Ratings of 1 indicate that a clinic was poorly operated.
Ratings of 10 indicate that a clinic operated very well.
Scheduling
9
9
Scheduling
Ratings of 1 mean it was difficult to schedule appointments with this clinic.
Ratings of 10 mean it was easy to schedule appointments.
Billing Department
7.9
7.9
Billing Department
Ratings of 1 indicate an unsatisfactory billing department.
Ratings of 10 indicate an excellent billing department.
Nursing Team
7.7
7.7
Nursing Team
Ratings of 1 indicate an unsatisfactory nursing team.
Ratings of 10 indicate an excellent nursing team.
Attention to Detail
7.3
7.3
Attention to Detail
Attention to detail is on a 1 - 10 scale, and is scored based on the rate, and severity, of errors committed by the clinic according to the patients.
For example, a severe error might be failing to inform a patient of critical information, while a small error might be failing to call a patient with results.
CDC Success Rates
This is the most recent data from the CDC. The CDC cautions that it should not be used to compare doctors and clinics. This data represents the outcomes of IVF cycles when using a person's own eggs.
For more information please see our FAQs.
Where you see a “?” on the chart, a clinic has done fewer than 20 cycles in this category and age range, so the CDC says showing percentages from this small data set would be misleading and unreliable.
Dr. Nayak had the foresight to have a plan and a plan b. With PCOS the potential for many eggs was almost a guarantee. Dr. Nayak prepared us for the need to not go through with a fresh transfer after the egg retrieval. I'm very grateful for that plan as it did save and protect me. My body could not handle a fresh transfer after retrieval. She has been a wealth of knowledge and compassionate physician all the way through.
My biggest concern and frustration is with the disconnect between the billing department and the clinical side of the practice [Repro Med Inst]. This is an extremely stressful process that is outrageously expensive. It is helpful to have both parties understand wholisticly the entire process so they can anticipate questions, concerns, and problems. Then the focus can remain on the success of the procedures rather than the expenses.
How was your experience with Shweta Nayak at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
Dr. Nayak had the foresight to have a plan and a plan b. With PCOS the potential for many eggs was almost a guarantee. Dr. Nayak prepared us for the need to not go through with a fresh transfer after the egg retrieval. I'm very grateful for that plan as it did save and protect me. My body could not handle a fresh transfer after retrieval. She has been a wealth of knowledge and compassionate physician all the way through.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Shweta Nayak at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
Always ask questions and disclose any worries as she will address them head on.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Shweta Nayak at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
Dr. Nayak is a fantastic doctor but as the case with many medical practices, there are a lot of patients and during this very scary journey it is important for the physician and the billing department to be in sync. This unneeded stress was difficult to navigate and made us feel like a number a few times.
Describe the protocols Shweta Nayak used in your cycles at Reproductive Medicine Institute and their degree of success.
Dr. Nayak prescribed the lower dosages of the stims leading up to the egg retrieval and recommended to cryofreeze the embryos, have a menstruation cycle and then medications for a frozen embryo transfer. These medications included the injections of progesterone which she believes are more successful during a FET and for patients like myself who have PCOS. The treatment strategy was monitored and adjusted leading up to the egg retrieval as is needed and appreciated. I appreciate the unique strategy.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Reproductive Medicine Institute. (Assigned nurse: Tracey )
Overall the nurses are very pleasant, supportive and great communicators. Some are a little more removed than others but they are fantastic.
Describe your experience with Reproductive Medicine Institute.
My biggest concern and frustration is with the disconnect between the billing department and the clinical side of the practice. This is an extremely stressful process that is outrageously expensive. It is helpful to have both parties understand wholisticly the entire process so they can anticipate questions, concerns, and problems. Then the focus can remain on the success of the procedures rather than the expenses.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Shweta Nayak at Reproductive Medicine Institute.
IVF is around $12,000, medications run around $2500.
Describe Shweta Nayak's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Reproductive Medicine Institute.
I would have preferred to transfer two embryos, but I understand the rationale.
Dr T, except for when she is late, is extremely caring and dependable. she takes the time to speak with you and work with you on your worries. She has made the effort to hug me on bad days. She calls me personally to discuss next steps after bad results, and works with me to get the result we want...She speaks candidly and does seem to actively care.
[Reproductive Medicine Institute] strengths: patient care and coordination of visits. OK if you are running late and need to be moved. weakness: billing and paperwork. i have gotten calls about bills i do not owe for, or things i have already paid. my PGS results were given to the clinic on time, and lost for over a month...VF cost for treatment $11k, medicine varies by insurance.
How was your experience with Elena Trukhacheva at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
Dr T, except for when she is late, is extremely caring and dependable. she takes the time to speak with you and work with you on your worries. She has made the effort to hug me on bad days. She calls me personally to discuss next steps after bad results, and works with me to get the result we want.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Elena Trukhacheva at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
be patient. she is late often.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Elena Trukhacheva at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
My time with Dr. T is very personal. She speaks candidly and does seem to actively care. Unfortunately, sometimes the staff forgets about you, or Dr. T is late and sitting at the clinic for hours makes you feel like a number.
Describe the protocols Elena Trukhacheva used in your cycles at Reproductive Medicine Institute and their degree of success.
She took over mid ER cycle when my other Dr was leaving the clinic. she changed my trigger to be more aggressive and made sure we were doing PGS and a fresh transfer since we had never done one before. Then for ER 3 we changed protocal to include microdose lupron and HCG in the stimming.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Reproductive Medicine Institute. (Assigned nurse: Melissa)
Melissa is amazing. she was my nurse/coordinator with my other Dr before Dr. T, and continues to manage my care now. Even though we only talk by phone now, she is involved in my care and ensures that i understand procedure.
i see different nurses every visit at Oak Brook and sometimes they do not even introduce themselves. they could be a bit more helpful and compassionate.
Describe your experience with Reproductive Medicine Institute.
strengths: patient care and coordination of visits. OK if you are running late and need to be moved.
weakness: billing and paperwork. i have gotten calls about bills i do not owe for, or things i have already paid. my PGS results were given to the clinic on time, and lost for over a month.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Elena Trukhacheva at Reproductive Medicine Institute.
IVF cost for treatment $11k, medicine varies by insurance.
Describe Elena Trukhacheva's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Reproductive Medicine Institute.
no comment.
What specific things went wrong at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
Lost paperwork
Failed to call with results
Lost results
Failed to convey critical information
Scheduled the wrong procedure
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Reproductive Medicine Institute.
when i switched to Dr. T from Dr. Rhinehart for my 2nd ER cycle a few things happened:
1. day or ER Dr. T advised we would not end up doing a fresh transfer, since we were doing PGS testing. The aftercare nurse gave me a fresh protocol for aftercare, and i had to reconfirm that we were doing a fresh. I was instructed that i would receive a call by Friday for a fresh transfer on Monday. on Monday i called as i had not had a phone call and was transferred to nurse voicemails. i left a message advising that i never received an appt time for the fresh transfer, and needed to know what time i needed to be there. they got back to me and said to come in RIGHT THEN. so i left work and went in, only to sit waiting for two hours for my transfer.
2) the remaining embroys were sent for testing. results should have been ready in 2 to 3 weeks, i waited a month - after a failed Fresh transfer, and went in for a saline sonogram. i was left in the exam room for almost 2 hours before i was seen.
3)They advised no genetic testing results yet. I then emailed the genetic lab questioning results. They informed me my clinic had had the results for 3 weeks. the clinic advised no receipt and i had to work with the genetic lab to get my results released.
She's [Dr. Trukhacheva] very understanding, great at explaining things, and takes your thoughts and feelings into consideration. However she is pretty much always late for procedures, one egg retrival she was about 1.5 hrs late to. ... My embryo transfers have been smoother with her since the timing isn't as critical. I really like her, I just wish she wasn't always running behind.
The staff [Repro Med Inst] is always very friendly and welcoming. I wish they had a transfer center in the city though, because we have to drive about 45 mins for procedures. The nurse who draws blood does a great job, I rarely ever bruise. ... The nurse forgot to call in my rx for estradiol ahead of time, so they had to call it in the day I started it for my FET.
How was your experience with Elena Trukhacheva at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
She's very understanding, great at explaining things, and takes your thoughts and feelings into consideration. However she is pretty much always late for procedures, one egg retrival she was about 1.5 hrs late to. I also feel like since she is often late she sometimes rushes through the procedures, my last egg retrival, where she was about 90 mins late, I was in a ton of pain after and I think it's because she rushed through it. My embryo transfers have been smoother with her since the timing isn't as critical. I really like her, I just wish she wasn't always running behind.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Elena Trukhacheva at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
Go into it knowing she will be late for your procedure, so you're not stressing over it as much when it happens.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Elena Trukhacheva at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
She takes the time to listen to your concerns and takes your thoughts into consideration.
Describe the protocols Elena Trukhacheva used in your cycles at Reproductive Medicine Institute and their degree of success.
I don't recall the specific protocol, but I was on menopur(3 vials), follistim, lupron and ganirelix. We also used icsi because my husband had kind of low sperm counts and my egg quality wasn't the greatest.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Reproductive Medicine Institute. (Assigned nurse: Catelyn)
Catelyn wasnt always very great at getting back to me, and reading my messages completely before replying to them. I also had to hound her to turn in our treatment plan to billing, so we could know what we would owe before transfer.
Describe your experience with Reproductive Medicine Institute.
The location downtown is very convenient, and never super busy. The staff is always very friendly and welcoming. I wish they had a transfer center in the city though, because we have to drive about 45 mins for procedures. The nurse who draws blood does a great job, I rarely ever bruise.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Reproductive Medicine Institute.
I was always able to go in for monitoring appts first thing in the morning before work and there was usually maybe 1 other person at that time in the mornings, so not busy at all. There was only 1 time I was almost late to work, because I had to wait for a nurse to arrive to speak with them about something.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Elena Trukhacheva at Reproductive Medicine Institute.
I cant remember the costs for the retrivals, but I do know that anesthesia wasnt covered, even though the center was in network. For FETs it was around $1300 after insurance coverage.
Describe Elena Trukhacheva's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Reproductive Medicine Institute.
