IVF and answered questions along the way...SHe recommends freezing your embryos for at least 2 months to reset your body... I am on Follistim and Mini HCG. She has titrated the amount according to my labs.

MY care coordinator [at Pacific NW Fertility] is Emily. I have worked with at least 2 other nurses in this office. All of them are very kind and caring. Always calling to check on me and to make sure I am dong ok on my medications. When I am seen in the office Emily and all the other staff always have a smile on their face...IVF cycle cost around $25,000...This clinic overall is a great place to be receiving fertility services. No one wants to be in this situation but this is where you want to be going through it. The entire clinic is well run, usually on time and always clean.

How was your experience with Lorna Marshall at Pacific NW Fertility?

It has been a long road for my husband and I. I met Dr. Marshall during my ART consultation. During this consultation, she was very informative and concise, which is what I look for in a doctor. She took the time to explain the entire process of IVF and answered questions along the way. She has told me how it is through this journey that I am still on. She has told me her concerns and what she feels would be best but always giving me options to choose from.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Lorna Marshall at Pacific NW Fertility?

She is a great doctor and would recommend to all. Although this journey I am on is not something that has been planned, she has made it easier to get through.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Lorna Marshall at Pacific NW Fertility?

She takes the time to discuss the options and gives you time to ask questions. She cares about how you feel during your treatments. She takes the time when something is uncomfortable.

Describe the protocols Lorna Marshall used in your cycles at Pacific NW Fertility and their degree of success.

I am currently on my first round of IVF. I am on Follistim and Mini HCG. She has titrated the amount according to my labs. She used Ganirelix. She is using a dual trigger with Lupron and HCG. SHe recommends freezing your embryos for at least 2 months to reset your body.

Describe your experience with your nurse at Pacific NW Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Emily)

MY care coordinator is Emily. I have worked with at least 2 other nurses in this office. All of them are very kind and caring. Always calling to check on me and to make sure I am dong ok on my medications. When I am seen in the office Emily and all the other staff always have a smile on their face.

Describe your experience with Pacific NW Fertility.

This clinic overall is a great place to be receiving fertility services. No one wants to be in this situation but this is where you want to be going through it. The entire clinic is well run, usually on time and always clean.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Lorna Marshall at Pacific NW Fertility.

My first and, at this point, my only IVF cycle cost around $25,000.

Describe Lorna Marshall's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Pacific NW Fertility.

I do know the office I go to has a protocol for this. For the age I am, she recommends not transferring more then 2 embryos at a time.

10

Doctor

Lorna Marshall

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

10

Clinic

Pacific NW Fertility

Seattle

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

2017 - 2018, Unknown Success

9

Age 30 - 31

5 IUI

Male Factor

Unexplained

European

Income $100K - $199K

Nurse or HC Services

2nd of 2 Docs

2 IUI With Other Docs

Strongly Recommends

Success w/ Doc Not sure

Review of

He [Dr. Brad Swelstad] is caring and compassionate but also tells you how it is, not just what you want to hear. He will give you all the facts, good or bad, and allow you to make your own decisions. He is easy to understand and always has charts and visual aids to help explain things in an easy to understand way. Even though we have not yet had success, I believe he will get us to our goal and trust that he knows how to get there.

The ARNPs at Pacific Northwest Fertility are amazing. They are the ones that have done all my IUIs and ultrasounds. They are always pleasant and compassionate. The nursing staff and MA staff are okay. Sometimes they are hard to understand on the phone but they always call when they say they will and are more than willing to get answers to questions they don't know the answer to.

How was your experience with Brad Swelstad at Pacific NW Fertility?

Dr. Swelstad is a pleasure to work with. He is caring and compassionate but also tells you how it is, not just what you want to hear. He will give you all the facts, good or bad, and allow you to make your own decisions. He is easy to understand and always has charts and visual aids to help explain things in an easy to understand way. Even though we have not yet had success, I believe he will get us to our goal and trust that he knows how to get there.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Brad Swelstad at Pacific NW Fertility?

Listen to what he says, even if it is not what you want to hear. He will give you options but also give his opinion. I wish I had listened to his opinion earlier even though it would mean moving to IVF sooner.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Brad Swelstad at Pacific NW Fertility?

Dr. Swelstad took the time to get to know us and talk to us about our lives outside of fertility. Our visits are always personable and enjoyable and he takes time to just chat instead of being in a hurry to get to the next patient.

Describe the protocols Brad Swelstad used in your cycles at Pacific NW Fertility and their degree of success.

We started with Dr. Swedlstad after 3 rounds of medicated cycles (clomid) with two of them including IUIs. Dr. Swelstad instantly switched us to Femera and did 3 cycles of that with IUIs. After this, we took a break and moved to combo cycles with 5 days of Femera and 3 days of Follistim injections followed by a trigger and IUI. The last 2 cycles, we also used suppository progesterone. All cycles failed.

Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Pacific NW Fertility.

The ARNPs at Pacific Northwest Fertility are amazing. They are the ones that have done all my IUIs and ultrasounds. They are always pleasant and compassionate. The nursing staff and MA staff are okay. Sometimes they are hard to understand on the phone but they always call when they say they will and are more than willing to get answers to questions they don't know the answer to.

Describe your experience with Pacific NW Fertility.

PNW Fertility is a great clinic. They are accommodating when scheduling procedures, testing, and ultrasounds. They are open every day and it was never an issue to get in when necessary. They are a smaller clinic so it feels like they get to know you and you never feel like a "number". The clinic is clean, organized, and welcoming.

9

Doctor

Brad Swelstad

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

9

Clinic

Pacific NW Fertility

Seattle

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

2017 - 2018, Unknown Success

9

10

Age 35 - 36

1 IVF

Diminished Ovarian Reserve

Tubal Blockage

Unexplained

European

Income $100K - $199K

Accountant

Only Doc Seen

IUI With Other Docs

Strongly Recommends

Success w/ Doc Too early to know

Review of

Dr Shahine always made me feel like she had all the time in the world and was never rushed. She has an incredible bed side manner and so much empathy for women going through such a difficult time.... Dr Shahine has always been absolutely amazing and cares about me as a person, is always asking how I am doing and how I am feeling. The only thing I haven’t liked in recent visits is the nurse that calls me in, she always seems in a bad mood, always pronounces my name wrong and just seems like she doesn’t like her job, even my husband noticed and said something.

