Ratings of 1 indicate that a clinic was poorly operated.
Ratings of 10 indicate that a clinic operated very well.
Scheduling
8.9
8.9
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
6.9
6.9
Billing Department
Ratings of 1 indicate an unsatisfactory billing department.
Ratings of 10 indicate an excellent billing department.
Nursing Team
8.5
8.5
Nursing Team
Ratings of 1 indicate an unsatisfactory nursing team.
Ratings of 10 indicate an excellent nursing team.
LGBTQ+ Care
8.3
8.3
LGBTQ+ Care
Ratings of 1 indicate an unsatisfactory LGBTQ+ care.
Ratings of 10 indicate an excellent LGBTQ+ care.
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. Devine takes a very empathetic, yet straightforward, approach. We appreciate that she always takes the time to walk through the statistics and doesn't try to sugar coat them, yet she is also very sensitive to the needs and stresses that her patients are going through....we have truly appreciated how Dr. Devine never tires of our questions...Dr. Devine was with us through each step
In addition to the doctors and nurses, who are extremely competent and compassionate, SGF offers infertility workshops and support groups, which we have found to be very helpful in our journey...financial services department is likely overstretched and does not operate with quite the same responsiveness as the medical team...The nurses at Shady Grove now operate as a team.
How was your experience with Kate Devine at Shady Grove Fertility?
I have been a patient of Dr. Devine's for several years. First, in my late 30s I was diagnosed with an early stage breast cancer. I saw Dr. Devine to undergo a round of egg freezing before beginning a long-term medication to prevent a recurrence. I had a successful round of egg freezing at that time. Several years later I returned to Dr. Devine with my husband to thaw and inseminate the eggs. At the time of our consultation, Dr. Devine presented us with the most recent statistics on egg freezing and let us know that our prospects of a successful pregnancy with the frozen eggs were only just above 50%. Although this was disappointing news, we truly appreciated Dr. Devine's ability to be direct, honest, and clear about our chances, while remaining compassionate and cautiously optimistic. Unfortunately, this set of eggs did not result in viable embryos for transfer. My husband and I then decided to proceed with a new round of IVF. Again, Dr. Devine took the time to walk us through the statistics and provide us with guidance. Ultimately, this round of IVF did not result in embryos for transfer, but Dr. Devine was with us through each step. She took the time to personally call us as results were coming in about the growth of our embryos and discuss what this would mean for our future options. In particular, we have truly appreciated how Dr. Devine never tires of our questions (sometimes with both my husband and I on the phone line) and always takes the time to provide detailed answers. We had planned to continue to the next step in our fertility treatment with Dr. Devine until we were interrupted by the novel coronavirus pandemic.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Kate Devine at Shady Grove Fertility?
You should know that you are in extremely good and capable hands with Dr. Devine. She is not "selling" fertility treatment to you. She wants you to have the agency to make choices with her guidance. This means that she has a very science-based approach - meaning to say, she is personable and has a good sense of humor, etc. but she will ensure that you know the facts and chances you are dealing with, even if they are uncomfortable to hear. Given how much financial and emotional capital you are about to spend, that kind of no-nonsense honest approach is extremely important.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Kate Devine at Shady Grove Fertility?
Dr. Devine takes a very empathetic, yet straightforward, approach. We appreciate that she always takes the time to walk through the statistics and doesn't try to sugar coat them, yet she is also very sensitive to the needs and stresses that her patients are going through.
Describe the protocols Kate Devine used in your cycles at Shady Grove Fertility and their degree of success.
Femara, Gonal-F/Menopur, Cetrotide
Describe your experience with your nurse at Shady Grove Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Kelsey)
The nurses at Shady Grove now operate as a team. Our care coordinators alternate between Kelsey, Toyin, and Candace. We have found each of them to be extremely competent and responsive. That said, their communication styles are somewhat different, but we have found that they operate seamlessly as a team.
Describe your experience with Shady Grove Fertility.
In addition to the doctors and nurses, who are extremely competent and compassionate, SGF offers infertility workshops and support groups, which we have found to be very helpful in our journey. The social worker who runs the K St. group is excellent.
The financial services department is likely overstretched and does not operate with quite the same responsiveness as the medical team.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Shady Grove Fertility.
Monitoring appointments are pretty convenient. Although a time is set the day before with your nurse, I've found that earlier appointments require a lot less waiting then appointments in the later part of the morning.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Kate Devine at Shady Grove Fertility.
Costs at SGF are high. Unfortunately, we do not have any insurance coverage for fertility treatment so the expenses have been extraordinary.