She ultimately left it up to is, but the time we had 2 embryos she strongly encouraged using both since I'm older and my egg quality isn't great.
What specific things went wrong at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Reproductive Medicine Institute.
The nurse forgot to call in my rx for estradiol ahead of time, so they had to call it in the day I started it for my FET.
In our opinion, he [Dr. Rinehart] wasn’t concerned about the success of my IVF round – he just wanted to get it over and done with. The most upsetting thing that occurred is when I asked him if it is normal to have an ovary produce no follicles. This is when he told me “Well you’re not normal. If you were, you would be sitting in an OB/GYN office instead of a fertility clinic.” That is absolutely uncalled for and he caused his patient to go home and cry.
My husband and I ended up having a horrible experience at RMI. ... Once I had all of my medications shipped to me, I had to proactively ask the coordinator if there was any risk of being on the medications I currently was on. Turns out one of the medications I was on couldn't be mixed with the fertility medication. They never asked me that in advance - it could have been a bad drug interaction if I didn't go out of my way to ask. That should be on their radar
How was your experience with John Rinehart at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
My husband and I ended up having a horrible experience at RMI. We initially were with Dr. Nayak and thoroughly enjoyed our experience with her. However, when she went on leave we were informed that Dr. Rinehart would oversee our IVF process and was assured that we were in good hands and he had the experience and qualifications necessary to oversee our IVF process.
I was told that Dr. Rinehart would meet with us before the egg retrieval and conduct the ultrasound. I brought my husband with as I thought he would enjoy meeting him as well but the experience was not what we had in mind.
When Dr. Rinehart entered the room, he barely introduced himself, didn’t shake my husband’s hand and went straight to business of conducting the ultrasound. I didn’t feel that he took the time to read up on my case because for one, he read my previous ultrasound results incorrectly and I had to correct him. He also made a comment “that would only occur if you have endometriosis which you don’t” but if he read my history correctly, he would have seen that Dr. Nayak found signs of endometriosis from previous ultrasounds.
After concluding that I had three follicles in my left ovary and zero in my right ovary, I was shocked that he wanted to go forward with IVF. When I asked him if IUI would be a better option, he indicated that IVF is more successful than IUI. While that may be true, my insurance covers only 2 IVF cycles. A doctor should take into consideration ones financial situation as it is a highly risky financial decision to proceed with IVF with only 3 follicles. After consulting with a nurse from Progyny, she agreed that number was low for egg retrieval. Additionally, after meeting with another doctor at a different fertility clinic and telling him our experience, he confirmed we made the right decision to not proceed with egg extraction with only 3 follicles. In our opinion, he wasn’t concerned about the success of my IVF round – he just wanted to get it over and done with.
The most upsetting thing that occurred is when I asked him if it is normal to have an ovary produce no follicles. This is when he told me “Well you’re not normal. If you were, you would be sitting in an OB/GYN office instead of a fertility clinic.”
That is absolutely uncalled for and he caused his patient to go home and cry. It is already emotionally difficult enough for women going through this process. The last thing I (or any other woman) deserves is for a doctor to tell her that she is not normal. I am disgusted with his behavior and lack of bedside manner.
I highly caution any couple seeking fertility services to see this doctor.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of John Rinehart at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
Keep away
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with John Rinehart at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
My husband and I ended up having a horrible experience at RMI. We initially were with Dr. Nayak and thoroughly enjoyed our experience with her.
However, when she went on leave we were informed that Dr. Rinehart would oversee our IVF process and was assured that we were in good hands and he had the experience and qualifications necessary to oversee our IVF process.
I was told that Dr. Rinehart would meet with us before the egg retrieval and conduct the ultrasound. I brought my husband with as I thought he would enjoy meeting him as well but the experience was not what we had in mind.
When Dr. Rinehart entered the room, he barely introduced himself, didn’t shake my husband’s hand and went straight to business of conducting the ultrasound. I didn’t feel that he took the time to read up on my case because for one, he read my previous ultrasound results incorrectly and I had to correct him. He also made a comment “that would only occur if you have endometriosis which you don’t” but if he read my history correctly, he would have seen that Dr. Nayak found signs of endometriosis from previous ultrasounds.
After concluding that I had three follicles in my left ovary and zero in my right ovary, I was shocked that he wanted to go forward with IVF. When I asked him if IUI would be a better option, he indicated that IVF is more successful than IUI. While that may be true, my insurance covers only 2 IVF cycles. A doctor should take into consideration ones financial situation as it is a highly risky financial decision to proceed with IVF with only 3 follicles. After consulting with a nurse from Progyny, she agreed that number was low for egg retrieval. Additionally, after meeting with another doctor at a different fertility clinic and telling him our experience, he confirmed we made the right decision to not proceed with egg extraction with only 3 follicles. In our opinion, he wasn’t concerned about the success of my IVF round – he just wanted to get it over and done with.
The most upsetting thing that occurred is when I asked him if it is normal to have an ovary produce no follicles. This is when he told me “Well you’re not normal. If you were, you would be sitting in an OB/GYN office instead of a fertility clinic.”
That is absolutely uncalled for and he caused his patient to go home and cry. It is already emotionally difficult enough for women going through this process. The last thing I (or any other woman) deserves is for a doctor to tell her that she is not normal. I am disgusted with his behavior and lack of bedside manner.
I highly caution any couple seeking fertility services to see this doctor.
Describe your experience with Reproductive Medicine Institute.
Coordinator is responsive; strength is that the have multiple locations throughout the Chicagoland area. A few of their offices are small and not in the best shape. The medication schedule is a bit outdated. They write it down on a piece of paper and scan it to you. Would be better if they got with the times and had an electronic version for patients
Describe the costs associated with your care under John Rinehart at Reproductive Medicine Institute.
A few hundred dollars as two medications were not covered under my plans formulary
What specific things went wrong at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
Failed to consider drug intolerance
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Reproductive Medicine Institute.
Once I had all of my medications shipped to me, I had to proactively ask the coordinator if there was any risk of being on the medications I currently was on. Turns out one of the medications I was on couldn't be mixed with the fertility medication. They never asked me that in advance - it could have been a bad drug interaction if I didn't go out of my way to ask. That should be on their radar
[Dr. Rinehart] was very detailed about the risks and percentages of each option...I have endometriosis and have done a lot of research. Some of the explanations Dr. Rhinehart provided went over my husband’s head, but I was well informed and was able to keep up because I did my homework...wanted to be more aggressive than if I didn’t have it. It was nice to finally have a solution and a plan of attack.
Everyone in the office [at Reproductive Medicine Institute- Chicago] showed courtesy and was extremely helpful and understanding...The nurses were exceptional. I have never had to wait for an appointment. I had my period the perfect time for an ultrasound and they performed it that day. They explained everything in detail, spoke about insurance, provided a timeline and wrote every date out, answered every question we had and one provided her story of infertility and how she was successful with IVF. They’re all amazing.
How was your experience with John Rinehart at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
Dr. Rhinehart listened to both me and my husband. He was able to get my husband and I to compromise on a plan that made us both comfortable. He provided three options, explained them in detail, made a suggestion and was very open to what we wanted. Dr. Rhinehart was very detailed about the risks and percentages of each option. I’ve heard nothing but positive reviews and I highly recommend this doctor.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of John Rinehart at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
I have endometriosis and have done a lot of research. Some of the explanations Dr. Rhinehart provided went over my husband’s head, but I was well informed and was able to keep up because I did my homework. The team is very good at explaining all of the processes and procedures, but it’s still a lot to take in.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with John Rinehart at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
Everyone in the office showed courtesy and was extremely helpful and understanding.
Describe the protocols John Rinehart used in your cycles at Reproductive Medicine Institute and their degree of success.
I am currently doing my first IUI cycle with Clomid and HCG shots before and after the procedure. My gyno did an extensive work up and diagnosis of endometriosis, but did not want to attribute that to my infertility. She did not want to prescribe clomid and said she could not definitively say that my infertility was due to my endometriosis. I had MRIs done, multiple ultrasounds, the dye testing to see if my tubes were open and a lot more prior to going to Dr. Rhinehart. He examined the findings and immediately said it was due to the endometriosis and wanted to be more aggressive than if I didn’t have it. It was nice to finally have a solution and a plan of attack.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Reproductive Medicine Institute.
The nurses were exceptional. I have never had to wait for an appointment. I had my period the perfect time for an ultrasound and they performed it that day. They explained everything in detail, spoke about insurance, provided a timeline and wrote every date out, answered every question we had and one provided her story of infertility and how she was successful with IVF. They’re all amazing.
Describe your experience with Reproductive Medicine Institute.
It is very clean and professional. There is parking behind the building and is easily accessible. The hours are not ideal due to abnormal work week, however I’ve been able to go on my lunches since it’s so close to where I work.
We did 4 IUIs, three retrievals and I think 6 transfers [with Dr. Trukhacheva]. The last transfer resulted in our second child. The first 3 were single and then we did two more transfers of 2 embryos (we had to thaw 3 to get 2 at one point.) All were PGS tested... is a no nonsense doctor. She is very clinical and often late, but she provides very good care. Every time something didn’t work like we were hoping she would give us a hug and work to adjust. We got two wonderful babies from her and her clinic. I would recommend her.
They [nurses] are caring, knowledgeable and helpful during a very rough and emotional process...Being under 40 we started by transferring 1 at a time. Then we began transferring two to hopefully get a better chance of conceiving. That worked and we had one child from a double transfer...They have good hours. I had to get in early and they were always able to get me in so I wasn’t late for work.
How was your experience with Elena Trukhacheva at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
Dr T is a no nonsense doctor. She is very clinical and often late, but she provides very good care. Every time something didn’t work like we were hoping she would give us a hug and work to adjust. We got two wonderful babies from her and her clinic. I would recommend her.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Elena Trukhacheva at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
Trust her. She gives every patient care and attention even if she’s not all warm and fuzzy all the time or running on time.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Elena Trukhacheva at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
Annie and the nurses are wonderful and so supportive.
Describe the protocols Elena Trukhacheva used in your cycles at Reproductive Medicine Institute and their degree of success.