Very helpful and friendly front desk and they remember who I am. Rooms [Pacific NW Fertility] are very nice, and I love the gals who draw my blood every time they are very friendly and distract you while they are taking blood. The office is the whole 10th floor and parking is easy.... My first coordinator Danielle was a dream! Loved her so much but then she got another role. I now have Tara and she is also very sweet as well as organized... The only thing I haven’t liked in recent visits is the nurse that calls me in, she always seems in a bad mood, always pronounces my name wrong and just seems like she doesn’t like her job, even my husband noticed and said something.

How was your experience with Lora Shahine at Pacific NW Fertility?

Dr Shahine has always been absolutely amazing and cares about me as a person, is always asking how I am doing and how I am feeling. The only thing I haven’t liked in recent visits is the nurse that calls me in, she always seems in a bad mood, always pronounces my name wrong and just seems like she doesn’t like her job, even my husband noticed and said something. I look past this because Dr Shahine is so wonderful but definitely doesn’t match how the rest of the staff is.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Lora Shahine at Pacific NW Fertility?

Just be prepared that it’s a journey, and it will not happen overnight but Dr. Shahine will always keep you updated and give every option available and then let you make the decision that’s right for you. She will give you the good and the bad but always remains positive that there is always another option to start a family and to never loose hope!

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Lora Shahine at Pacific NW Fertility?

Dr Shahine always made me feel like she had all the time in the world and was never rushed. She has an incredible bed side manner and so much empathy for women going through such a difficult time.

Describe the protocols Lora Shahine used in your cycles at Pacific NW Fertility and their degree of success.

We used a normal IVF protocol for egg retrieval and have had two rounds of frozen embryo transfer that involved lupron, birth control pills and then estrogen patches and progesterone in oil shots

Describe your experience with your nurse at Pacific NW Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Tara)

My first coordinator Danielle was a dream! Loved her so much but then she got another role. I now have Tara and she is also very sweet as well as organized

Describe your experience with Pacific NW Fertility.

Very helpful and friendly front desk and they remember who I am. Rooms are very nice, and I love the gals who draw my blood every time they are very friendly and distract you while they are taking blood. The office is the whole 10th floor and parking is easy.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Lora Shahine at Pacific NW Fertility.

I believe it was 18,000 for the egg retrieval and then 5,000 for each transfer, plus the cost of medication

Describe Lora Shahine's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Pacific NW Fertility.

She explained both and gave her opinion on what she thought was best for us but then left the final decision up to us.

9

Doctor

Lora Shahine

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

10

Clinic

Pacific NW Fertility

Seattle

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

2018, Unsuccessful

8

10

Age 34

2 IUI

Diminished Ovarian Reserve

Unexplained

Income $100K - $199K

Accountant

3rd of 3 Docs

1 IUI With Other Docs

Neutral

Strongly Recommends

Unsuccessful

Review of

Lorna Marshall thoroughly reviewed our chart and was happy to help us with IUI because she knew we were not ready for IVF. When we wanted to be more aggressive she adjusted our protocol and added inhectables. She was always understanding of our situation and showed compassion while at the same time being straight forward with our situation.... I was prescribed Letrozole 5mg daily days 2-6. This was a little earlier than typically prescribed because my cycles are a little shorter than average. My ultrasound on day 8 showed 3 mature follicles. I triggered that day and did the IUI next day. The second IUI with PNW Fertility we added follistim (75iu) on day 7 in attempts to be more aggressive. My ultrasound was day 8 and showed 3 mature follicles. I triggered day 8 and IUI was day 9.

Every single interaction I had with staff at PNW Fertility was positive. I interacted with many nurses, front desk staff, lab staff, ultrasound techs, phlebotomist, and nursing assistants. Everyone was welcoming, kind, and compassionate. The only negative feedback I have is on the financial counselor, Jamila Thomas. After meeting with her she was to send additional information via email. I followed up with her twice via email and never received a reply.

How was your experience with Lorna Marshall at Pacific NW Fertility?

Lorna Marshall thoroughly reviewed our chart and was happy to help us with IUI because she knew we were not ready for IVF. When we wanted to be more aggressive she adjusted our protocol and added inhectables. She was always understanding of our situation and showed compassion while at the same time being straight forward with our situation.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Lorna Marshall at Pacific NW Fertility?

I can’t think of any advice to give specifically related to Lorna Marshall.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Lorna Marshall at Pacific NW Fertility?

The communication with Lorna Marshall’s nurses was outstanding. When I had questions they were answered promptly and with plenty of detail. At one point the nurse had reviewed my chart and noticed I hadn’t properly scheduled an appointment and called me. This attention to detail and communication did not exist through my last clinic.

Describe the protocols Lorna Marshall used in your cycles at Pacific NW Fertility and their degree of success.

I was prescribed Letrozole 5mg daily days 2-6. This was a little earlier than typically prescribed because my cycles are a little shorter than average. My ultrasound on day 8 showed 3 mature follicles. I triggered that day and did the IUI next day. The second IUI with PNW Fertility we added follistim (75iu) on day 7 in attempts to be more aggressive. My ultrasound was day 8 and showed 3 mature follicles. I triggered day 8 and IUI was day 9.

Describe your experience with your nurse at Pacific NW Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Amber Hopkins)

I cannot speak highly enough of my nurse, Amber Hopkins. Her response time was prompt and she always provided detailed explanations and/or instructions. Amber was always very compassionate and understanding. She emailed directly with me at my request rather than using the portal. Amber called me on the phone on several occasions, which I found to be rare with other clinics. She was always up to speed on my cycle and protocol and often followed up with me on her own accord. From the beginning I felt a personal connection and never did I feel like just a number.

Describe your experience with Pacific NW Fertility.

Every single interaction I had with staff at PNW Fertility was positive. I interacted with many nurses, front desk staff, lab staff, ultrasound techs, phlebotomist, and nursing assistants. Everyone was welcoming, kind, and compassionate. The only negative feedback I have is on the financial counselor, Jamila Thomas. After meeting with her she was to send additional information via email. I followed up with her twice via email and never received a reply.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Lorna Marshall at Pacific NW Fertility.

Consultation $295-375 Ultrasound $185 Venipuncture $25 Hormone testing $79-85 each Injection $40 Insemination $275 Sperm wash & prep $270

Describe Lorna Marshall's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Pacific NW Fertility.