Dr. Nair was direct and honest. Initial consult was very informative and she was incredibly positive at the idea of being a single mother by choice. She saw me in person when I started treatment and hormone levels were very elevated, she explained everything and I understood my process clearly. She called to deliver the final news as well for my successful treatment...She answered all of my questions, she was open about her availability and that she was in two different locations so I might need to travel to see her. She saw me in person as I started treatment when my hormone levels were elevated early. She called once my treatment was complete to deliver all of my final news and was very excited for our results.
Twice I wasn't informed of changes in my protocol [at Shady Grove Fertility] and needed to call the emergency line to know my dosage for that evening...Loved that it [monitoring] was very early morning. Basically walk in even though there are appointments, dependent upon how many people were there. Staff was friendly and moved as quickly as they could...The appointment system is pointless for walk in blood work and ultrasound, it didn't matter if you had an appointment or not, it was only dependent on how many people were there. Also, I needed to call the clinic at least twice for my nightly dosage because I didn't receive a note through the portal or a call. The emergency hotline is good and I used it a few times.
How was your experience with Anitha Nair at Shady Grove Fertility?
Dr. Nair was direct and honest. Initial consult was very informative and she was incredibly positive at the idea of being a single mother by choice. She saw me in person when I started treatment and hormone levels were very elevated, she explained everything and I understood my process clearly. She called to deliver the final news as well for my successful treatment.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Anitha Nair at Shady Grove Fertility?
Understand that you will not be able to see the doctor every visit and that you are in good hands with the rest of the clinical staff.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Anitha Nair at Shady Grove Fertility?
Dr. Nair was professional, caring, honest and direct. She answered all of my questions, she was open about her availability and that she was in two different locations so I might need to travel to see her. She saw me in person as I started treatment when my hormone levels were elevated early. She called once my treatment was complete to deliver all of my final news and was very excited for our results.
Describe the protocols Anitha Nair used in your cycles at Shady Grove Fertility and their degree of success.
Started with standard Gonal 112 and started Menopur 1 vial on day 4 perhaps? Needed to dial back the gonal down to eventually I think 25-50. I triggered a day earlier than anticipated. We didn't want to hormones to outpace the growth of the follicles.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Shady Grove Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Jenn)
Jenn was great and communicated through the patient portal. I asked a lot of questions and she was always able to get back to me within a day or point me in the right direction for who would have my answers. She was friendly and professional.
Describe your experience with Shady Grove Fertility.
The appointment system is pointless for walk in blood work and ultrasound, it didn't matter if you had an appointment or not, it was only dependent on how many people were there. Also, I needed to call the clinic at least twice for my nightly dosage because I didn't receive a note through the portal or a call. The emergency hotline is good and I used it a few times.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Shady Grove Fertility.
Loved that it was very early morning. Basically walk in even though there are appointments, dependent upon how many people were there. Staff was friendly and moved as quickly as they could.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Anitha Nair at Shady Grove Fertility.
$11,000
What specific things went wrong at Shady Grove Fertility?
Failed to call with results
Failed to inform you of changes in protocol
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Shady Grove Fertility.
Initial lab work had the results sent to the clinic but didn't hear anything back to confirm is they were good or not. Wrote nurse in portal and said everything looks good, would have told you if it was otherwise. I thought regardless, I shouldn't have to ask if results were good. Twice I wasn't informed of changes in my protocol and needed to call the emergency line to know my dosage for that evening.
She strongly encouraged us to transfer one embryo at a time, citing the risks of twin pregnancies and preferring to give each tested embryo its best chance at survival...[Dr. Devine] is a researcher at her core--something we have both respected and appreciated throughout this process. She is consistent in her approach: compassionate, particularly during our repeated losses, and at the same time straightforward. She was also always available for a call
I preferred the more patient-centered, primary nursing approach to the [Shady Grove Fertility] Team-based approach and found this shift alternatively disappointing and frustrating...You can get a same-day appointment if you need to. It's also nice to have a one-stop-shop--they were managing my thyroid meds, providing surgical treatments (e.g., my hysteroscopy) and holding my hand throughout my treatments, pregnancies and miscarriages.
How was your experience with Kate Devine at Shady Grove Fertility?
I will start this by saying that I have had a long and traumatic journey to get to my SGF graduation--I was a patient for over two years and suffered two miscarriages, a corneal ectopic pregnancy, and at least six negative pregnancy tests. And with every setback, Dr. Devine was sympathetic, encouraging, and confident that we would achieve success. And while I'm not sure when I'll stop holding my breath, I can close my eyes as I write this and hear the rhythmic thudding of my baby's heartbeat on the ultrasound machine.