We did 3 IUIs with our first daughter. 2 at a different clinic. The last one with Dr. T. That resulted in our first child. We did 4 IUIs, three retrievals and I think 6 transfers. The last transfer resulted in our second child. The first 3 were single and then we did two more transfers of 2 embryos (we had to thaw 3 to get 2 at one point.) All were PGS tested. I forget all the meds. There were so many over the time we were patients. Clomid, injectables, patches, you name it, we had it.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Reproductive Medicine Institute. (Assigned nurse: Annie)
Annie and Robin are the best. We also had other nursing staff during our journey who were great. Stacy and Annie were both there during our first daughter. Annie and Robin were the primary nurses during our second child. They are caring, knowledgeable and helpful during a very rough and emotional process.
Describe your experience with Reproductive Medicine Institute.
They have good hours. I had to get in early and they were always able to get me in so I wasn’t late for work. Dr. T is always running late, but she will give you the care and attention needed. The billing department was fine. A lot of turnover when we were there but they explained everything in detail which was helpful.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Elena Trukhacheva at Reproductive Medicine Institute.
Our insurance covered much of the treatments except for certain medications and the PGS testing.
Describe Elena Trukhacheva's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Reproductive Medicine Institute.
Being under 40 we started by transferring 1 at a time. Then we began transferring two to hopefully get a better chance of conceiving. That worked and we had one child from a double transfer.
Dr. Rinehart was respectful about our hesitations in pursuing IUI/IVF and allowed us to make some modifications to the process. He seems to be a scientist at heart. He presented the facts and probabilities of our case as he saw them, and was very matter of fact. ... At our IVF consult Dr. Rinehart said he recommended transferring only one embryo ... he would allow two embryos to be transferred if that is what we really wanted
At times there were some miscommunications between Oak Lawn and the main Oak Brook clinic [Reproductive Medicine Institute] in regards to billing, so my recommendation is to just error on the side of over communicating with both. ... They [nurses] were all very friendly and compassionate, and took time to answer all our questions and hypothetical scenarios. ... My advice to future patients would be to clarify your desire with the doctor and transfer team before the day of transfer, so that you do not have to make (or reconsider) your decision moments before the procedure).
How was your experience with John Rinehart at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
Dr. Rinehart was respectful about our hesitations in pursuing IUI/IVF and allowed us to make some modifications to the process. He seems to be a scientist at heart. He presented the facts and probabilities of our case as he saw them, and was very matter of fact. My husband has a science background and related well to him. After a successful IVF cycle, Dr. Rinehart was very warm and excited for us at our 6-week ultrasound, and you could tell those type of moments are the reason he does what he does.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of John Rinehart at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
Don't be afraid to ask questions and advocate for yourself. I was a little intimated by him at first, but quickly realized he has been doing this a long time and has heard every question under the sun.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with John Rinehart at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
We visited the Oak Lawn location for consults and monitoring, and never had to wait more than 5 minutes. The staff and nurses were very friendly and compassionate and always took time to answer our questions.
Describe the protocols John Rinehart used in your cycles at Reproductive Medicine Institute and their degree of success.
For a long time my husband and I did not want to use assisted reproductive technology due to religious reasons. For three years we tried to conceive, trying multiple charting methods, holistic remedies and a few rounds each of clomid and letrozole. We sought care from two different OB/GYNs during that time, both labeled us with “unexplained infertility” and each referred us to a different fertility clinic. We finally sought care from Dr. John Rinehart at Reproductive Medicine Institute.
He and his staff were respectful about our hesitations and allowed us to make some modifications to the process. We did two rounds of IUIs, neither of which succeeded, and the following year returned to try IVF. For all treatment cycles we were allowed to collect my husbands sample using a collection condom at a nearby hotel (we lived over an hour away from clinic). For IVF, we were also allowed to designate a limit of how many eggs to fertilize, to reduce the likelihood of unused embryos, with a plan to freeze remaining eggs. We were so fortunate to conceive on our first fresh embryo transfer! We now have a three-week-old son.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Reproductive Medicine Institute.
We had a few different nurses care of us over the two years we received treatment. They were all very friendly and compassionate, and took time to answer all our questions and hypothetical scenarios. One of the nurses shared that her children are a result of IVF and she is extra passionate about helping couples conceive.
Describe your experience with Reproductive Medicine Institute.
We visited the Oak Lawn location for consults and monitoring, and never had to wait more than 5 minutes. At times there were some miscommunications between Oak Lawn and the main Oak Brook clinic in regards to billing, so my recommendation is to just error on the side of over communicating with both.
Describe the costs associated with your care under John Rinehart at Reproductive Medicine Institute.
Here is the breakdown of what we spent on our IVF cycle:
IVF case rate: $11,550
Medications: $5,129 (included discounts and refills of two medications)
Cyropreservation of extra embryos: $1,200
1 year of offsite embryo storage: $250
Describe John Rinehart's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Reproductive Medicine Institute.
At our IVF consult Dr. Rinehart said he recommended transferring only one embryo, and cited the increased risk factors involved with multiple pregnancies if two embryos were to be transferred. However, he also said he would allow two embryos to be transferred if that is what we really wanted. We agreed with him that we felt it was best to only transfer one embryo on our first attempt.
However, he must not have noted this in the chart, because when we showed up on transfer day, the embryologist said “we are doing two embryos, right?” Since Dr. Rinehart had approved us for 1-2 embryos, the transfer team just assumed we wanted to do two. They gave us 5 minutes alone to discuss, and we decided to stick to our plan of transferring only one.
My advice to future patients would be to clarify your desire with the doctor and transfer team before the day of transfer, so that you do not have to make (or reconsider) your decision moments before the procedure).
Dr Rinehart was direct and to the point. He took the time to talk to me and my fiance after each unsuccessful transfer and listen to my concerns...He did do all of my procedures and didn't pass it off to an associate...very knowledgeable, and kind. he took the time to explain things to me, although I had to ask a lot of clarifying questions. However, I do not feel that he really thinks outside of the box, as each new step we took after a failed transfer (PGS testing ERA) were always my idea. I feel that he believes so much in his protocol that he does little to stray from it and believes it is just a numbers game
[Nurses at Reproductive Medicine Institute are] Very compassionate and organized. Well run office in my opinion. Got you in and out of appointments fast...$800 ERA - Their Genetic PGS testing was more pricey than other clinics (Total for 2 retrievals and testing 8 embryos and freezing/storage fees etc was $8055 out of pocket and my insurance covered the actual procedures) ...Weaknesses - wish they had earlier hours. Not always warm and fuzzy
How was your experience with John Rinehart at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
Dr Rinehart is very knowledgeable, and kind. he took the time to explain things to me, although I had to ask a lot of clarifying questions. However, I do not feel that he really thinks outside of the box, as each new step we took after a failed transfer (PGS testing ERA) were always my idea. I feel that he believes so much in his protocol that he does little to stray from it and believes it is just a numbers game - AKA try more and it should eventually work. He did do all of my procedures and didn't pass it off to an associate, which I liked.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of John Rinehart at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
Ask lots of questions and be ready for "batching" meaning you will be on Birth control for awhile in order to get in "sync" with out women in the practice so egg retrievals/transfers can be timed up.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with John Rinehart at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
Dr Rinehart was direct and to the point. He took the time to talk to me and my fiance after each unsuccessful transfer and listen to my concerns. He does come off a bit pretentious (with his Harvard and John's Hopkins degrees and very data driven language).
Describe the protocols John Rinehart used in your cycles at Reproductive Medicine Institute and their degree of success.
My protocol included BC for awhile, then starting stims (Pregnyl, Follistin, Menopur and an HCG trigger) and then prep for transfer was typically Estrace and PIO.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Reproductive Medicine Institute. (Assigned nurse: Rachel easton)
Very compassionate and organized. Well run office in my opinion. Got you in and out of appointments fast.
Describe your experience with Reproductive Medicine Institute.
Weaknesses - wish they had earlier hours. Not always warm and fuzzy. Had some "don't ask don't tell" types of behaviors where I felt in the dark unless I asked questions.
Strengths - organized, quick, and answered your questions that you asked.
Describe the costs associated with your care under John Rinehart at Reproductive Medicine Institute.
$800 ERA - Their Genetic PGS testing was more pricey than other clinics (Total for 2 retrievals and testing 8 embryos and freezing/storage fees etc was $8055 out of pocket and my insurance covered the actual procedures)
Describe John Rinehart's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Reproductive Medicine Institute.
Was willing to transfer 2 embryos, even though they were PGS tested, due to my age (41 at that tome)
What specific things went wrong at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
Dr. Trukhacheva was very compassionate and good at explaining procedures, however she is known for being consistently late. She was late for all of our procedures, the last cycle she was over an hour late for the retrival....Dr. Trukhacheva had me on menopur (225iu), Follistim 450 units, and microdose hcg 2ml(200 units). It was the same doses for all 3 cycles with her, but she did add microdose lupron and a steroid pill with my last cycle(I can't remember dosages offhand for these)
The clinic [Repro Med Inst] was nice, it was clean and organized. But I didn't like that we had to drive almost an hour away, to Oakbrook, for procedures. They are good about getting you in quickly for appointments and you can be in and out within 15 min for monitoring appts, if you go 1st thing in the morning which was very nice...Annie was excellent about conveying information and helping us to understand all the procedures. She was very compassionate and you could tell she really cared about us and our results.
How was your experience with Elena Trukhacheva at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
Dr. Trukhacheva was very compassionate and good at explaining procedures, however she is known for being consistently late. She was late for all of our procedures, the last cycle she was over an hour late for the retrival. With time sensitive procedures it is not ok to always be late, especially an hour or more late! As a result of being so late, she rushed through the procedure and wound up causing me a lot of extra pain and bleeding after the procedure, it was almost to the point I was going to have my husband take me to the E.R.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Elena Trukhacheva at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
Ask to be the 1st procedure of the day, so she's not as late for your procedure. Because she gets consistently further behind and later as the day goes on.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Elena Trukhacheva at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
The doctor and nurses were all very friendly and helpful. They really took the time to explain things and were great about getting back to us right away when we had an questions or concerns.
