How was your experience with Natalie Crawford at Aspire Fertility (formerly RMA of Texas)?
Summary: Dr. Crawford has poor bedside manner when dealing with emotional patients.
My OGBYN referred me to Dr. Crawford. When first researching her, I didn't like her strong social media presence and the fact that she talked about patients (without mentioning their names) on social media. I also lived over an hour away from her office, so it would be a pain to make the trip often; however, my OGBYN loved her so I decided to give her a try.
My first consultation was OK. During one point in the consultation I got upset (Infertility is emotional people, but I'm preaching to the choir, you all know this.). Dr. Crawford just kept talking and didn't stop to address my emotions. This should have been my first red flag. However, I let it go with the thought that maybe she thought if she just kept talking I would be able to pull myself together and we could move forward.
I came back for my second appointment for my husband to do a semen analysis (SA). Once his SA was complete, Dr. Crawford would be able to go over next steps with us. During my previous visit, I mentioned to Dr. Crawford, my fertility coach, and other staff how uncomfortable my husband would be giving the SA. Even leading up to our appointment, I spoke back and forth with office staff on the possibility of him doing it at home and bringing his sample in. Ultimately, he decided to do the analysis in the office because we were concerned with the 1 hour time frame that we had to get the sample to the lab (remember, we live 1 hour away) .
The day of our appointment, they placed my husband in a room right by the nurses desk and the waiting room. He could hear every word the nurses said, every person who checked in at the desk, and even when they called me back to our consultation room. Why would they have not taken notes about how uncomfortable I told him he would be and placed him in the room furthest away from everyone? Instead, they placed him in the least private of all the SA rooms. Unfortunately, he was not able to provide a SA.
We then waited on Dr. Crawford for our consultation. We were greeted by a nurse who said Dr. Crawford would not be able to see us today because my husband had not been able to provide a SA. I immediately start crying. First, We had driven an hour, how can she not just come into the room and talk to us and explain possible options (option 1: if his SA came back good. option 2: if it came back bad). Second, I'm her patient too, not just him. Come talk to me and my husband about what's going on with me and the blood work results from the last appointment.
Because I got upset, the nurse went to get Dr. Crawford. As soon as she entered the room Dr. Crawford was on the defense. Instead of giving me a chance to talk and explain my concerns, she immediately started explain why it was unethical for her to treat us without his SA. Unfortunately, I tried to talk over her in order for me to express my concerns. Her response: "I feel like you are personally attacking me." UMMM.... WHAT?!? She then proceeded to say "It's unethical for me to f***ing take your money without his SA." So now she has refused to see us, said I was attacking her, and she cursed.
I should have trusted my gut from my first consultation when she ignored me when I got upset and kept talking. Based on her reaction to my emotions at my second appointment, she clearly needs more work in how to properly deal with patient emotions. I needed a hug, a "it's going to be OK, here are next steps," not cursing and refusal to see me.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Natalie Crawford at Aspire Fertility (formerly RMA of Texas)?
Don't try to confront her, she'll curse and say you are personally attacking her.
Describe your experience with Aspire Fertility (formerly RMA of Texas).
Summary: Dr. Crawford has poor bedside manner when dealing with emotional patients.
My OGBYN referred me to Dr. Crawford. When first researching her, I didn't like her strong social media presence and the fact that she talked about patients (without mentioning their names) on social media. I also lived over an hour away from her office, so it would be a pain to make the trip often; however, my OGBYN loved her so I decided to give her a try.
My first consultation was OK. During one point in the consultation I got upset (Infertility is emotional people, but I'm preaching to the choir, you all know this.). Dr. Crawford just kept talking and didn't stop to address my emotions. This should have been my first red flag. However, I let it go with the thought that maybe she thought if she just kept talking I would be able to pull myself together and we could move forward.
I came back for my second appointment for my husband to do a semen analysis (SA). Once his SA was complete, Dr. Crawford would be able to go over next steps with us. During my previous visit, I mentioned to Dr. Crawford, my fertility coach, and other staff how uncomfortable my husband would be giving the SA. Even leading up to our appointment, I spoke back and forth with office staff on the possibility of him doing it at home and bringing his sample in. Ultimately, he decided to do the analysis in the office because we were concerned with the 1 hour time frame that we had to get the sample to the lab (remember, we live 1 hour away) .
The day of our appointment, they placed my husband in a room right by the nurses desk and the waiting room. He could hear every word the nurses said, every person who checked in at the desk, and even when they called me back to our consultation room. Why would they have not taken notes about how uncomfortable I told him he would be and placed him in the room furthest away from everyone? Instead, they placed him in the least private of all the SA rooms. Unfortunately, he was not able to provide a SA.
We then waited on Dr. Crawford for our consultation. We were greeted by a nurse who said Dr. Crawford would not be able to see us today because my husband had not been able to provide a SA. I immediately start crying. First, We had driven an hour, how can she not just come into the room and talk to us and explain possible options (option 1: if his SA came back good. option 2: if it came back bad). Second, I'm her patient too, not just him. Come talk to me and my husband about what's going on with me and the blood work results from the last appointment.
Because I got upset, the nurse went to get Dr. Crawford. As soon as she entered the room Dr. Crawford was on the defense. Instead of giving me a chance to talk and explain my concerns, she immediately started explain why it was unethical for her to treat us without his SA. Unfortunately, I tried to talk over her in order for me to express my concerns. Her response: "I feel like you are personally attacking me." UMMM.... WHAT?!? She then proceeded to say "It's unethical for me to f***ing take your money without his SA." So now she has refused to see us, said I was attacking her, and she cursed.
I should have trusted my gut from my first consultation when she ignored me when I got upset and kept talking. Based on her reaction to my emotions at my second appointment, she clearly needs more work in how to properly deal with patient emotions. I needed a hug, a "it's going to be OK, here are next steps," not cursing and refusal to see me.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Natalie Crawford at Aspire Fertility (formerly RMA of Texas).
$40 copay based on my insurance
What specific things went wrong at Aspire Fertility (formerly RMA of Texas)?
- Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Aspire Fertility (formerly RMA of Texas).
After my first consultation, I was supposed to take an antibiotic. When I got to my pharmacy, over an hour after my appointment, they still did not have my prescription. I emailed my nurse and she immediately called it in, apologized, and asked my pharmacy to do what they could to fill it quickly because I was waiting.