N/A

8

Doctor

Lorna Marshall

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

10

Clinic

Pacific NW Fertility

Seattle

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

2017 - 2018, Unknown Success

7

8

Age 33 - 34

3 IUI

1 Egg Freezing

1 Embryo Freezing

Unexplained

Income $200K - $499K

Doctor

Only Doc Seen

IVF With Other Docs

Surrogacy With Other Docs

Neutral

Success w/ Doc Too early to know

Review of

We underwent 3 IUI treatments, with a trigger HCG shot [protocol with Dr. Shahine]. They were extremely painful and bloody, apparently I have a "tricky cervix". Then we underwent IVF, using birth control pills, Lupron subcutaneous injections, estrogen patches, progesterone intramuscular injections. I think it was the pretty standard set of drugs with usual doses...is not a fan of multiple embryo transfers for anyone, but especially for people with kidney or heart problems.

The care coordinator, and nursing staff [at Pacific NW Fertility] were all very great. They were compassionate, attentive, and very organized...The costs for the IUI treatments was around $3000 or $4000, the whole process for IVF was about $58,000...Appointment times are easy to get and make and there are several options for before or after work. One weakness of the clinic is that I feel they are so busy that sometimes you feel like a number. I have been going there for over a year and seeing the same ladies in the front desk, and the same nursing staff, but I still feel like they don't even know my name.

How was your experience with Lora Shahine at Pacific NW Fertility?

Dr. Lora Shahine came highly recommended to me from several friends. I was initially impressed by her, but as my husband and I started coming more often to PNW Fertility, we realized that we only saw her the one time we initially met her. All my IUIs and scans were done by other practitioners. When I voiced concern and wanted to meet with her, we were scheduled for an hour appointment with her to discuss starting IVF. My husband and I took the day off work, and Dr. Shahine was about 50 minutes late and we felt very rushed in our meeting with her. It was very hard to get a hold of her even once we had started IVF, and we basically felt connected to our IVF coordinator but not Dr. Shahine so much. As time has gone on, I feel like Dr. Shahine has been more involved with our care, and we've formed a decent relationship. All in all, it just seems to us as though she is very busy, and we are not important enough.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Lora Shahine at Pacific NW Fertility?

One piece of advice I'd give a prospective patient is to meet with multiple providers, and then go to the one with whom you feel the best connection. I went with recommendations of friends but I feel like maybe it just wasn't the right fit for us, as we prefer very involved practitioners.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Lora Shahine at Pacific NW Fertility?

In the beginning, I felt like a number. I felt like several times my calls weren't answered back and I sometimes felt forgotten. As my journey went on, I felt more of a connection with Dr. Shahine, and felt as though I started to matter, and our infertility journey continued to be unproductive.

Describe the protocols Lora Shahine used in your cycles at Pacific NW Fertility and their degree of success.

We underwent 3 IUI treatments, with a trigger HCG shot. They were extremely painful and bloody, apparently I have a "tricky cervix". Then we underwent IVF, using birth control pills, Lupron subcutaneous injections, estrogen patches, progesterone intramuscular injections. I think it was the pretty standard set of drugs with usual doses.

Describe your experience with your nurse at Pacific NW Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Danielle)

The care coordinator, and nursing staff were all very great. They were compassionate, attentive, and very organized.

Describe your experience with Pacific NW Fertility.

Pacific Northwest Fertility Seattle is a beautiful location. The staff is very friendly. The office is clean and well run. Appointment times are easy to get and make and there are several options for before or after work. One weakness of the clinic is that I feel they are so busy that sometimes you feel like a number. I have been going there for over a year and seeing the same ladies in the front desk, and the same nursing staff, but I still feel like they don't even know my name.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Lora Shahine at Pacific NW Fertility.

The costs for the IUI treatments was around $3000 or $4000, the whole process for IVF was about $58,000.

Describe Lora Shahine's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Pacific NW Fertility.

I think Dr. Shahine is not a fan of multiple embryo transfers for anyone, but especially for people with kidney or heart problems.

7

Doctor

Lora Shahine

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

8

Clinic

Pacific NW Fertility

Seattle

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

2017 - 2018, Unsuccessful

6

3

Age 33 - 34

6 IUI

Unexplained

European

Income $100K - $199K

Engineer

Only Doc Seen

Donor Sperm

Doesn't Recommend

Unsuccessful

Review of

Dr. Marshall was personable and patient with us during the consultations, but was was less than willing to stray from the conventional process of attempting a set number of IUIs, and then proceeding to IVF without a good understanding of why the IUIs weren't working. ... We asked about a laparoscopy to look for possible endometriosis, which she dismissed as too invasive ... We decided to move forward with the procedure anyway using my wife's OB-GYN, and they did indeed find endometriosis ...

PNWF seems to be pretty good at middle of the road infertility cases and provide a good level of quality to the standard procedures. However, they seem less willing to explore each individual's unique challenges and get to the root of unexplained infertility. ... My biggest pet peeve with PNWF was that the first experience you have once entering their office is walking up to the front desk and being asked to pay up front. ... It seems like there could be a better way that's more considerate of the emotional state that most people are in when they arrive. ... Jennifer [nurse] was very congenial and responsive to e-mails and calls. A

How was your experience with Lorna Marshall at Pacific NW Fertility?

Dr. Marshall was very calm and considerate whenever we met with her. She is very knowledgable and was patient with us even when we were frustrated that multiple IUI attempts had not worked. I have also heard great things about her from other patients that we have met during our journey. My two critiques are as follows: - Dr. Marshall (and PNW Fertility) was less than willing to stray from the normal playbook. Our case is atypical in that we were using donor sperm and we had no explanation why the IUIs hadn't worked to date. We asked about a laparoscopy to look for possible endometriosis, which she dismissed as too invasive and stated that she thought there was no reason to think my wife had that condition. We decided to move forward with the procedure anyway using my wife's OB-GYN, and they did indeed find endometriosis, which may have been an issue with the prior IUI attempts - At our last insemination, the RN asked if we had been taking in additional medication recommended by Dr. Marshall. These recommendations were in our file, but she had not actually told us anything about it.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Lorna Marshall at Pacific NW Fertility?

Dr. Marshall is knowledgable and considerate, but as with everything in the infertility process, it is important to be your own advocate and make sure you communicate with her if you feel you need more testing or are seeking a different approach.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Lorna Marshall at Pacific NW Fertility?

Dr. Marshall was personable and patient with us during the consultations, but was was less than willing to stray from the conventional process of attempting a set number of IUIs, and then proceeding to IVF without a good understanding of why the IUIs weren't working.

Describe the protocols Lorna Marshall used in your cycles at Pacific NW Fertility and their degree of success.