I am also trained as a psychologist and understand the value of evidence-based treatment; my husband is an attorney and finds solace in rules, numbers and facts. Dr. Devine is a researcher at her core--something we have both respected and appreciated throughout this process. She is consistent in her approach: compassionate, particularly during our repeated losses, and at the same time straightforward. She was also always available for a call (or, since COVID, a video call). I never felt like she was being anything less than honest with me. No upselling, no B-S.
And when I wanted to explore my options, she was responsive--balancing her clinical opinion with a willingness to try it my way, if that's really what I wanted to do. For example, when I wanted to explore transferring two embryos, she shared with me the statistics (Yes, it would increase the probability of a live birth, but the probability a live birth per embryo was drastically lower.) and her clinical reasons for preferring singleton pregnancies, particularly for women with my BMI. We also explored the research on using more Progesterone (PIO) prior to/during transfer; Adding Prednisone and/or Lovenox to my transfer protocol (which may have been the magic bullet); and the risks of PGS testing on an embryo's viability.
We were excited to say goodbye to Dr. Devine as we 'graduated' to an obstetrician--not because she wasn't a great doctor, but because we are elated to FINALLY be closing a door on what has been a painfully long chapter in our lives and marriage. Should fertility continue to be an obstacle (which I expect it will), we plan to return to Dr. Devine for any/all attempts at future siblings for baby M.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Kate Devine at Shady Grove Fertility?
Do not be afraid to ask for her time and come to the appointment armed with questions. She will take her time to answer all of them.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Kate Devine at Shady Grove Fertility?
Dr. Devine is very results-, data-driven, but I really appreciate that about her. At the same time, I felt she has been truly involved and invested in our journey and has been cheering us on throughout all of our trials and tribulations.
Describe the protocols Kate Devine used in your cycles at Shady Grove Fertility and their degree of success.
IUI #1 - Clomid - Cancelled due to over-response
IUI #2 - Femera + Estrace (lining support) - Not pregnant
IUI #3 - Femera + Menopur (1/2 vial) - Not pregnant
IUI #4 - Femera - Not pregnant
IUI #5 - Femera - Not pregnant
IUI #6 - Femera + Menopur (1/2 vial) - Not pregnant
IVF Retrieval #1-3 - Follistim, Menopur, Gannirelix, Lupron, Zithromax
--all produced 12-16 eggs; 6-8 embryos, 2-4 PGS-normal embroys
FET #1 - Estrace (2mg) 3x/daily + PIO (50mg) - Miscarriage at 6 weeks
FET #2 - Estrace (2mg) 3x/daily + PIO (50mg) - Corneal ectopic
FET #3 - Estrace (2mg) 3x/daily + PIO (50mg) - Miscarriage at 5.5 weeks
FET #4 - Estrace (2mg) 3x/daily + PIO (100mg) *for implantation support* + Baby asprin + Prednisone (7.5mg) *for implantion support / immunosuppression* - Not pregnant
FET #5 - Estrace (2mg) 3x/daily + PIO (50mg) + Baby asprin + Prednisone (7.5mg) + Lovenox *for implantation support* - Currently Pregnant
Describe your experience with your nurse at Shady Grove Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Kelsey Weigel, BSN, RN)
Kelsey was my rock throughout this process. Unfortuantely, SGF's K Street Office changed to a Nursing Team halfway through my treatment, which meant that I stopped hearing from Kelsey primarily. While every other nurse I interacted with was highly professional, competent, and responsive, my case got complicated and Kelsey seemed to know me and my particulars best.
I preferred the more patient-centered, primary nursing approach to the Team-based approach and found this shift alternatively disappointing and frustrating.
Describe your experience with Shady Grove Fertility.
Even internally, SGF will joke that it's a 'factory.' There are good things about being at a factory though -- you never have to wait long to be seen or have someone call you back. You can get a same-day appointment if you need to. It's also nice to have a one-stop-shop--they were managing my thyroid meds, providing surgical treatments (e.g., my hysteroscopy) and holding my hand throughout my treatments, pregnancies and miscarriages.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Kate Devine at Shady Grove Fertility.
I have amazing insurance. The vast majority of my costs have been for co-pays, embryo testing, and cryopreservation.
Describe Kate Devine's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Shady Grove Fertility.
She strongly encouraged us to transfer one embryo at a time, citing the risks of twin pregnancies and preferring to give each tested embryo its best chance at survival.
What specific things went wrong at Shady Grove Fertility?