Describe the protocols Elena Trukhacheva used in your cycles at Reproductive Medicine Institute and their degree of success.
Dr. Trukhacheva had me on menopur (225iu), Follistim 450 units, and microdose hcg 2ml(200 units). It was the same doses for all 3 cycles with her, but she did add microdose lupron and a steroid pill with my last cycle(I can't remember dosages offhand for these). She also had me do estradiol and testosterone patches for about 9 days leading up to the injections.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Reproductive Medicine Institute. (Assigned nurse: Annie)
Annie was excellent about conveying information and helping us to understand all the procedures. She was very compassionate and you could tell she really cared about us and our results. She was always trying to help us out wherever possible by getting us donated meds or helping us find med discounts. She was always very prompt at getting back to me whenever I had questions or concerns.
Describe your experience with Reproductive Medicine Institute.
The clinic was nice, it was clean and organized. But I didn't like that we had to drive almost an hour away, to Oakbrook, for procedures. They are good about getting you in quickly for appointments and you can be in and out within 15 min for monitoring appts, if you go 1st thing in the morning which was very nice.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Elena Trukhacheva at Reproductive Medicine Institute.
I can't remember specific costs, our insurance covered about 85%, and we paid for meds out of pocket (minus the meds our nurse coordinator, Annie, was able to provide us with).
Describe Elena Trukhacheva's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Reproductive Medicine Institute.
Dr. Trukhacheva strongly suggested transferring both embryos for our best chance due to my age.
Dr. Rinehart understood my concerns and took steps that made me comfortable and confident. I was very nervous and concerned and he put me at ease and LISTENED to me...I was young when I first saw him and my husband has male infertility. It was a very vulnerable time. Dr Rinehart didn’t make us feel like a “case”, or broken, and that’s what we felt about ourselves. To say he made me feel like I was a human being and “cared” about is an understatement. I will forever be grateful for Dr. Rinehart and his entire staff for my twins. Without them, I wouldn’t have my babies.
Strengths [at Reproductive Medicine Institute]- people skills, listening to patients, time efficient, and well... SUCCESSFUL! Weaknesses- I can’t name 1. I was almost thinking about trying to have another baby just to go through the process again. It literally was that seamless!...If I had a question, they [nurses] were there... if I had a concern, they were there... I could call, email and they world respond so promptly. I thoroughly appreciate that. They walked me through how to administer the trigger shot multiple times... I was incredibly nervous! They were just my angels. My on earth angels!
How was your experience with John Rinehart at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
Dr. Rinehart is an amazing doctor. I was young when I first saw him and my husband has male infertility. It was a very vulnerable time. Dr Rinehart didn’t make us feel like a “case”, or broken, and that’s what we felt about ourselves. To say he made me feel like I was a human being and “cared” about is an understatement. I will forever be grateful for Dr. Rinehart and his entire staff for my twins. Without them, I wouldn’t have my babies.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of John Rinehart at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
Be honest. Communicate your concerns and listen to his proposed plan. He ALWAYS keeps his patients needs priority!
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with John Rinehart at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
Dr. Rinehart understood my concerns and took steps that made me comfortable and confident. I was very nervous and concerned and he put me at ease and LISTENED to me.
Describe the protocols John Rinehart used in your cycles at Reproductive Medicine Institute and their degree of success.
We first didn’t have any protocol just blood work and tests for ovulation... I only took a trigger shot the first 2 rounds... the 3rd cycle we added Chlomid and of course the trigger shot. And I got pregnant. I used donor sperm and that process of shipping to the doctor was also VERY seamless. The nursing staff walked me through the ENTIRE process!
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Reproductive Medicine Institute.
If I had a question, they were there... if I had a concern, they were there... I could call, email and they world respond so promptly. I thoroughly appreciate that. They walked me through how to administer the trigger shot multiple times... I was incredibly nervous! They were just my angels. My on earth angels!
Describe your experience with Reproductive Medicine Institute.
Strengths- people skills, listening to patients, time efficient, and well... SUCCESSFUL!
Weaknesses- I can’t name 1. I was almost thinking about trying to have another baby just to go through the process again. It literally was that seamless!
Describe the costs associated with your care under John Rinehart at Reproductive Medicine Institute.
I only paid co-pay.
Describe John Rinehart's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Reproductive Medicine Institute.
As a doctor, she [Dr. Trukacheva] was candid with us the 2 times we met with her. She had an appropriate level of compassion and explained her approach. However, in addition to being well over an hour late to the 2nd appointment, she clearly could not care less. It appeared going into our 2nd appointment she'd had to review for the first time the results of the lab. She certainly hadn't called us with results or reached out after the results were zero viable embryos.
This is a disorganized disaster....on't go to RMI. It is not a good alternative. [nurse]Catelyn is a trainwreck and you'll barely interact with the doctor....you'll be so irritated that they are getting paid to treat you this way. Also, you have to go to Oakbrook for egg retrieval....this was a horrid experience and ultimately we decided to stop trying due in no small part to how miserable it was to have to deal with Catelyn...zero viable embryos. Nobody reached out at all actually.
How was your experience with Elena Trukhacheva at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
As a doctor, she was candid with us the 2 times we met with her. She had an appropriate level of compassion and explained her approach. However, in addition to being well over an hour late to the 2nd appointment, she clearly could not care less. It appeared going into our 2nd appointment she'd had to review for the first time the results of the lab. She certainly hadn't called us with results or reached out after the results were zero viable embryos. Nobody reached out at all actually.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Elena Trukhacheva at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
You're reading this because you're trying to avoid the cattle call of another option in town right? Dr. T is fine, nothing to be enthusiastic about. Her nurses are an actual train wreck. Keep reading. Go to the other place...the cattle call is organized.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Reproductive Medicine Institute. (Assigned nurse: Catelyn)
1. Forgot to place our order. I called concerned a week out and it took that long to chase it down b/c she kept calling it in to the wrong pharmacy. It arrived via courier an hour before it was needed. Seriously.
2. Ordered twice as much as needed despite us being clear we were only doing one round. In fact she blew through the entire $15K lifetime insurance benefit we are lucky to have in one round.
3. Ordered PIO with the original order...PIO is for embryo transfer. We ultimately didn't get anything to transfer. ALSO...I had a conversation with her less than an hour before she placed the order about doing suppositories and not injectables. So no PIO was needed at all.
4. Kept bringing up what to do if we had over 8 embryos for PGS. She wanted to know this b/c then they get to charge our credit card for more. The answer is actually no big deal - just deal with it when it happens. But she couldn't stop asking.
5. On that note, didn't tell us about a bunch of the costs associated with PGS. She was supposed to cover that with us but we were surprised when billing line itemed them on the bills.
6. Did not call with results or follow up about results after they were absolutely awful.
7. When we complained to Dr. T about the non-order of the drugs she told us...and I quote "we do this a lot and some just slip through the cracks." So this must be common with Catelyn. Dr. T doesn't care.
Describe your experience with Reproductive Medicine Institute.
This is a disorganized disaster. I know you don't want to go to the other place in town fellow infertile friend and I'm so sorry you're going through this. But don't go to RMI. It is not a good alternative. Catelyn is a trainwreck and you'll barely interact with the doctor. RMI feels like a horrid money grab and you'll be so irritated that they are getting paid to treat you this way. Also, you have to go to Oakbrook for egg retrieval.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Elena Trukhacheva at Reproductive Medicine Institute.
PGS was $5400 for 8 embryos and the could come from different retrievals. BUT each new batch was an extra almost $700 in lab fees. Catelyn will forget to tell you this by the way. They send them to Good Start Genetics who is pretty vocal about super reduced prices to make PGS affordable. The margin RMI gets on PGS is insane.
Describe Elena Trukhacheva's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Reproductive Medicine Institute.
She does not support natural cycle implantation...of course not. It would be very inconvenient for her.
What specific things went wrong at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
Lost paperwork
Failed to call with results
Failed to order appropriate test
Lost results
Failed to convey critical information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Reproductive Medicine Institute.
I don't know what else to say. This was a horrid experience and ultimately we decided to stop trying due in no small part to how miserable it was to have to deal with Catelyn. Luckily we do have one child after a long run of miscarriages. If you want to give it everything you've got, don't start or end here. They will suck the life out of you.
Dr T [Elena Trukhacheva]. always takes the time to talk to you during appointments and procedures. She is often running late and it's because she answers every single question from every patient.... She will always be late, but it's because she gives each patient such good care and attention and she never says no. She apologies and she's warm and she is ready to dedicate herself to you so I've just learned to live with this part (although it's not fun when you have a full bladder awaiting a transfer, as one would imagine).
I definitely prefer the small office vibe [of Reproductive Medicine Institute]. The one thing to know about RMI is that if you are located in the city and do all of your monitoring appointments downtown you still have to travel to Oak Brook for the big appointments (retrieval, transfer, etc.).... I could not say enough nice things about Annie [a nurse]. She answers all of my questions and is so thoughtful in her responses.
How was your experience with Elena Trukhacheva at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
We ended up seeing Dr. T, per the recommendation of a friend who was successful. She was actually our 3rd RE. We were about to start IVF with another doctor, but their accepted insurance changed and so we began the process with Dr. T. Since I've had 2 prior miscarriage she wanted to start with a Hysteroscopy before beginning IVF (something the prior doctor did not think was necessary). She did find scar tissue which she removed and we began IVF. We've never gotten any answers for our infertility and recurrent pregnancy loss so we were very optimistic that IVF would be the answer, but we were also cautious because of my AMH. From the beginning they knew they would be very conservative and that we would likely do a freeze-all because of concerns of OHSS. I had a mild case of OHSS that was resolved with a culdocentesis. Dr. T was always hyper aware and I feel like I received the best care during all of this time. At this point, we've tried 2 FET and both have been unsuccessful. We've been transferring one at a time because of their grades, but will move on to 2 embryos starting this month. Each month leading up to the transfer we've tried different tactics to ensure my lining is thickening. I'm still hopeful Dr. T will get us pregnant, but can't report it at this time.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Elena Trukhacheva at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
She will always be late, but it's because she gives each patient such good care and attention and she never says no. She apologies and she's warm and she is ready to dedicate herself to you so I've just learned to live with this part (although it's not fun when you have a full bladder awaiting a transfer, as one would imagine).