Multiple IUIs attempted with Dr. Marshall and RNs at PNWF. None were successful. After 5 attempts Dr. Marshall recommended proceeding directly to IVF.

Describe your experience with your nurse at Pacific NW Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Jennifer Schilling)

Jennifer was very congenial and responsive to e-mails and calls. As with Dr. Marshall, we thought she was not comfortable straying from the normal procedures for IUIs.

Describe your experience with Pacific NW Fertility.

PNWF seems to be pretty good at middle of the road infertility cases and provide a good level of quality to the standard procedures. However, they seem less willing to explore each individual's unique challenges and get to the root of unexplained infertility. My biggest pet peeve with PNWF was that the first experience you have once entering their office is walking up to the front desk and being asked to pay up front. It just made everything seem very transactional. It seems like there could be a better way that's more considerate of the emotional state that most people are in when they arrive.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Lorna Marshall at Pacific NW Fertility.

IUI costs included the insemintation, as well as defrosting and testing of donor sperm. We were repeatedly charged for sperm analysis that as not done (since it was a donor). We have begun exploring IVF costs, and while they seem comparable to other clinics in the area, it is... excessive.

What specific things went wrong at Pacific NW Fertility?

Failed to call with results
Failed to order appropriate test
Provided conflicting information
Failed to convey critical information

Describe the specific things that went wrong at Pacific NW Fertility.

Not all preliminary testing was done up front, and discussing the results was challenging. Bloodwork results were often communicated by a phone call saying "everything looks fine." My wife would have to call repeatedly to have someone walk her through the numbers and explain what they meant.

6

Doctor

Lorna Marshall

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

3

Clinic

Pacific NW Fertility

Seattle

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

2018, Unsuccessful

10

Age 30

1 Fertility Medications

PCOS

Unexplained

Income $50K - $99K

Business Executive

2nd of 2 Docs

3 IUI With Other Docs

Strongly Recommends

Unsuccessful

Review of

Dr swelstad was very nice and easy to talk to. He explained a lot to us and figured out a treatment plan that we both thought was great. We are happy to be working with him. He seemed very caring and not just as another patient but like he really cares about his patients....we talked and figured out a plan for us within our means..... dr swelstad switched me to femara with injections of follistim and trigger shot with iui and progesterone

Beautiful clinic. Everyone there was very friendly and nice from the front desk to the ma and nurse to the dr and the phlebotomist. I also Love that the lab is in the clinic....pnwf does there best to help from billing what they can to insurance to helping you go through a fertility pharmacy so you can get your medicine at a better cost... Amber is amazing. She always calls me back in a timely matter and always emails me or responds to my emails in a timely matter!

How was your experience with Brad Swelstad at Pacific NW Fertility?

Dr swelstad was very nice and easy to talk to. He explained a lot to us and figured out a treatment plan that we both thought was great. We are happy to be working with him. He seemed very caring and not just as another patient but like he really cares about his patients. It was nice because we were so nervous.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Brad Swelstad at Pacific NW Fertility?

Just relax you are in good hands he is very nice and easy to talk to!

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Brad Swelstad at Pacific NW Fertility?

My husband and I both really like dr swelstad! He was very nice and professional yet caring and we talked and figured out a plan for us within our means.

Describe the protocols Brad Swelstad used in your cycles at Pacific NW Fertility and their degree of success.

My husband and I had done 6 rounds of clomid and two rounds with iui. Nothing had worked. So dr swelstad switched me to femara with injections of follistim and trigger shot with iui and progesterone

Describe your experience with your nurse at Pacific NW Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Amber)

Amber is amazing. She always calls me back in a timely matter and always emails me or responds to my emails in a timely matter!

Describe your experience with Pacific NW Fertility.

Beautiful clinic. Everyone there was very friendly and nice from the front desk to the ma and nurse to the dr and the phlebotomist. I also Love that the lab is in the clinic. I wish I lived closer so I could always just go to that clinic and not have to go to a separate dr where I live for iui and ultrasounds

Describe the costs associated with your care under Brad Swelstad at Pacific NW Fertility.

Everything is spendy with infertility it doesn’t matter where you go. I wish there was insurance here to help with infertility but pnwf does there best to help from billing what they can to insurance to helping you go through a fertility pharmacy so you can get your medicine at a better cost

10

Doctor

Brad Swelstad

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

10

Clinic

Pacific NW Fertility

Seattle

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

2018, Successful

10

Age 35

1 Fertility Medications

Unexplained

European

Lawyer

Only Doc Seen

IUI With Other Docs

Strongly Recommends

Successful

Review of

You go into your first appointment feeling crazy emotional and he [Dr. Swelstad] had the right amount of empathy coupled with data that made me hopeful. He gave us a plan (both short term and long term) and we left feeling like there could be a light at the end of the tunnel (or at least we could affirmatively do something instead of just having unexplained fertility and doing the same thing every month).

[The nurses at Pacific NW Fertility were] Very response when I called with questions...Takes a long time for the initial appointment, but once you're in then getting seen is a breeze. If you are having issues TTC and think you will need to see a fertility doctor, get the appointment on the books...because it will take 2-3 months to get the initial appointment)... He [Dr. Swelstad] was very patient and listened to all my questions (and answered them).

How was your experience with Brad Swelstad at Pacific NW Fertility?

You go into your first appointment feeling crazy emotional and he had the right amount of empathy coupled with data that made me hopeful. He gave us a plan (both short term and long term) and we left feeling like there could be a light at the end of the tunnel (or at least we could affirmatively do something instead of just having unexplained fertility and doing the same thing every month).

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Brad Swelstad at Pacific NW Fertility?

I did my homework before I met with Dr. Swelstad and I think it made our first appointment much more productive because I was able to ask more detailed specific questions instead of having to cover the basics of fertility. If you're going to spend the time and money with a specialist, you might as well get your moneys worth and use his vast knowledge.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Brad Swelstad at Pacific NW Fertility?

MY ob had previously done my fertility workup so I showed up with a big binder of test results and 19 months of cycle charts. He was very patient and listened to all my questions (and answered them).

Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Pacific NW Fertility.

Very response when I called with questions.

Describe your experience with Pacific NW Fertility.

Takes a long time for the initial appointment, but once you're in then getting seen is a breeze. If you are having issues TTC and think you will need to see a fertility doctor, get the appointment on the books (under 35 so they say wait a year - I'd call before a year because it will take 2-3 months to get the initial appointment).