Dr. Devine is also the head of research at Shady Grove so she knows ALL the data...Any clinical questions that had to go to her were usually answered within a matter of a few hours, shorter if urgent. She also encouraged me to continue taking my mental health scripts which was a huge relief...She remembered even the smallest details related to my ‘case’. She never seemed in a rush and took incredible care to answer all my questions
Despite being rotational, which actually means you can always reach someone, [the nurses at Shady Grove Fertility] were all totally up to speed on my case and seemed completely apprised and like my case mattered to them...I wish the messages in portal system was better; you can’t see the thread when writing a message...Insurance covered injections in DC! (Blue cross..Id called and they even said no. But my nurses must’ve done something... I paid less than $200 in co-pays for allllll my meds.)......I wish the nursing line would ring to a human. You have to leave a voicemail
How was your experience with Kate Devine at Shady Grove Fertility?
Dr. Devine is also the head of research at Shady Grove so she knows ALL the data. Bring up a random supplement, and she can tell you ‘oh that was shown in one clinical trial to do XYZ’. I appreciate that rather than doctors shooting from the hip. She’s extremely current on national research, as well, so isn’t just working from a MD she got 20 years ago. She also predicted *exactly* the number of eggs I would get, based on this research!
Dr. Devine took nearly an hour with me each time we met and never hurried me. She listened thoughtfully to my questions and adjusted my treatment plan as necessarily. I had a SUPER easy process all around. No post-op recovery besides laying low one day. No bonkers hormones, etc. Throughout the process, she set good healthy expectations so I wasn’t surprised by any of it or the results despite being completely new to this. I had been told several times she would be completely honest with me and she really was. Honest but compassionate - I think that’s the best kind of bedside manner. Any clinical questions that had to go to her were usually answered within a matter of a few hours, shorter if urgent. She also encouraged me to continue taking my mental health scripts which was a huge relief.
If you want to go to someone who’s truly a subject matter expert and has likely read (and even conducted!) the most research on everything from typical egg freezing or IVF to breaking research on something relatively obscure that might relate to your situation, pick Dr. Devine. I think we underestimate the importance of being really curious and well-educated but in a field that is evolving daily, this would be crucial. Friends of mine across the country have had difficult IVF processes and I wish they were in DC and could see Dr. Devine. She would be real with them and would probably be MOST aware, of all the doctors in this space, if there was emerging data on something impacting their situation.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Kate Devine at Shady Grove Fertility?
I believe she’s also a professor. I learned SO much about the human body in the process because I spent time researching myself in advance. Then I felt like when we met, I would get a personalized tutorial that helped things click. To make the most of your one on ones, come with questions and don’t be shy. She was happy to answer all mine and is fantastic at it.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Kate Devine at Shady Grove Fertility?
She remembered even the smallest details related to my ‘case’. She never seemed in a rush and took incredible care to answer all my questions. Her team was exactly the same.
Describe the protocols Kate Devine used in your cycles at Shady Grove Fertility and their degree of success.
Estrogen priming protocol with patches and cetrotide a few days before my period. Then stims which included gonal-f and menopur. Cetrotide halfway through followed by lupron trigger. (Btw If you’d told me 6 months ago, I’d be rattling these off easily, I would’ve been shocked!! Haha)
Describe your experience with your nurse at Shady Grove Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Vanessa)
Ahhhh I truly adore Vanessa. And Toyin! Really the whole team but I spent the most time talking to Vanessa. Despite being rotational, which actually means you can always reach someone, they were all totally up to speed on my case and seemed completely apprised and like my case mattered to them. Awesome, helpful, knowledgeable and compassionate.
Describe your experience with Shady Grove Fertility.
I wish the nursing line would ring to a human. You have to leave a voicemail. They do call you back in 30 minutes but answering the phone would be helpful. The clinic itself re scheduling and appts is a truly well-oiled machine. I wish the messages in portal system was better; you can’t see the thread when writing a message - so say your nurse writes some questions and you click reply to respond. They disappear.
On a separate topic, do you hate bloodwork? Me too. It’s my Mt Everest. I came to love the women in the bloodwork room. Damn. They knew exactly what I needed to make it less daunting and painful. I really felt like they were cheering me on. Alexis in particular is just incredible.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Kate Devine at Shady Grove Fertility.
$7,500 for one retrieval cycle which seemed to include nearly everything. Insurance covered injections in DC! (Blue cross! Can you imagine?! I was shocked. If you live in DC with BC, use CVS specialty pharmacy and see if it works. Could be because I was 39 when I did it so geriatric in BC minds 😉 Id called and they even said no. But my nurses must’ve done something... I paid less than $200 in co-pays for allllll my meds.)