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Elena Trukhacheva at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
Dr T. always takes the time to talk to you during appointments and procedures. She is often running late and it's because she answers every single question from every patient. The front desk and nurses are also very friendly. Not at all like previous experiences.
Describe the protocols Elena Trukhacheva used in your cycles at Reproductive Medicine Institute and their degree of success.
Goodness, it was all so complicated I don't really remember. I know we used Menopur and Gonal-F, dosages were cut in half after a week, then Ganilrelix was added to suppress ovulation. HCG was used to trigger. I am lucky enough to ovulate on my own each month and I have a slightly higher than normal AMH so 40+ eggs were fertilized and I feel fortunate to have 10+ embryos to transfer. The issue will my unexplained infertility has been getting and staying pregnant so once we figure out how to make that work I'll happily update this protocol description.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Reproductive Medicine Institute. (Assigned nurse: Annie Miller)
I could not say enough nice things about Annie. She answers all of my questions and is so thoughtful in her responses.
Describe your experience with Reproductive Medicine Institute.
I definitely prefer the small office vibe. The one thing to know about RMI is that if you are located in the city and do all of your monitoring appointments downtown you still have to travel to Oak Brook for the big appointments (retrieval, transfer, etc.).
Describe the costs associated with your care under Elena Trukhacheva at Reproductive Medicine Institute.
Luckily, insurance covered IVF for me once I hit my deductible. You do have to pay out of pocket to freeze the embryos (1200) and you have to pay a lab fee with each transfer (195).
Describe Elena Trukhacheva's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Reproductive Medicine Institute.
Dr. T seems to always recommend 1 embryo for transfer, but after 2 failed transfers we are going to start trying 2. She is very conservative and mindful of the patient and the pregnancy.
What specific things went wrong at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
Provided conflicting information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Reproductive Medicine Institute.
Last month, the ultrasound tech had a completely different read of my ultrasound scan than Dr. T. I know she looks over all the results and my treatment is based on that, but I left the office assuming my cycle was canceled and felt very confused when per Dr. T's reading of my ultrasound my transfer was being scheduled. Everything is so emotional during this process so this amplified those feelings.
[Dr. Nayak is a] Very good communicator. Laid out all the medical science along with statistics and suggested courses of treatment. She also did a really nice job of presenting all options which often left me not knowing what to do but I'm glad I had all the information I could have wanted/needed so I could then consult with family, friends and other medical providers. Very thorough. Also, it was discovered I had cysts post-treatment and she's personally followed their progress since...Dr Nayak took the time to explain processes and results over the phone or in the office whenever I needed.
The clinic [Reproductive Medicine Institute] needs to do a better job of educating patients on their shots. People are very skittish about giving themselves injections but a 5 minute, in person lesson (i.e. not ONLY a video) would truly have helped me with this process. I wanted the chance to ask questions and receive tips and tricks...She (Tracy- nurse] was very insensitive to the fact that I'd never given myself a shot. I received ZERO instruction and she never let me know there are videos out there I was supposed to be watching. I let her know I needed help but she never responded and it was the weekend and I was supposed to do my first shots the next day.
How was your experience with Shweta Nayak at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
Very good communicator. Laid out all the medical science along with statistics and suggested courses of treatment. She also did a really nice job of presenting all options which often left me not knowing what to do but I'm glad I had all the information I could have wanted/needed so I could then consult with family, friends and other medical providers. Very thorough. Also, it was discovered I had cysts post-treatment and she's personally followed their progress since.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Shweta Nayak at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
Dr Nayak took the time to explain processes and results over the phone or in the office whenever I needed.
Describe the protocols Shweta Nayak used in your cycles at Reproductive Medicine Institute and their degree of success.
Two weeks on a birth control pill. Then started 2 mg Estradiol and 2 mg patch of Androderm. Continued this for about 10 days. Went for baseline ultrasound and labs and ~3 days later started 225 units follistim and 50 units microdose HCG every morning and every evening. After ~4-10 days, added Ganirelix to this. After several more days, triggered with 10,000 units HCG.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Reproductive Medicine Institute. (Assigned nurse: Tracy)
Tracy was very organized and a good communicator over email. Her weaknesses, however, caused me to research other clinics knowing I would receive a similar protocol from other doctors who came highly recommended. In other words, since she was the primary face I dealt with, the doctor almost wasn't enough to keep me around.
She was very insensitive to the fact that I'd never given myself a shot. I received ZERO instruction and she never let me know there are videos out there I was supposed to be watching. I let her know I needed help but she never responded and it was the weekend and I was supposed to do my first shots the next day.
First of all, I should NOT have taught myself how to do a shot from youtube bloggers who are taking hcg for weight loss.
Secondly, the dosage instructions didn't make sense with the needle I was given. I had to go to the pharmacist the next day and ask them to explain for me. They agreed that they weren't sure what the dosage should have been when I posed my question to them. So they called the office and spent an hour on the phone with the on-call nurse, who also wasn't entirely sure. We ended up going with what the on-call nurse assumed was the best protocol with the instruction that I needed to follow up with my nurse, Tracy, on Monday.
When I followed up with Tracy, she stated in her email that whatever happened is between me and the pharmacy and she was uncertain what I wanted her to do. What I asked her to do was call the pharmacy so they could straighten out my dosage, if necessary. I asked her this two times and also ask that she call me. If a patient's pharmacy has a question on the dosage and even the on-call nurse isn't 100% sure how to proceed, I would expect a diligent, caring nurse to get on the phone with the pharmacy to be sure the patient is taking the right medicines.
Other nurses I worked with at this clinic while Tracy was on maternity leave were wonderful - Tiffany Abrams (who has since left) and Rachel Easton (unfortunately Rachel is in the Evanston office and I'm in Chicago).
The ultrasound and lab technicians were also warm, compassionate, and caring.
Describe your experience with Reproductive Medicine Institute.
The clinic needs to do a better job of educating patients on their shots. People are very skittish about giving themselves injections but a 5 minute, in person lesson (i.e. not ONLY a video) would truly have helped me with this process. I wanted the chance to ask questions and receive tips and tricks. For the intramuscular shot, I had to ask a nurse to do this for me (not my usual nurse, the weekend nurse). She was happy to do it but this is something my primary nurse should have offered. I even explained to her that I needed help with this one because I have a back issue wherein I cannot twist around to do it in the rear and also I am doing it alone. Some advice would have been helpful.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Shweta Nayak at Reproductive Medicine Institute.
Follicle puncture for oocyte retrieval $2,700
Ultrasound Guidance for Aspiration of Ovum $1,000
Embryo culture 4-7 days $1,300
Progesterone blood work $105
Ultrasound Transvaginal $425
She [Dr. Elena Trukhacheva] makes as much time as needed for each couple and individual. Dr. T clearly discussed our treatment plan and met with us for an IVF consultation to explain some questions we needed answers to before making our final decisions. Dr. T always performed initial testing and procedures and will perform our IVF egg retrieval and transfer. She did not perform our IUI's as it was not necessary. Among many things, one thing I especially appreciate about Dr. T is that your health and well-being is of utmost important. She informs you of risks and makes decisions for your treatment based off of what is in your best interest. Although our goal is to get pregnant, she makes it clear that my safety as a patient is top priority and she doesn't let numbers and statistics overshadow that importance.
Parking at the Chicago office [of Reproductive Medicine Institute] can be a bit hard to find and expensive. I would recommend really early appointments for ease of parking and stress. Appointments are painless to make and I have rarely had to wait in the waiting room for more than 3 minutes...The nursing staff, IVF coordinator and administrative support at RMI, specifically speaking to the Chicago office is amazing. They all work tirelessly to support women going through some of the toughest life challenges they have ever had to face. They do so with grace and support.
How was your experience with Elena Trukhacheva at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
Dr. T is very thorough and caring. Do not expect to see her overtime you walk into the clinic, but if you need to schedule an appointment specifically with her, there is always availability within a few days and she always treats you like your questions and concerns are her top priority. Be prepared, she typically runs late, so your appointments will not start on time, however, she goes back and forth between the suburbs and Chicago all the while, not rushing any patient out the door. She makes as much time as needed for each couple and individual. Dr. T clearly discussed our treatment plan and met with us for an IVF consultation to explain some questions we needed answers to before making our final decisions. Dr. T always performed initial testing and procedures and will perform our IVF egg retrieval and transfer. She did not perform our IUI's as it was not necessary. Among many things, one thing I especially appreciate about Dr. T is that your health and well-being is of utmost important. She informs you of risks and makes decisions for your treatment based off of what is in your best interest. Although our goal is to get pregnant, she makes it clear that my safety as a patient is top priority and she doesn't let numbers and statistics overshadow that importance.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Elena Trukhacheva at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
Dr. T has a thick accent, and it takes a little bit of time to get used to understanding her. Don't let that barrier discourage you, she is well worth it.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Elena Trukhacheva at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
Every time I step into RMI I am greeted by my first name and the staff always makes an effort to engage in conversation. They make the process short and sweet, but always take the time to answer any questions you may have.
Describe the protocols Elena Trukhacheva used in your cycles at Reproductive Medicine Institute and their degree of success.
My husband and I had been trying for 3 years and had many tests done in that time frame, we hesitated with ART until we comfortably made the decision it was best for us. I was diagnosed with Unexplained Infertility along with PCOS. Because of the amount of time we had been trying, Dr. T immediately started us off on medicated IUI cycles with trigger. Our plan was 3 and then on to IVF. At the time, we still didn't know if IVF was right for us, so we went ahead with a 4th IUI, all of our IUI's failed, never resulting in a pregnancy. We met with Dr. T regarding IVF and she explained our treatment plan to us and why it was best. We will do ovarian stimulation, egg retrieval, fertilization of eggs with ICSI and once eggs are fertilized and make it to Day 5 embryos they will be frozen. We will undergo a frozen embryo transfer 3-6 weeks after egg retrieval. I am at great risk for OHSS due to PCOS and my age (29) and she feels it is best and safest to not proceed with a fresh 5 day transfer post egg retrieval.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Reproductive Medicine Institute. (Assigned nurse: Annie and Robin)
The nursing staff, IVF coordinator and administrative support at RMI, specifically speaking to the Chicago office is amazing. They all work tirelessly to support women going through some of the toughest life challenges they have ever had to face. They do so with grace and support.