10

Doctor

Brad Swelstad

Humanity

Communication

Compassion

Explained risks

10

Clinic

Pacific NW Fertility

Seattle

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

2018, Unknown Success

8

9

Age 43

1 IVF

Unexplained

South Asian

Marketer or PR

3rd of 4 Docs

2 IUI With Other Docs

2 IVF With Other Docs

Neutral

Strongly Recommends

Success w/ Doc Not sure

Review of

She [Dr. Shahine] is very compassionate and is humble. She will refer to other doctors to ensure you are receiving the best care....I had an issue with thin lining and she referred with another doctor to add a medication to help. It appear to be helpful such as adding trental to my protocol for a month. It did help get my lining thicker for a transfer.... She is great, although a couple of times I felt rushed out of the appointment...

This clinic [Pacific NW Fertility] is timely and flexible on their schedules. You can see other doctors and I like how they meet daily to consult on all patients to discuss as a group on your care. It helps keep things consistent and if they are out of the office, someone can pick up where they left off. They operate very seamlessly.... I was able to make early monitoring appointments. It was helpful to not conflict with my work schedule.

How was your experience with Lora Shahine at Pacific NW Fertility?

She is great, although a couple of times I felt rushed out of the appointment or that she didn't want to treat me any longer due to my recurrent issue. I could have been me feeling that but all other times she was really great.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Lora Shahine at Pacific NW Fertility?

If something doesn't work the first time, push to find a new protocol. Take notes as over time you may be repeating a protocol and something my be missing that is a big piece of your puzzle.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Lora Shahine at Pacific NW Fertility?

She is very compassionate and is humble. She will refer to other doctors to ensure you are receiving the best care.

Describe the protocols Lora Shahine used in your cycles at Pacific NW Fertility and their degree of success.

I had an issue with thin lining and she referred with another doctor to add a medication to help. It appear to be helpful such as adding trental to my protocol for a month. It did help get my lining thicker for a transfer.

Describe your experience with your nurse at Pacific NW Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Emily Gray)

She is very well organized and is responsive to all questions, especially when I have a million questions!

Describe your experience with Pacific NW Fertility.

This clinic is timely and flexible on their schedules. You can see other doctors and I like how they meet daily to consult on all patients to discuss as a group on your care. It helps keep things consistent and if they are out of the office, someone can pick up where they left off. They operate very seamlessly.

Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Pacific NW Fertility.

I was able to make early monitoring appointments. It was helpful to not conflict with my work schedule.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Lora Shahine at Pacific NW Fertility.

Fortunately most of the costs were covered by insurance except for genetic testing which were $2500 and miscellaneous costs that was not covered by insurance approximately around $1000 overall.

8

Doctor

Lora Shahine

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

9

Clinic

Pacific NW Fertility

Seattle

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

2018, Unknown Success

8

10

Age 42

Diminished Ovarian Reserve

Male Factor

Poor Egg Quality

European

Income $100K - $199K

Lawyer

2nd of 3 Docs

6 IVF With Other Docs

Neutral

Strongly Recommends

Success w/ Doc Too early to know

Review of

She [Dr. Laura Shahine] did not have much to say about my eggs, wanted to move on to donor eggs. I did ask her to slow down and take me through her thought process which she did. She is always very encouraging in subsequent appointments.... Do not hesitate to slow her down if she has skipped ahead in the process. She’s just using her experience to do so but your experience in getting there is just as important. It was a major thing for is to think about donor eggs, and 10 months after she first mentioned, we finally ready.

[Pacific NW Fertility Staff] Always answer calls promptly, never lost in hold-land like the larger clinics. Nurses are very knowledgeable and detailed oriented but there are many transitions. I’ve had 3 in 10 months due to staff changes. Front desk staff friendly.... 1) When I call, someone always answers the phone. I’m not in a long queue. This is a huge time saver. 2) my nurse is very detail orientated and empathetic.

How was your experience with Lora Shahine at Pacific NW Fertility?

She did not have much to say about my eggs, wanted to move on to donor eggs. I did ask her to slow down and take me through her thought process which she did. She is always very encouraging in subsequent appointments.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Lora Shahine at Pacific NW Fertility?

Do not hesitate to slow her down if she has skipped ahead in the process. She’s just using her experience to do so but your experience in getting there is just as important. It was a major thing for is to think about donor eggs, and 10 months after she first mentioned, we finally ready.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Lora Shahine at Pacific NW Fertility?

1) When I call, someone always answers the phone. I’m not in a long queue. This is a huge time saver. 2) my nurse is very detail orientated and empathetic.

Describe the protocols Lora Shahine used in your cycles at Pacific NW Fertility and their degree of success.

She recommended use of donor eggs after 3 failed attempts with my own eggs.

Describe your experience with your nurse at Pacific NW Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Emily Gray)

Absolutely tracking all the details, found errors in my ERA report and had it corrected before I even saw it.

Describe your experience with Pacific NW Fertility.

Always answer calls promptly, never lost in hold-land like the larger clinics. Nurses are very knowledgeable and detailed oriented but there are many transitions. I’ve had 3 in 10 months due to staff changes. Front desk staff friendly.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Lora Shahine at Pacific NW Fertility.

$30,000 for donor egg 6 egg batch and at least one PGS normal embryo

Describe Lora Shahine's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Pacific NW Fertility.

Don’t know yet

What specific things went wrong at Pacific NW Fertility?

Failed to convey critical information

Describe the specific things that went wrong at Pacific NW Fertility.

I was suppose to have an endometriosis test with my ERA biopsy but that info didn’t get transferred when my nurse changed. I have to go back a second time if I want the test. Not a big deal, just inconvenient.

8

Doctor

Lora Shahine

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

10

Clinic

Pacific NW Fertility

Seattle

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

2017 - 2018, Successful

10

Age 34 - 35

3 IUI

1 IVF

Male Factor

European

Income $200K - $499K

Only Doc Seen

Strongly Recommends

Successful

Review of

Being Dr Swelstad’s patient has been a pleasure. We are mfi & somewhat unexplained and he always took the time to explain everything, never pressured us into expensive treatments without exhausting accessible treatments first, and was always on top of our treatment. I think we had a fairly good result in terms of ivf (I know many wish for 8 embryos out of the first retrieval) and I’m particularly happy he recommended pgs so we avoid heartbreak - 5 out of our 8 beautifully looking embryos were not compatible with life. Overall, I fully recommend dr Swelstad - he was caring and competent throughout the process.