Dr. Doyle is very soft-spoken and gentle...explains things clearly and directly...warm and compassionate, and he set my mind at ease going into my treatment. I felt confident that he would be able to handle anything that arose during my treatment...protocol was decided on based on my age, and previous treatments I had done at other fertility clinics. 20 eggs were retreived...never once doubted that my embryos were in the best hands!
Dr. Doyle and his staff at Shady Grove - Rockville, MD are the perfect blend of compassion and professionalism. Although they run a huge operation, I always felt taken care of and had my questions and concerns addressed right away...up-to-date on all of the latest and best research, procedures, treatments, labs, facilities...willing to work with me in offering options related to billing, payment, etc.
How was your experience with Joseph Doyle at Shady Grove Fertility?
Dr. Doyle is very soft-spoken and gentle. He explains things clearly and directly, and is clearly extremely knowledgeable, but he does so in a way that lay people can understand what he is saying. He is very warm and compassionate, and he set my mind at ease going into my treatment. I felt confident that he would be able to handle anything that arose during my treatment.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Joseph Doyle at Shady Grove Fertility?
Fertility treatment is not something you should attempt to do halfway... At the beginning of my treatment, I was focused on finding a doctor or clinic that was the cheapest or quickest. I wish that I would have reached out to Shady Grove and Dr. Doyle sooner, because I could have spared myself a lot of money, pain, and time.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Joseph Doyle at Shady Grove Fertility?
Dr. Doyle and his staff at Shady Grove - Rockville, MD are the perfect blend of compassion and professionalism. Although they run a huge operation, I always felt taken care of and had my questions and concerns addressed right away
Describe the protocols Joseph Doyle used in your cycles at Shady Grove Fertility and their degree of success.
I did a standard IVF retrieval protocol, using follistim and menopur and a lupron trigger. The protocol was decided on based on my age, and previous treatments I had done at other fertility clinics. 20 eggs were retreived.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Shady Grove Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Effie Ifrat)
I CANNOT say enough good things about the nursing staff and care team at Shady Grove-Rockville, particularly Effie Inbar. They truly go above and beyond for you, and really care about your success. Their communication, expertise, professionalism, etc. was top-notch.
Describe your experience with Shady Grove Fertility.
Shady Grove is a huge fertility clinic with multiple locations along the Southeast. Despite being such a large operation with hundreds of doctors, nurses, patients, etc. I never felt like I was in a factory. All of the doctors, nurses and staff act with the utmost professionalism at all times, and are extremely communicative and prompt with everything. Actually, the fact that they are so large and well-known in the fertility world gave me a lot of peace of mind. They recruit the best doctors, and are up-to-date on all of the latest and best research, procedures, treatments, labs, facilities, etc. I never once doubted that my embryos were in the best hands!
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Shady Grove Fertility.
I was an out-of-state patient at this clinic, so I had my monitoring appts. done at a different clinic off-site.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Joseph Doyle at Shady Grove Fertility.
My treatment was financed through a third party company, as my health insurance does not cover ANYTHING related to infertility. I will say that I thought that the cost of treatment at Shady Grove-Rockville was comparable to what a similar treatment cycle would cost at other fertility clinics. But Shady Grove was much more willing to work with me in offering options related to billing, payment, etc.
Describe Joseph Doyle's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Shady Grove Fertility.
Dr. Doyle and Shady Grove do counsel patients to use eSET when the patient's age and statistical treatment outcome call for it, however, they ultimately allow the patients to make their own choice in how many embryos to transfer. I appreciated the fact that they allow you to make the choice for your own embryos. Some clinics take that choice away from you.
Dr. Bromer seems to be highly intelligent in his field. He does not “sugar coat” anything and he doesn’t just tell you what you want to hear. He is honest and has research and scientific reason to back up his methods. I was highly skeptical to use any fertility medications. He respected my choice and now that we are about to start IVF and I was worried about all the meds, he definitely eased my mind and made me feel confident about our chances with IVF as well as the safety of the medicine.
Good wait time. I never felt like I had to wait a long time for any appt. Staff [Shady Grover] is so helpful and encouraging. I feel like it’s such a big organization but they really try to make you feel important. ... Their IUI cost is reasonable without insurance and the shared risk IVF program is great. ... One person explained to me that low morphology meant that we would never conceive a normal child in our own.
How was your experience with Jason Bromer at Shady Grove Fertility?
Dr. Bromer seems to be highly intelligent in his field. He does not “sugar coat” anything and he doesn’t just tell you what you want to hear. He is honest and has research and scientific reason to back up his methods. I was highly skeptical to use any fertility medications. He respected my choice and now that we are about to start IVF and I was worried about all the meds, he definitely eased my mind and made me feel confident about our chances with IVF as well as the safety of the medicine.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Jason Bromer at Shady Grove Fertility?