Describe your experience with Reproductive Medicine Institute.
Parking at the Chicago office can be a bit hard to find and expensive. I would recommend really early appointments for ease of parking and stress. Appointments are painless to make and I have rarely had to wait in the waiting room for more than 3 minutes.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Elena Trukhacheva at Reproductive Medicine Institute.
Dr. T is an in-network provider under my plan and I have not had any surprise charges that I did not expect.
Describe Elena Trukhacheva's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Reproductive Medicine Institute.
I know that this is a big decision for everyone and one that should be made personally with the guidance from your doctor, but in our treatment plan, Dr. T is a firm believer of one healthy baby at a time, and that is what my husband and I are most comfortable with too. Her approach to single embryo transfers in our specific case is something we 100% agree with.
Dr [Rinehart] spoke candidly about our options, always gave me step by steps regarding what would happen/what to expect before doing anything, knew my name, and took the time to answer our questions to our satisfaction...He was able to joke with us and overall I had a good first fertility doc/treatment experience.
I was actively bleeding and 6.5 weeks pregnant and told to call my OBGYN they [Reproductive Medicine Institute] couldn't do anything about it. Even though my apt wasn't until another 3 weeks...it hadn't even been 72 hours since I had seen the doctor, they refused to see me and instead could only refer me out. I almost miscarried, and during that scary time instead of letting me talk to the nurse, the front desk staff clearly had me move on.
How was your experience with John Rinehart at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
Our situation was a bit different as we had to do IVF due to not wanting to pass on a genetic issue to our kids, so IVF with PGD was always our only option, with no prior attempts at pregnancy. We had done a lot of research before meeting with him, I knew his training/read some of his publications, and had an idea of what he would be like before we met. When we met he was exactly what I was thinking, and he remained professional the entire time. I am a psychologist, I'm not sure if he did this purposefully to demonstrate he had read our intake information or if it was a chance fluke, but during our initial meeting he had a journal article about the toll on patient's mental health and improving it throughout IVF on his desk that was current and he was clearly reading. That stuck with me. He always explained procedures and options clearly, compassionately, but he did not bullsh*t around. He was able to joke with us and overall I had a good first fertility doc/treatment experience.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of John Rinehart at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
Have a list of questions available and don't be afraid to ask them- he will answer all of your questions, and he's willing to have phone consults as you go as needed.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with John Rinehart at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
Dr spoke candidly about our options, always gave me step by steps regarding what would happen/what to expect before doing anything, knew my name, and took the time to answer our questions to our satisfaction.
Describe the protocols John Rinehart used in your cycles at Reproductive Medicine Institute and their degree of success.
After speaking with genetic counselors, our only options were either IVF with PGD or adoption. Pretty straight forward. We met in December '16, did all of the testing to make sure no other problems were present for either of us, Was on & off birth control for a while, Started Lupron 10ml injections Dec 31 '16, then added Menopur and Gonal-F, did the Egg Retrieval by the end of January (we had 15 eggs, 12 were useable, 10 continued to mature, then 7 were able to be biopsied, and then only 2 were useable without having the genetic disorder), had my body on "shut down/recovery mode", was back on & off birth control, then back on Lupron, then on Estradiol, then added Progesterone in Sesame Oil, then Frozen Embryo Transfer April 10th, found out through bloodwork 10 days later we were pregnant, I was discharged from the clinic after we did a transvaginal ultrasound the week after and told to contact my OBGYN and continue my meds, I continued 2x/day PIO shots until ending May 17th, then on Progesterone suppositories for 2 weeks, and then done with medication.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Reproductive Medicine Institute.
Overall I felt very much understood and cared for. There were a few things I didn't like including being given timelines that were not always accurate , but in general I had confidence in my nurse.
Describe your experience with Reproductive Medicine Institute.
My husband was not allowed in the room when we did our Frozen Embryo Transfer. After the transfer I was left to "relax" (as if anyone can) for 5 minutes in the quiet, and it would have been incredibly comforting to have him in the room at that point if he couldn't be there earlier. It is their office policy to not allow any unnecessary people in the room to preserve the "embryo friendly environment" (my husband was absolutely necessary in that moment), and I HATED that he wasn't allowed to be with me at this important moment in our lives.
Also- after we did our blood work and came in the next week for an ultrasound I was discharged from the practice and told I needed to schedule with my OBGYN for follow up appointments so we called and scheduled an appointment with my OBGYN for another 3 weeks from then. This was on a Thursday early evening. Less than 72 hours later I started hemorrhaging and when we called to see if we could get in to see the fertility doctor, we were told he could not see us because we were discharged. I was actively bleeding and 6.5 weeks pregnant and told to call my OBGYN they couldn't do anything about it. Even though my apt wasn't until another 3 weeks. Even though I literally work down the street from the fertility clinic and it hadn't even been 72 hours since I had seen the doctor, they refused to see me and instead could only refer me out. I almost miscarried, and during that scary time instead of letting me talk to the nurse, the front desk staff clearly had me move on. Although our overall experience was a good one and we luckily got pregnant on our first cycle- it left a pretty bad feeling ending that way.
Describe the costs associated with your care under John Rinehart at Reproductive Medicine Institute.
In total we paid out of pocket rates- our insurance covered nothing. We spent about $15-18k
Describe John Rinehart's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Reproductive Medicine Institute.
I was given the choice between transferring 1 or 2 embryos. I was told the chance of getting pregnant with only transferring one (both were graded the highest grade quality) we had only a 30-40% chance of getting pregnant. If we transferred 2 we had a 60-70% chance, and if we did 2 there was only a 20% chance of multiples.
What specific things went wrong at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
Failed to call with results
Provided conflicting information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Reproductive Medicine Institute.
During our IVF cycle, the pharmacy did not have a prescription that lasted long enough for my protocol, so I had to ask the nurse to have them call in another script as I was running out. Also- I needed 1 inch needles for my PIO since I'm a relatively tiny person and the 1.5 inch were too long, and I had to call the pharmacy to make sure they were going to send the 1 inch needles... needless to say had I not called they would have sent the 1.5in ones.
There were a handful of times I did not get calls when they said they would call- I received them eventually, and then at other times I only received the information after me reaching out to find out the results.
Oh also, the clinic has a policy about having the place that does your genetic testing not provide you any information. So we could not get any of our results from the lab- it HAD to come from the doctor.
Dr. Trukacheva put my needs first. She scheduled a next day surgery the day before thanksgiving so my IVF plan didn't fall behind schedule. She worked with my insurance to help get me a fair price. She held my hand as I cried and called to check on me. She was both very honest and blunt about my prognosis while being gentle and understanding. I trusted and loved her nurses so much that I named my daughter after one of the nurses. I
I also can not appropriately convey how amazing the staff at RMI’s [Reproductive Medicine Institute] downtown location are. The receptionist was always friendly and helpful. The billing department was very quick to get back to me and made sure I understood everything before my procedures. All of the nurses I worked with were wonderful but Stacy Roland and Annie Kane went above and beyond what I expected. I know they see so many patients each day but they always took the time to chat with me and ask how I was feeling. They were incredibly responsive by email and phone and thoroughly answered every question I had. Unfortunately, I moved away from Chicago bef
How was your experience with Elena Trukhacheva at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
Dr. Trukacheva put my needs first. She scheduled a next day surgery the day before thanksgiving so my IVF plan didn't fall behind schedule. She worked with my insurance to help get me a fair price. She held my hand as I cried and called to check on me. She was both very honest and blunt about my prognosis while being gentle and understanding. I trusted and loved her nurses so much that I named my daughter after one of the nurses. I know I will never trust another doctor as much as I did her.
For a few of my appointments, Dr. Trukhacheva ran very late, often upwards of an hour. Initially I was aggravated but after meeting with her I understood that she runs late because she cares deeply about her patients. She took the time to thoroughly go over my history and past treatment plans. I never felt rushed when I met with her. Before I worked with Dr. Trukhacheva I had an HSG with Dr. Pavone but not a hysteroscopy. I learned after meeting with Dr. Trukhacheva that having a hysteroscopy should have been something Dr. Pavone did based on my symptoms. Dr. Truckhacheva fit in my hysteroscopy and subsequent polyp and scar tissue removal the very next day, which was the day before Thanksgiving. She was initially supposed to be traveling but changed her plans so my IVF cycle didn’t have to wait until the following month. She was aggressive in the dosage of my medication which helped make my first IVF with her successful. I was worried about doing a 5 day transfer rather than a 3, but she assured me that she believed it was the most likely to produce a viable pregnancy and she was correct.
Every time I met with Dr. Trukhacheva, she remembered my name, my husband’s name and knew my history. That has not been my experience with other doctors. On the day of my retrieval when I had far fewer eggs than expected, Dr. Trukhacheva was incredibly empathetic and took the time to comfort me even though I knew she had a long day ahead of her.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Elena Trukhacheva at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
Trust in her completely.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Elena Trukhacheva at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
The doctor and her staff care so deeply for their patients. I never felt rushed and she carefully answered any question on had. On my retrieval day when I had only 3 eggs, she cried right along with me. They checked in during and after my pregnancy. She truly is one of the kindest and smartest people I've ever known.
Describe the protocols Elena Trukhacheva used in your cycles at Reproductive Medicine Institute and their degree of success.
I have a diminished egg reserve. She used a higher dose of medicine than a previous doctor used which allowed me to create 3 eggs. She did a 5 day transfer rather than a 3 which worked out well.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Reproductive Medicine Institute. (Assigned nurse: Stacy)
My primary nurses were Stacy Roland and Annie Kane. Both worked around my schedule for labs and ultrasounds. They both called during treatment and my pregnancy to check on me.
Describe your experience with Reproductive Medicine Institute.