The clinic [Pacific NW Fertility] has been great so far - everyone is on top of everything that’s going on and I never had any issues with scheduling, billing, etc. my first intake appointment was approximately 3 months out, but I’m not sure if this is normal or they were just very busy at that time... I think we had a fairly good result in terms of ivf (I know many wish for 8 embryos out of the first retrieval) and I’m particularly happy he recommended pgs so we avoid heartbreak - 5 out of our 8 beautifully looking embryos were not compatible with life.

How was your experience with Brad Swelstad at Pacific NW Fertility?

Being Dr Swelstad’s patient has been a pleasure. We are mfi & somewhat unexplained and he always took the time to explain everything, never pressured us into expensive treatments without exhausting accessible treatments first, and was always on top of our treatment. I think we had a fairly good result in terms of ivf (I know many wish for 8 embryos out of the first retrieval) and I’m particularly happy he recommended pgs so we avoid heartbreak - 5 out of our 8 beautifully looking embryos were not compatible with life. Overall, I fully recommend dr Swelstad - he was caring and competent throughout the process.

Describe the protocols Brad Swelstad used in your cycles at Pacific NW Fertility and their degree of success.

Our numbers were not great, but not terrible either. We started with Femara timed intercourse cycles, moved to IUIs, then IVF (1). The antagonist protocol, with frozen transfer, resulted in success (so far).

Describe your experience with Pacific NW Fertility.

The clinic has been great so far - everyone is on top of everything that’s going on and I never had any issues with scheduling, billing, etc. my first intake appointment was approximately 3 months out, but I’m not sure if this is normal or they were just very busy at that time.

10

Doctor

Brad Swelstad

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

10

Clinic

Pacific NW Fertility

Seattle

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

2018, Unknown Success

10

Age 29

Male Factor

Recurrent Pregnancy Loss

Latinx

Income $200K - $499K

Nurse or HC Services

Only Doc Seen

Strongly Recommends

Success w/ Doc Too early to know

Review of

Dr.Shahine has been very attentive during the whole process. Very informative and warm. She explains everything in detail. She informs you every visit of what to expect in the coming days. Advises to rest, slow down, wear yoga pants etc...She gives you personalized care and focuses on preventing ovarian hyperstimulation...Enthusiastic and sympathetic during every appointment...one embryo transfer is recommended Also it is based on age and risk factor

So far my experience has been great [at Pacific NW Fertility]. The staff is attentive and the lobby doesn't feel like a factory. Lab and procedure room are in different areas. It helps for people that in different stages if the treatment...Tara [nurse] was compassionate, patient...Dr.Shahine has been very attentive during the whole process. Very informative and warm. She explains everything in detail. She informs you every visit of what to expect in the coming days. Advises to rest, slow down, wear yoga pants etc...She gives you personalized care and focuses on preventing ovarian hyperstimulation

How was your experience with Lora Shahine at Pacific NW Fertility?

Dr.Shahine has been very attentive during the whole process. Very informative and warm. She explains everything in detail. She informs you every visit of what to expect in the coming days. Advises to rest, slow down, wear yoga pants etc.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Lora Shahine at Pacific NW Fertility?

You are in good hands. She gives you personalized care and focuses on preventing ovarian hyperstimulation.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Lora Shahine at Pacific NW Fertility?

Dr.Shahine is very warm and attentive. Enthusiastic and sympathetic during every appointment.

Describe the protocols Lora Shahine used in your cycles at Pacific NW Fertility and their degree of success.

Metformin 1500 with birth control initially to manage hormones due to high ovarian reserve Then stimulation: HCG 20 units, follistim 220 iux 11 days Trigger: Lupton + hcg

Describe your experience with your nurse at Pacific NW Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Tara)

Tara was compassionate, patient and educative

Describe your experience with Pacific NW Fertility.

So far my experience has been great. The staff is attentive and the lobby doesn't feel like a factory. Lab and procedure room are in different areas. It helps for people that in different stages if the treatment.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Lora Shahine at Pacific NW Fertility.

20k cycle 3 meds-stimulation PGD- pending about 5k

Describe Lora Shahine's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Pacific NW Fertility.

Due to BT, one embryo transfer is recommended Also it is based on age and risk factors

10

Doctor

Lora Shahine

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

10

Clinic

Pacific NW Fertility

Seattle

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

2017 - 2018, Unsuccessful

7

8

Age 42 - 43

8 IUI

European

Income $50K - $99K

Only Doc Seen

Donor Sperm

Neutral

Unsuccessful

Review of

She [Dr. Marshall] is thorough with her answers...I only saw her 3 times in a year so wasn’t able to develop much of a relationship...Very nice and very informative. I wish I could have seen her more often and felt like she was really working to try to make things happen for me. I didn’t feel like she remembered me whenever I saw her...Started with no meds and IUI, then moved to letrozole for 3 cycles, then moved to letrozole and follistim, all with IUIs. No positive results. Discussed embryo donation, egg donation, and ivf and pros and cons with each.

[Pacific NW Fertility has] Nice offices. Seems to be confusion at times with he billing office. Charged different amounts for the same service, or received bill for items I’d already paid at time of service. I wish I had been assigned particular people to work with rather than whoever was available...Saw so many different [nurses]. And her assistant kept changing...$330 per IUI. Ultrasounds and doctor visits cheaper.

How was your experience with Lorna Marshall at Pacific NW Fertility?

Very nice and very informative. I wish I could have seen her more often and felt like she was really working to try to make things happen for me. I didn’t feel like she remembered me whenever I saw her.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Lorna Marshall at Pacific NW Fertility?

Ask a lot of questions. She is thorough with her answers.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Lorna Marshall at Pacific NW Fertility?

I only saw her 3 times in a year so wasn’t able to develop much of a relationship.

Describe the protocols Lorna Marshall used in your cycles at Pacific NW Fertility and their degree of success.

Started with no meds and IUI, then moved to letrozole for 3 cycles, then moved to letrozole and follistim, all with IUIs. No positive results. Discussed embryo donation, egg donation, and ivf and pros and cons with each.

Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Pacific NW Fertility.

Saw so many different ones. And her assistant kept changing.

Describe your experience with Pacific NW Fertility.

Nice offices. Seems to be confusion at times with he billing office. Charged different amounts for the same service, or received bill for items I’d already paid at time of service. I wish I had been assigned particular people to work with rather than whoever was available.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Lorna Marshall at Pacific NW Fertility.

$330 per IUI. Ultrasounds and doctor visits cheaper.

What specific things went wrong at Pacific NW Fertility?