Ask a lot of questions. He is honest and will give you a medically researched answer. Do not expect a warm and fuzzy guy. However, you should expect someone who cares about the best way to give you and your spouse the baby you want.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Jason Bromer at Shady Grove Fertility?
Staff is warm and welcoming. Dr. Bromer validated my concerns and gave me intellectual, researched evidence to back up any answers to questions that I had.
Describe the protocols Jason Bromer used in your cycles at Shady Grove Fertility and their degree of success.
IUI with clomid was suggested but I refused meds and he very honestly told me that was fine but after so many IUIs it was time to possibly change protocol. Now after four failed cycles, he has respectfully advised us and with confidence- IVF is the best next step. We are getting ready to begin that soon.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Shady Grove Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Toni)
Very kind and encouraging. Very organized and helpful.
Describe your experience with Shady Grove Fertility.
Good wait time. I never felt like I had to wait a long time for any appt. Staff is so helpful and encouraging. I feel like it’s such a big organization but they really try to make you feel important.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Jason Bromer at Shady Grove Fertility.
Regular co pays for office visits. Their IUI cost is reasonable without insurance and the shared risk IVF program is great. You basically pay the amount that 2 cycles costs and then you can do up to 6 cycles and back out anytime if need be to get money back if you don’t get a baby.
What specific things went wrong at Shady Grove Fertility?
Provided conflicting information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Shady Grove Fertility.
One person explained to me that low morphology meant that we would never conceive a normal child in our own. I realized that this was an uneducated answer and I simply moved on.
When she broke the news that I have low ovarian reserve, she showed a lot of compassion, even when I got very emotional in her office. She also encouraged me to explore options (donor egg and donor embryo) that I wouldn't have considered; clearly, she cares about getting me to my end goal of a baby. ... I put a lot of stock in bedside manner, and Dr. Moon has absolutely exceeded my expectations since day 1.
Shady Grove feels like an institution, and that carries pros and cons with it. ... Also, because they are larger, they are able to offer additional resources like support groups (the one that I attend has been invaluable). ... Robin [nurse] has been great--extremely responsive and easy to get in touch with, very warm and friendly and helpful. I've always felt like she's in my corner and I could ask her anything.
How was your experience with Kimberly Moon at Shady Grove Fertility?
I've been a patient of Dr. Moon's for about three years, and have seen her about seven times: once for an initial consultation, again for a second consultation two years later, three or four times during my monitoring for my four IUIs, and most recently for another consultation after my IUIs were not successful. Every time, she has been warm, empathetic, and helpful. I really appreciate how she writes out the details of my protocol--the protocol itself and the medical explanation behind it--on a separate sheet of paper so that I can take it home with me. While I saw her only occasionally during my monitoring, I never expected to see her every day, as my clinic is large and the nurses are very capable. When she broke the news that I have low ovarian reserve, she showed a lot of compassion, even when I got very emotional in her office. She also encouraged me to explore options (donor egg and donor embryo) that I wouldn't have considered; clearly, she cares about getting me to my end goal of a baby. I have referred multiple friends to her. While I haven't yet been successful in getting pregnant, I consider this a fault of my eggs, rather than Dr. Moon--she's not a magician! I feel lucky to have a doctor who is so supportive, particularly since I'm a non-traditional patient (as a single mom by choice).
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Kimberly Moon at Shady Grove Fertility?
Also , it's helpful if you look through the clinic's website before seeing her, as it has a lot of good information on it; with a bit of background, you'll be able to ask informed questions and make the most of your time with Dr. Moon.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Kimberly Moon at Shady Grove Fertility?
Dr. Moon has been warm, friendly, and empathetic throughout my treatment, from my initial consultation through my most recent IUI. She shared her own experience with infertility very early on, and established a good rapport with me, which was important to me as a single mom by choice. When I broke down sobbing in her office, she never made me feel embarrassed or uncomfortable. I put a lot of stock in bedside manner, and Dr. Moon has absolutely exceeded my expectations since day 1.
Describe the protocols Kimberly Moon used in your cycles at Shady Grove Fertility and their degree of success.