I also can not appropriately convey how amazing the staff at RMI’s downtown location are. The receptionist was always friendly and helpful. The billing department was very quick to get back to me and made sure I understood everything before my procedures. All of the nurses I worked with were wonderful but Stacy Roland and Annie Kane went above and beyond what I expected. I know they see so many patients each day but they always took the time to chat with me and ask how I was feeling. They were incredibly responsive by email and phone and thoroughly answered every question I had. Unfortunately, I moved away from Chicago before my daughter was born. I wish I could move back just so I could work with the RMI again.
One of the only negative things I can say about the Reproductive Medicine Institute is the inconvenience of one of their clinics in Oak Lawn, Illinois. I initially met with Dr. Trukhacheva in the downtown Chicago location, which has great public transportation access. During my IVF cycle, I was able to use that location for labs and ultrasounds. However, on the weekends I had to go to Oak Lawn, which was okay because I had a car but would have been very difficult for anyone without their own vehicle. The egg retrieval and transfer both took place in the Oak Lawn location as well.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Elena Trukhacheva at Reproductive Medicine Institute.
Her clinic helped squeeze my IVF in before the end of the year so I didn't owe as much for my deductible. Including medicine I paid roughly $4k for IVF.
She tends to be conservative. She prefers single embryo transfers and was quite concerned about OHSS [Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome] during my IVF stimulation. She does run quite late on a regular basis, and once missed a major IVF cycle related procedure.
I feel the care and treatment protocol at RMI is a bit more individualized than other local clinics, which is great! The nurses gave me their email addresses and would answer my questions quickly at any time - weekends and holidays included. Annie and Stacey at the Chicago office are amazing!
How was your experience with Elena Trukhacheva at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
Dr. T was a caring individualized doctor that always gave me her full attention and plenty of time to ask questions. She tends to be conservative. She prefers single embryo transfers and was quite concerned about OHSS during my IVF stimulation.
She does run quite late on a regular basis, and once missed a major IVF cycle related procedure. She had another doctor in the practice cover for her, and I know things happen, but we were not pleased to hear our doctor wasn't even going to show up for a big procedure.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Elena Trukhacheva at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
Be patient! You will have to wait to see her, but when you do you will not be rushed.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Elena Trukhacheva at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
I feel the care and treatment protocol at RMI is a bit more individualized than other local clinics, which is great! The nurses gave me their email addresses and would answer my questions quickly at any time - weekends and holidays included. Annie and Stacey at the Chicago office are amazing!
Dr. T only works in the downtown location three days a week so there were only certain days I could see her or come in for procedures. They batch their IVF and FET cycles since doctors only have certain weeks they are in the lab. She is often running quite late - 1-1.5 hours late. However, I know she tailored my IVF stim protocol specifically to me, and when I did see her, she took as much time as I needed to answer all my questions. I think the reason she runs late is because she spends so much time with her patients. She is also extremely empathetic, which I valued during such an emotional trying period of my life.
Describe the protocols Elena Trukhacheva used in your cycles at Reproductive Medicine Institute and their degree of success.
I was on birth control to start my IVF cycle, and then started stimming with menopur and gonal-f. Eventually I added ganirelix to supress ovulation. I triggered with HCG and lupron since I was at risk of OHSS. Dr. T did not do a fresh embryo transfer with me given my risk of OHSS. She did have me take a couple doses of ganirelix after my egg retrieval.
We retrieved 16 eggs, six were mature, and four were frozen at blastocysts. I had one failed single embryo transfer and am currently 17 weeks pregnant with one child from a second FET, in which we transferred two embryos. We have one frozen embryo remaining.
I was disappointed we only had six mature eggs from 16 retrieved. I do feel Dr. T was a bit conservative given my risk of OHSS. She admitted the day after my retrieval she was hoping for more mature eggs. However, unfortunately a lot of IVF is trial and error. Dr. T did recommend switching from ICSI to traditional fertization the day of my egg retrieval. My husband's sperm counts had been consistently strong, and Dr. T felt that if we had the option, embryos fertilized traditionally hold up better. We were very pleased to get four frozen blasts from six mature eggs. This exceeded Dr. T's projections.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Reproductive Medicine Institute. (Assigned nurse: Annie)
Annie (and Stacey) were both terrific. They answered all my questions, ran the monitoring appointments quickly and smoothly, and gave me email address for any additional questions that came up outside of business hours. If/when we go back to try to conceive a second child, we will likely go back to RMI just given the quality of the nursing staff.
I will say that I didn't feel that either nurse had extremely robust technical knowledge, but they understood the procedures and how Dr. T worked, and would always ask the doctor if I had questions they couldn't answer.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Elena Trukhacheva at Reproductive Medicine Institute.
My insurance covered a good amount of treatment. We were responsible for paying 10% of estimate costs, and any embryo freezing costs (not covered by insurance).
Dr. Coulam was great - her bedside manner was incredible. She was always on time for appointments and I really enjoyed my experience with her. She was caring and honest....You need to be your own advocate - ask questions when you have them. I trust that she was looking out for my best interests, but there were times when I questioned meds I was on, or how many eggs they want to transfer, etc.
RMI [Reproductive Medicine Institute], in my opinion, was a great choice for me. A lot of other women I knew who were going through IVF were getting a lot of different numbers from their doctors throughout various stages of the cycle. I didn't get that. They tell you the basics, but nothing that is out of your control. It saved me a lot of endless googling and stress. I probably could have asked for more info, but I trusted that they were doing everything they could for me. They also offer counseling services, which I didn't take advantage of, but I would highly recommend others do.
How was your experience with Carolyn Coulam at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
Dr. Coulam was great - her bedside manner was incredible. She was always on time for appointments and I really enjoyed my experience with her. She was caring and honest. One general note, when choosing any doctor, remember that this is just like any other healthcare experience. You need to be your own advocate - ask questions when you have them. I trust that she was looking out for my best interests, but there were times when I questioned meds I was on, or how many eggs they want to transfer, etc. Don't assume that since these people create life that they are better doctors. They still usher patients in and out and are under a lot of pressure. This is nothing against Dr. C, I'm just sending a general warning to ensure you're looking out for yourself.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Carolyn Coulam at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
They don't give you a lot of the scientific/background information from your bloodwork, etc. I actually really liked that. Knowing certain hormonal levels or other numbers just leads to bad google searches...
Describe your experience with Reproductive Medicine Institute.
RMI, in my opinion, was a great choice for me. A lot of other women I knew who were going through IVF were getting a lot of different numbers from their doctors throughout various stages of the cycle. I didn't get that. They tell you the basics, but nothing that is out of your control. It saved me a lot of endless googling and stress. I probably could have asked for more info, but I trusted that they were doing everything they could for me. They also offer counseling services, which I didn't take advantage of, but I would highly recommend others do.
Every time during my visits I felt my issues mattered. The doctor showed she was concerned about my infertility problems. She gave my husband and I hope and confidence that one day I would birth a child. She was thorough with her plan of action and made sure we understood all of the steps that were a part of her plan. She always made sure that all of my questions were answered and I always felt comfortable asking her for help. I definitely recommend her to all of the people who are also trying to conceive.
strengths [for Reproductive Medicine Institute]- multilingual nurses. radiology department and lab are located in the same building. nice, cozy, with modern equipment clinic. not too far from freeway. many parking spots available. comfortable coaches in a lobby, vending machine.... Everybody was friendly and helpful with instructions. I always got the phone back the same day or next day. Never left alone with my issues. I was always explained how to take medications, how to do the injections. All necessary information was e-mailed to me.
How was your experience with Elena Trukhacheva at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
Everybody was friendly and helpful with instructions. I always got the phone back the same day or next day. Never left alone with my issues. I was always explained how to take medications, how to do the injections. All necessary information was e-mailed to me.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Elena Trukhacheva at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
professional doctor
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Elena Trukhacheva at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
Every time during my visits I felt my issues mattered. The doctor showed she was concerned about my infertility problems. She gave my husband and I hope and confidence that one day I would birth a child. She was thorough with her plan of action and made sure we understood all of the steps that were a part of her plan. She always made sure that all of my questions were answered and I always felt comfortable asking her for help. I definitely recommend her to all of the people who are also trying to conceive.
Describe the protocols Elena Trukhacheva used in your cycles at Reproductive Medicine Institute and their degree of success.
The plan is to start Ovulation Induction with the help of oral contraceptives and inject able medication. Later, egg retrieval was done, sperm preparation and laboratory Procedures.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Reproductive Medicine Institute.
very helpful, trustful and compassionate.
Describe your experience with Reproductive Medicine Institute.
strengths- multilingual nurses.
radiology department and lab are located in the same building.
nice, cozy, with modern equipment clinic.
not too far from freeway.
many parking spots available.
comfortable coaches in a lobby, vending machine.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Elena Trukhacheva at Reproductive Medicine Institute.
the prices were reasonable
Describe Elena Trukhacheva's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Reproductive Medicine Institute.
I am still in the process for preparation for embryo transfer.
Dr. Trukhacheva was very direct about what to expect throughout the process. She was professional and seemed skilled at what she does. ...We did not see the doctor much, and it was mostly the nurses who treated me during my visits, but the nursing staff was terrific, and Dr. Trukacheva was great when we saw her....Whatever Dr. Trukhacheva recommended, we did. We had to trust that she knew what would give us the best chances of conceiving.
I was very pleased with how easy it was to do my bloodwork and ultrasounds before work. I was in and out within 15-30 minutes and very rarely had to wait. Results and instructions were sent using an online portal, which was very easy to use...it was mostly the nurses [at Reproductive Medicine Institute] who treated me during my visits, but the nursing staff was terrific...Annie and the rest of the nurses were so compassionate, professional, informative, and positive. We had a great experience!
How was your experience with Elena Trukhacheva at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
Dr. Trukhacheva was very direct about what to expect throughout the process. She was professional and seemed skilled at what she does. We have a beautiful daughter because of her, so we are truly grateful.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Elena Trukhacheva at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
We went into this with an attitude of trust. Whatever Dr. Trukhacheva recommended, we did. We had to trust that she knew what would give us the best chances of conceiving.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Elena Trukhacheva at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
We did not see the doctor much, and it was mostly the nurses who treated me during my visits, but the nursing staff was terrific, and Dr. Trukacheva was great when we saw her.