Provided conflicting information

Describe the specific things that went wrong at Pacific NW Fertility.

Issues with billing department as described above.

7

Doctor

Lorna Marshall

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

8

Clinic

Pacific NW Fertility

Seattle

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

2018, Unknown Success

10

Age 37

1 IVF

Diminished Ovarian Reserve

Endometriosis

European

South Asian

2nd of 2 Docs

6 IUI With Other Docs

Strongly Recommends

Success w/ Doc Not sure

Review of

She [Dr. Lamb] was amazing, I loved having her as my Dr. She is so easy to talk to. She is very knowledgeable and helpful. She is compassionate and optimistic and helped me understand everything that was going on.... She was very invested in a positive outcome for me, and in doing everything possible to help me get there. She was always very warm and kind. She was always very patient answering every question I had.

The staff [Pacific Northwest Fertility] is all very good, they were always kind and understanding, and executed their jobs efficiently and skillfully. They made a difficult situation as best as it could be. They were flexible and always tried to make things as easy for me as possible....Clare was exactly like Dr. Lamb, kind, compassionate, understanding, easy to talk to, answered all of my questions, and helped me figure out what I needed to to and when.

How was your experience with Julie Lamb at Pacific NW Fertility?

She was amazing, I loved having her as my Dr. She is so easy to talk to. She is very knowledgeable and helpful. She is compassionate and optimistic and helped me understand everything that was going on.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Julie Lamb at Pacific NW Fertility?

She was very invested in a positive outcome for me, and in doing everything possible to help me get there. She was always very warm and kind. She was always very patient answering every question I had.

Describe your experience with your nurse at Pacific NW Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Clare)

Clare was exactly like Dr. Lamb, kind, compassionate, understanding, easy to talk to, answered all of my questions, and helped me figure out what I needed to to and when.

Describe your experience with Pacific NW Fertility.

The staff is all very good, they were always kind and understanding, and executed their jobs efficiently and skillfully. They made a difficult situation as best as it could be. They were flexible and always tried to make things as easy for me as possible.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Julie Lamb at Pacific NW Fertility.

I think about $25,000. $10,000 for the egg growth cycle, $5000 for retreival, and $5000 for each transfers, which I did two.

10

Doctor

Julie Lamb

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

10

Clinic

Pacific NW Fertility

Seattle

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

2016 - 2018, Successful

10

9

Age 42 - 44

3 IUI

3 IVF

Poor Egg Quality

South Asian

Income $200K - $499K

Doctor

Only Doc Seen

Strongly Recommends

Successful

Review of

Dr. Lamb speaks to you as a person and not just another patient. Her compassion and willingness to sit next to you, share the good news, share the bad news, to cry and share the truth has meant the world.... Take notes. Ask questions because sometimes the information coming from Dr. Lamb can be quickly communicated.... [Pacific NW Fertility's] Strengths - very organized, accommodating, consistent Weaknesses - Blood draw is sometimes not comfortable with some of the staff & they don't always take the next person "in line"; waiting area is small and can feel awkward; kids should not be allowed in - it's so hard being in a fertility clinic as a patient and having babies present can be such a trigger for difficult and painful feelings to surface.

[Pacific NW Fertility's] Strengths - very organized, accommodating, consistent Weaknesses - Blood draw is sometimes not comfortable with some of the staff & they don't always take the next person "in line"; waiting area is small and can feel awkward; kids should not be allowed in - it's so hard being in a fertility clinic as a patient and having babies present can be such a trigger for difficult and painful feelings to surface.

How was your experience with Julie Lamb at Pacific NW Fertility?

Dr. Lamb speaks to you as a person and not just another patient. Her compassion and willingness to sit next to you, share the good news, share the bad news, to cry and share the truth has meant the world.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Julie Lamb at Pacific NW Fertility?

Take notes. Ask questions because sometimes the information coming from Dr. Lamb can be quickly communicated.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Julie Lamb at Pacific NW Fertility?

She listened.

Describe the protocols Julie Lamb used in your cycles at Pacific NW Fertility and their degree of success.

I really don't remember enough information to be able to share more.

Describe your experience with your nurse at Pacific NW Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Emily Grey)

My primary nurse was absolutely amazing. She was clear, thorough, compassionate and consistent. I can't say anything else that could help her be better - she deserves an A+++++

Describe your experience with Pacific NW Fertility.

Strengths - very organized, accommodating, consistent Weaknesses - Blood draw is sometimes not comfortable with some of the staff & they don't always take the next person "in line"; waiting area is small and can feel awkward; kids should not be allowed in - it's so hard being in a fertility clinic as a patient and having babies present can be such a trigger for difficult and painful feelings to surface.

What specific things went wrong at Pacific NW Fertility?

Provided conflicting information

Describe the specific things that went wrong at Pacific NW Fertility.

Nothing major - just some miscommunication between myself and the front desk.

10

Doctor

Julie Lamb

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

9

Clinic

Pacific NW Fertility

Seattle

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

2018, Unknown Success

10

Age 38

European

2nd of 2 Docs

6 IUI With Other Docs

1 IVF With Other Docs

Strongly Recommends

Success w/ Doc Too early to know

Review of

Dr. Shahine did my egg retrieval and brought not only humor, but also a sense of calmness that really helped put me at ease before the procedure. Every appointment I’ve had with her she has been so warm and genuinely interested in me as a person, not only as a patient.... PNWF advocates strongly for single embryo transfers to bring one healthy baby home. That being said, they did offer the choice to transfer 2.

This is my second time with this clinic [PNWF- Seattle] (trying for baby #2 after a successful IVF round and FET for #1). I did notice the clinic feels overall much busier, but everyone I encountered from front desk, lab, back desk, nurses and doctors have been nothing but friendly and professional.... PNWF advocates strongly for single embryo transfers to bring one healthy baby home. That being said, they did offer the choice to transfer 2.

How was your experience with Lora Shahine at Pacific NW Fertility?

Dr. Shahine did my egg retrieval and brought not only humor, but also a sense of calmness that really helped put me at ease before the procedure. Every appointment I’ve had with her she has been so warm and genuinely interested in me as a person, not only as a patient.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Lora Shahine at Pacific NW Fertility?

Go prepared with a list of your questions. Appointments can move rather quickly, but she always asks if I have questions.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Lora Shahine at Pacific NW Fertility?

Dr. Shahine is extremely personable and down to earth. She’s very easy to talk to and truly wants the best for her patients.

Describe your experience with your nurse at Pacific NW Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Clare)

Clare has been fantastic to work with and responsive to emails.

