How was your experience with Joanne Kwak-Kim at Rosalind Franklin Univ?
Dr. KK is a fantastic researcher and very knowledgeable in her field. She studied under the pioneer, Dr. Alan Beer, and even worked under him in the earlier days. She is cautious (good & bad), but mostly for the purpose of preserving your overall health, not just do anything to get you a baby at the expense of your health. She doesn't do the "kitchen sink" approach, rather gives you safe & effective options, though maybe not always the most aggressive. This is enough for most, though maybe not all. She's pretty straightforward about her thoughts, she definitely doesn't sugar coat, but she won't lead you on with false promises either. She deeply cares about her patients, but not the touchy feeling type at all. She is very busy though between running the clinic, overseeing the lab, presenting research at conferences, etc. so don't expect to be getting a lot of direct attention from her, but you can definitely get her time by making an appointment with her.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Joanne Kwak-Kim at Rosalind Franklin Univ?
She's not the dr you want if you're looking for a kitchen sink approach, but perfect if you're looking for someone who is incredibly knowledgeable, thorough, and balances your long-term health with helping you have a baby.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Joanne Kwak-Kim at Rosalind Franklin Univ?
Her nurses, medical assistants, and even the receptionist knew me by first name. My protocol was tailored to my history and my labs. I regularly communicated with the nurse in charge of my case and got personal responses.
Describe the protocols Joanne Kwak-Kim used in your cycles at Rosalind Franklin Univ and their degree of success.
She doesn't do IVF or IUI, only immune protocol. She will make recommendations on your IUI/IVF cycle if you and/or your RE want her to, but otherwise she primarily starts once you are pregnant and mostly only does some bloodflow and immune checks prior to transfer. She uses a lot of prednisone, IVIG, lovenox, BA, supplements, heparin, planquil, metformin and will sometimes also use Enbrel, Humira, and a few other drugs. Doesn't use intralipids (doesn't believe in its effectiveness) or Neupogen (believes it's too risky)
Describe your experience with your nurse at Rosalind Franklin Univ. (Assigned nurse: Margaret Sullivan)
Margaret is a godsend. She knows my chart in & out. She gives me my testing schedule, checks my meds on a regular basis, analyzes my labs (with Dr. KK's input as necessary). She is incredibly caring, patient focused and supportive. She has been working for Dr. KK for many years now and knows the protocols in & out as well as Dr. KK's preferences. However, she also works closely with Dr. KK and makes sure to get her input on less routine issues.
Describe your experience with Rosalind Franklin Univ.
The clinic is one of very few in this field. They take ins, unlike several of the others. They aren't cheap, but not outrageously priced either. They have their own lab, used by some other RIs too, that Dr. KK oversees. The staff is incredible, except for billing dept, which is meh. The u/s techs are generally foreign drs who aren't yet licensed in the US (downside is the turnaround when are licensed). The downside is given their success, they've become very busy and especially when one of the primary nurses/drs are on vacation, can be slow to respond to portal messages.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Joanne Kwak-Kim at Rosalind Franklin Univ.
The initial work-up is expensive, up to 5K if ins doesn't cover anything including labs. After that, you pay for what services you use. There's a 1 follow-up requirement per trimester. If you use portal to replace in-person/telephone follow-ups, there's a periodic charge.
What specific things went wrong at Rosalind Franklin Univ?
- Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
- Lost paperwork
- Failed to call with results
- Lost results
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Rosalind Franklin Univ.
Generally things run smoothly, but during holidays & nurse/staff vacations, they can be prone to errors, usually easily correctable but errors nevertheless. Transferring around the holidays would not be recommended.