Describe the protocols Elena Trukhacheva used in your cycles at Reproductive Medicine Institute and their degree of success.
We did three unsuccessful rounds of IUI with clomid, one egg retrieval that gave us 3 good 5/6-day embryos, one fresh transfer (unsuccessful), and one frozen transfer of 2 embryos that resulted in a singleton birth.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Reproductive Medicine Institute. (Assigned nurse: Annie)
Annie and the rest of the nurses were so compassionate, professional, informative, and positive. We had a great experience!
Describe your experience with Reproductive Medicine Institute.
I was very pleased with how easy it was to do my bloodwork and ultrasounds before work. I was in and out within 15-30 minutes and very rarely had to wait. Results and instructions were sent using an online portal, which was very easy to use.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Elena Trukhacheva at Reproductive Medicine Institute.
Our insurance covered almost all of our costs. The only thing we paid was our copay a few times and about $1200 to freeze our embryos.
Describe Elena Trukhacheva's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Reproductive Medicine Institute.
She recommended transferring our 2 frozen embryos together after our fresh transfer of 1 embryo was unsuccessful. We would have been ok with twins, but only 1 embryo took.
Dr. Rinehart and his staff were always personable and helpful. Every question was answered, every concern addressed. I got to know everyone personally as well as professionally.
[our nurse] talked to me like a friend. She could answer any question I asked. She always got back to me within an appropriate time. She anticipated my questions and concerns.
How was your experience with John Rinehart at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
Dr. Rinehart was warm and friendly. He was great with explaining things to my husband and with reassuring me and my fears. He is extremely knowledgeable and patient.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of John Rinehart at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
You don't have to be afraid or intimidated or shy about asking whatever you need to ask Dr. Rinehart. He has heard it all and he will handle your questions respectfully without making you feel uncomfortable about asking.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with John Rinehart at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
Dr. Rinehart and his staff were always personable and helpful. Every question was answered, every concern addressed. I got to know everyone personally as well as professionally. They recognized that while I was there for treatments, that I was a person with other facets to my life and could hold conversations about other things and not just infertility. They were great when I had to drag a child or two along. I never felt like I was being rushed out the door. I really felt like part of their family.
Describe the protocols John Rinehart used in your cycles at Reproductive Medicine Institute and their degree of success.
When I had a reaction to the progesterone shots he switched to suppositories. Worked just the same without the side effects. Not sure what protocols he used, I didn't want to know every little detail, I wanted to trust the doctor to do their job and not obsess in my own brain about it.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Reproductive Medicine Institute. (Assigned nurse: Rachel)
She talked to me like a friend. She could answer any question I asked. She always got back to me within an appropriate time. She anticipated my questions and concerns. She could put my questions into words for me when I needed her too.
Describe the costs associated with your care under John Rinehart at Reproductive Medicine Institute.
They varied over the years ranging from approx. $1200 per cycle to $100 per cycle.
Dr. T [Dr. Trukhacheva] is amazing. I had no issues with her. She was knowledgeable, compassionate and very patient with me when I asked the same question multiple times. I never felt rushed...Trust her - she knows what she is doing...We will be thawing the leftover embroyos for PGD/PGS testing and plan to do another retrieval next year...
No weaknesses [at Repro Med Inst - Chicago]. They are great. But, I can only recommend Dr. T. Go to her, even if she takes a little longer to get in with...We did three IUIs, but I never really had a good ovulation. We did a fresh IVF cycle, but it did not work. Dr. T advised that frozen cycles are as good as fresh, sometimes better as they allow your body to rest. She was right, and I got pregnant with my frozen cycle. When we went for baby number 2 - we had to do another retrieval. She retrieved a lot of eggs I believe 48...
How was your experience with Elena Trukhacheva at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
Dr. T is amazing. I had no issues with her. She was knowledgeable, compassionate and very patient with me when I asked the same question multiple times. I never felt rushed.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Elena Trukhacheva at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
Trust her - she knows what she is doing.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Elena Trukhacheva at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
Nurses knew me by name, extremely friendly, responsive, friendly
Describe the protocols Elena Trukhacheva used in your cycles at Reproductive Medicine Institute and their degree of success.
We did three IUIs, but I never really had a good ovulation. We did a fresh IVF cycle, but it did not work. Dr. T advised that frozen cycles are as good as fresh, sometimes better as they allow your body to rest. She was right, and I got pregnant with my frozen cycle.
When we went for baby number 2 - we had to do another retrieval. She retrieved a lot of eggs I believe 48. I had 24 that were frozen. My second transfer resulted in the birth of another boy. We will be thawing the leftover embroyos for PGD/PGS testing and plan to do another retrieval next year.
Describe your experience with Reproductive Medicine Institute.
No weaknesses. They are great. But, I can only recommend Dr. T. Go to her, even if she takes a little longer to get in with.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Elena Trukhacheva at Reproductive Medicine Institute.
I switched doctors in same clinic under recommendation of my ob/gyn. I was very pleased with the experience. he was very honest, upfront and clear about our potential outcomes and risks.
[Our nurse] was more like a army drill sergeant and not like a nurse. She was knowledgeable about the medical side of things but had zero bedside personality.
How was your experience with John Rinehart at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
I switched doctors in same clinic under recommendation of my ob/gyn. I was very pleased with the experience. he was very honest, upfront and clear about our potential outcomes and risks
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of John Rinehart at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
pick him over other doctors . he runs the clinic and has the most experience
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with John Rinehart at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
I thought Dr Rinehart was very open, communicative and extremely knowledgeable. I found him compassionate and and encouraging yet realistic about our chances given my advanced age
Describe your experience with your nurse at Reproductive Medicine Institute.
she made mistakes about adivisng things to be prepared for. We listened carefully , took notes, read all provided materials but still missed things that she either forgot to tell us or communicated poorly. She was dismissive and blamed us for things we never knew.
What specific things went wrong at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
Lost paperwork
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Reproductive Medicine Institute.
just that our nurse made some paperwork mistakes and was gruff and sometimes dressed down her co workers in front of us. She was more like a army drill sargeant and not like a nurse. She was knowledgeable about the medical side of things but had zero bedside personality
He didn't give me a lot of the information that other friends that were going through IVF got. I actually liked that... I appreciated that they the kept the stuff that was out of my control, out of my head.
They almost cancelled a cycle of mine because they failed to get some basic bloodwork from me. I ended up having to fly back overnight from a work trip to get the sample done to squeeze the cycle in.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of John Rinehart at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
He didn't give me a lot of the information that other friends that were going through IVF got. I actually liked that. Many of my friends were obsessed with numbers they got back from every blood test, hormonal levels when waiting for a pregnancy test, etc. I appreciated that they the kept the stuff that was out of my control, out of my head.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with John Rinehart at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
The team there was incredible. The nursing staff was caring and very responsive.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Reproductive Medicine Institute. (Assigned nurse: Rachel)
Rachel was incredible. Responsive, caring, loving. Everything you would want in a nurse. She was a light in a dark process.
What specific things went wrong at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
Lost paperwork
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Reproductive Medicine Institute.
They almost cancelled a cycle of mine because they failed to get some basic bloodwork from me. I ended up having to fly back overnight from a work trip to get the sample done to squeeze the cycle in.
He [Dr. Nasir Rana] seems to stick to the same treatment regimen for everyone. There was no personalized care. The information he told me turned out to be incorrect. He never followed up on results. He ordered test and didn’t check the results prior to the implantation which would have changed management...Diet changes to include higher protein...IvF with One month birth control pills...Then stimulation with Antagonist protocol
The nurse [at Reproductive Medicine Institute] seemed to make all decisions on medicine during the cycle...Didn’t send in prescriptions on time...Didn’t communicate with team...Lost paperwork...I did a lot of my monitoring out of town...My local clinic had difficulty getting results to this office, this office would say they weren’t received...Monitoring there was done by a nurse or tech. Dr Rana didn’t seem to be very involved in process Other doctors in the group did their own monitoring
How was your experience with Nasir Rana at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
He seems to stick to the same treatment regimen for everyone. There was no personalized care. The information he told me turned out to be incorrect. He never followed up on results. He ordered test and didn’t check the results prior to the implantation which would have changed management.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Nasir Rana at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
Look elsewhere
There are many better options
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Nasir Rana at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
The initial consult was good. Dr Rana spent time answering questions but after that it seemed like his nurse and coordinators made the medical decisions. It was impossible to get in touch with him.
Describe the protocols Nasir Rana used in your cycles at Reproductive Medicine Institute and their degree of success.
Diet changes to include higher protein
IvF with One month birth control pills
Then stimulation with Antagonist protocol
The protocols were not personalized
The nurse seemed to make all decisions on medicine during the cycle
The first round retrieved 4 day 5 embryos, 2 normal genetic testing
They told me to batch my eggs after first round and do a second retrieval
Second cycle retrieved 0
The 2 embryos from the first cycle were thawed and then biopsied and then refrozen to wait for results
Two unsuccessful transfers
Later doctors who saw the medical records and images of the embryos said the embryos on the day of transfers showed signs of damage from the repeated freezing and thawing
Describe your experience with your nurse at Reproductive Medicine Institute. (Assigned nurse: Krystyna Fitros)
She was rude, disorganized
Didn’t send in prescriptions on time
Didn’t communicate with team
Lost paperwork
The genetics office said that was common from this office
She pushed blame onto the patient
Describe your experience with Reproductive Medicine Institute.
I was told by another specialist in Chicago that this clinic was created after several separate doctors merged
This lead to a very disorganized and large practice
This shows in everything that they do
You can get better care at other places
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Reproductive Medicine Institute.
I did a lot of my monitoring out of town
My local clinic had difficulty getting results to this office, this office would say they weren’t received
Monitoring there was done by a nurse or tech. Dr Rana didn’t seem to be very involved in process
Other doctors in the group did their own monitoring
Describe Nasir Rana's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Reproductive Medicine Institute.
They seemed to make decisions that were in the clinics best interest and not for the patient
What specific things went wrong at Reproductive Medicine Institute?