Describe your experience with Pacific NW Fertility.

This is my second time with this clinic (trying for baby #2 after a successful IVF round and FET for #1). I did notice the clinic feels overall much busier, but everyone I encountered from front desk, lab, back desk, nurses and doctors have been nothing but friendly and professional.

Describe Lora Shahine's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Pacific NW Fertility.

PNWF advocates strongly for single embryo transfers to bring one healthy baby home. That being said, they did offer the choice to transfer 2.

10

Doctor

Lora Shahine

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

10

Clinic

Pacific NW Fertility

Seattle

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

2015 - 2017, Successful

10

Age 34 - 36

1 IVF

1 Embryo Freezing

Male Factor

European

Income $200K - $499K

Consultant

2nd of 2 Docs

6 IUI With Other Docs

Strongly Recommends

Successful

Review of

I can't work with a doctor with zero sense of humor, especially about something so crazy as fertility treatment and IVF. I appreciated her [Dr. Lorna Marshall] openness to answering my questions and telling me what she was doing step by step. She'd take time to explain everything she was seeing on the ultrasound, which I appreciated. I learned a lot going through this process and she is open to taking a teacher approach, which is what I desire in a doctor. She also held my hand at one point before the egg retrieval and said, sincerely, "We want this to work for you." That meant a lot to me and made me cry (in a good way).

[Pacific NW Fertility] Strengths: Small, privately owned, competent, clean, high-tech, compassionate care team Weaknesses: Traffic getting across town sucks for multiple treatments Things to look for in a clinic: There should be no pictures of babies in the waiting room, no parenting magazines, and nothing to remind you of babies or children. If this is the case, you know that the staff is trying to maximize your psychological comfort. (Any woman in fertility treatment knows that seeing the giant bellies and all the baby posters at the OB's office is torture.) Even our nurse coordinator, who was pregnant, concealed her baby belly under her lab coat. Really considerate of her. Pay attention to how you're treated and whether your doctor or nurses remember your case when he/she sees you. At our first clinic, not this one, the doctor would be reading our chart while she was in front of us to try to remember who we were. The nurses at our last clinic got us confused with other couples. This did not happen at PNWF, thankfully! You do not have to put up with that kind of treatment!

How was your experience with Lorna Marshall at Pacific NW Fertility?

Dr. Marshall is competent and speaks clearly, though not necessarily an overly warm or gushing personality. My husband and I make a lot of jokes and she would often simply smile at us, and sometimes laugh a little, but not give a huge guffaw. (I call the vaginal ultrasound wand, "My old friend.") I thought we had a good, collaborative working relationship. I can't work with a doctor with zero sense of humor, especially about something so crazy as fertility treatment and IVF. I appreciated her openness to answering my questions and telling me what she was doing step by step. She'd take time to explain everything she was seeing on the ultrasound, which I appreciated. I learned a lot going through this process and she is open to taking a teacher approach, which is what I desire in a doctor. She also held my hand at one point before the egg retrieval and said, sincerely, "We want this to work for you." That meant a lot to me and made me cry (in a good way).

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Lorna Marshall at Pacific NW Fertility?

You really have to trust your doctor a whole lot during what may be the most vulnerable and stressful period of your life. This person is going to see you at your worst. Don't be afraid to switch doctors. We switched to Dr. Marshall from another doctor at another clinic. As with any doctor, speak up and advocate for your own care. Things do slip through the cracks and open communication is key. ...I still never fully got the hang of fertility treatment -- I was never fully comfortable with having to be a part of that system, though much of the struggle was in my own head. It's important to recognize in yourself when the doctor is really the problem, or the problem is within yourself. Conceiving a child is such a personal, magical thing -- and here you have to welcome strangers into the process. Eventually, with IVF, they will no longer be strangers but some of the people you see most often during the week. Fit is so important.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Lorna Marshall at Pacific NW Fertility?

I have experiences with two clinics in Seattle and this was the far better of the two. The smaller clinic size meant that I got to know the nurses and doctors.

Describe the protocols Lorna Marshall used in your cycles at Pacific NW Fertility and their degree of success.

We had male factor infertility caused by cancer treatment. We used husband's frozen sperm. Treatment plan with this clinic was two IUIs, one of which resulted in miscarriage and another that didn't take. We'd had three IUI failures at a previous clinic, as well. Dr. Marshall encouraged us to continue with IUIs, but I was tired of failures and the imprecision with my irregular menstrual cycle -- so I made the case for IVF and Dr. Marshall agreed. This is important to note because the clinic makes a LOT more money off of an IVF patient than an IUI patient. And yet, Dr. Marshall did not push us to do IVF before we were ready, in fact, I was ready to take the next step and asked for IVF. It's important to have a doctor who sees you as a human being with hopes for a family, rather than a source of cash and profit.

Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Pacific NW Fertility.

There was staff turnover for us because of maternity leave and retirements. The clinic was juggling a lot while also managing our care. I don't think our quality of care suffered.

Describe your experience with Pacific NW Fertility.

Strengths: Small, privately owned, competent, clean, high-tech, compassionate care team Weaknesses: Traffic getting across town sucks for multiple treatments Things to look for in a clinic: There should be no pictures of babies in the waiting room, no parenting magazines, and nothing to remind you of babies or children. If this is the case, you know that the staff is trying to maximize your psychological comfort. (Any woman in fertility treatment knows that seeing the giant bellies and all the baby posters at the OB's office is torture.) Even our nurse coordinator, who was pregnant, concealed her baby belly under her lab coat. Really considerate of her. Pay attention to how you're treated and whether your doctor or nurses remember your case when he/she sees you. At our first clinic, not this one, the doctor would be reading our chart while she was in front of us to try to remember who we were. The nurses at our last clinic got us confused with other couples. This did not happen at PNWF, thankfully! You do not have to put up with that kind of treatment!

Describe the costs associated with your care under Lorna Marshall at Pacific NW Fertility.

From memory: $5,000 - $10,000 out of pocket over the years $15,000 - $25,000 insurance over the years

Describe Lorna Marshall's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Pacific NW Fertility.

We did genetic screening of our embryos, put one embryo in, and I am now seven months pregnant with an apparently healthy baby. The genetic screening cost about $2,500 out of pocket. This seems like a reasonable risk/reward for our family to minimize the chances of a failed transfer and to minimize the odds of multiples.

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Doctor

Lorna Marshall

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

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Clinic

Pacific NW Fertility

Seattle

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

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