Based on my initial testing, Dr. Moon diagnosed me with low ovarian reserve. She indicated that if cost was no object, she would recommend that I go straight to IVF. Because I have no insurance coverage for fertility treatment, cost is an object. She said I could try a few IUIs, and then decide to go to IVF, or then go to donor embryo. I appreciated that she didn't try to push one protocol over another, and left this very personal decision up to me. In terms of IUI natural versus medicated, she indicated that medicated IUIs would cost more and have a higher risk of multiples, without much of a payoff (ie, they would only raise my chance of a successful pregnancy by a few percentage points). After I did a first IUI completely unmedicated, she suggested that I use a trigger shot (Ovidrel) for my second IUI; I appreciated that she was looking at and thinking about my protocol and what would be most successful. I did three more IUIs, unmedicated except for a trigger shot, none of which were successful--but based on Dr. Moon's initial prognosis, I didn't really expect them to be. I did the IUIs because I needed to give using my own eggs a shot before I moved to donor egg or embryo. Dr. Moon understood and supported this decision. After four unsuccessful IUIs, she recommended that I move to another protocol, and I concurred.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Shady Grove Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Robin Peterson)
Robin has been great--extremely responsive and easy to get in touch with, very warm and friendly and helpful. I've always felt like she's in my corner and I could ask her anything.
Describe your experience with Shady Grove Fertility.
Shady Grove feels like an institution, and that carries pros and cons with it. I call it the "Bank of America" of fertility clinics, in the sense that they dominate the local market here. That said, while I usually prefer a more intimate, personal approach, I decided to stick with them because I love my doctor and nurse, and because I think they get results (even if I haven't yet been successful). Also, because they are larger, they are able to offer additional resources like support groups (the one that I attend has been invaluable).
Describe the costs associated with your care under Kimberly Moon at Shady Grove Fertility.
I had insurance coverage for most of my diagnostic procedures and consultations, and for none of my actual fertility procedures. I paid $1200 for each IUI (actually, I paid $1140, as I had a 5% discount through their discount program).
Describe Kimberly Moon's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Shady Grove Fertility.
N/a (though I think she usually recommends single embryo transfer).
Dr. McKeeby has been extremely compassionate during our fertility treatment. He has been readily available to meet with me, unexpectedly, when issues have arose during monitoring appointments. ... Dr. McKeeby has a bit of a unique personality. ... He also took into consideration our insurance and financial situation. ... He has been very proactive and has never suggested that we try the same plan twice - if it doesn't work the first time, he makes changes or suggests something new entirely.
The Annapolis office [Shady Grove] is very welcoming. The front desk staff have learned my name and always greet me when I come in for an appointment. The wait time for monitoring is usually reasonable, but can sometimes be 30+ minutes past your appointment time if the clinic is very busy. The phlebotomists are very friendly and talkative. The ultrasound techs do a great job of explaining what they see on the ultrasound, and always offer to refer you to the monitoring nurse if you more questions than they can answer
How was your experience with Jeffrey McKeeby at Shady Grove Fertility?
Dr. McKeeby has a bit of a unique personality. He was very welcoming when my husband and I attended our consultation in March of 2018. We felt that he took a detailed history, asked a lot of questions about our desires/goals, and allowed us to have input on what treatment would like. Dr. McKeeby is very knowledgeable about the science aspect of treatment and was able to explain our treatment options in detail. He was able to provide us to with statistics for success and gave us a recommendation, based on what was our best chance statistically. He also took into consideration our insurance and financial situation. We have, unfortunately, experienced a lot of unanticipated setbacks throughout treatment. We have had several FET cycles cancelled, for various reasons, but Dr. McKeeby has always been extremely compassionate in breaking the bad news to us - He always explains why the cancellation is necessary, and is always ready with a new plan. He has been very proactive and has never suggested that we try the same plan twice - if it doesn't work the first time, he makes changes or suggests something new entirely. Although we have not had success yet, I have been extremely satisfied with Dr. McKeeby and his management of our treatment.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Jeffrey McKeeby at Shady Grove Fertility?
Dr. McKeeby has been extremely compassionate during our fertility treatment. He has been readily available to meet with me, unexpectedly, when issues have arose during monitoring appointments. When my fresh transfer was cancelled due to OHSS, Dr. McKeeby called me personally to provide an update on our embryos. He always says "hi" when he sees me at the clinic for monitoring appointments, and treats me as an individual at follow-up appointments.
Describe the protocols Jeffrey McKeeby used in your cycles at Shady Grove Fertility and their degree of success.
For our IVF retrieval cycle we used Gonal-F 150IU, Menopur 75IU (increased to 150IU on stim day 7), Ganirelix, and a Lupron trigger. We used this protocol, which is pretty standard and low-dose, because our diagnosis is MFI and Dr. McKeeby did not anticipate any issue with follicle growth.
For our 1st FET cycle we used oral Estrace 2mg, taken three times daily. Vaginal Estrace was added, due to thin lining - this cycle was cancelled.
For our 2nd FET cycle we used a stimulated FET protocol, with Gonal-F 150IU and Ganirelix to prevent ovulation. This protocol was chosen due to prior difficulty with uterine lining - cycle was cancelled due to high follicle count.
For our 3rd FET cycle we used Delestrogen .2 ML, every other day - cycle was cancelled due to ovulation.
For our 4th FET cycle we used Delestrogren .2 ML, every other day and Estrace 2mg vaginally, twice daily - this cycle resulted in pregnancy, but pregnancy was not viable.
For our 5th FET cycle we used the same protocol as the previous cycle, but lining did not respond the same and cycle was cancelled.
Four our 6th FET we are using another stimulated FET protocol with Menopur 112 IU - this cycle is in process.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Shady Grove Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Jackie Seibert)
Jackie has been extremely helpful throughout this process. She always returns my phone calls within the guidelines stated on her voicemail, and is very responsive to questions/concerns. She calls promptly with updates from monitoring appointments and answers all questions. She is obviously very knowledgeable. She has called to check-in when we have gone through difficult times.
Describe your experience with Shady Grove Fertility.
The Annapolis office is very welcoming. The front desk staff have learned my name and always greet me when I come in for an appointment. The wait time for monitoring is usually reasonable, but can sometimes be 30+ minutes past your appointment time if the clinic is very busy. The phlebotomists are very friendly and talkative. The ultrasound techs do a great job of explaining what they see on the ultrasound, and always offer to refer you to the monitoring nurse if you more questions than they can answer.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Jeffrey McKeeby at Shady Grove Fertility.
Our treatment is covered by insurance. We receive a 5% discount, based on income, for all expenses not covered.
Describe Jeffrey McKeeby's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Shady Grove Fertility.
Dr. McKeeby has recommended an eSET, due to our ages and quality of our embryos. We are agreeable.
Great bedside manner. Calls after a procedure (iui and failed transfer). She [Dr. Malik] is pregnant and going on maternity leave so my care will be handed off to another doctor. She did perform my iui, but I was under the care of Dr. greenhouse. When he passed then she took over my care.... The person who did your consultation, came up With your protocol isn’t the one who does the egg retrieval or transfers.... Microdose Lupron with birth control.
They [Shady Grove Fertility] have so many patients, everyone is put on the same cycle-for controlled cycles. The person who did your consultation, came up With your protocol isn’t the one who does the egg retrieval or transfers.... Weakness- financial dept. you have to stay on top of them.... Strength- my nurse, dr. Malik and all who work there.... Bet good nursing care. She always informed me, answered any questions i had
How was your experience with Shruti Malik at Shady Grove Fertility?
Great bedside manner. Calls after a procedure (iui and failed transfer). She is pregnant and going on maternity leave so my care will be handed off to another doctor. She did perform my iui, but I was under the care of Dr. greenhouse. When he passed then she took over my care.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Shruti Malik at Shady Grove Fertility?
They have so many patients, everyone is put on the same cycle-for controlled cycles. The person who did your consultation, came up
With your protocol isn’t the one who does the egg retrieval or transfers.
Describe the protocols Shruti Malik used in your cycles at Shady Grove Fertility and their degree of success.
Microdose Lupron with birth control. I was on bcp for 2 weeks, had sono and blood after bcp. Then started Microdose Lupron 20 units BID, 3 days later I started Gonal F -450 and Menopur 150 at night. I stimmed for 12 days. I had no follicles on the left and 4 on the right. At my last sonogram they counted 7 follicle on the right. I had a cyst that was seen at day 5 monitoring.
At retrieval they got 5 eggs, all 5 fertilized with ICSI. 1 out of 5 didn’t fertilize normally. Day 5, day of fresh transfer: 1 5 AA blastocyst, one was a day 4 and the other 2 they were watching. The ones they were watching didn’t make it to freeze. This cycle was a failed transfer.negative pregnancy test.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Shady Grove Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Patrice )
Bet good nursing care. She always informed me, answered any questions i had
Describe your experience with Shady Grove Fertility.
Weakness- financial dept. you have to stay on top of them. The dr who came up with your protocol probably won’t be the one doing retrieval or transfer.
Strength- my nurse, dr. Malik and all who work there.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Shruti Malik at Shady Grove Fertility.
I have coverage through insurance right now. 500 deductible and 200 for medication
Doctor Garde is one of the most patient and understanding doctors I have ever meet in my life. She is so nice and always loving and caring, more then willing to help or get me help. I could not have made a better choice in a doctor ever.... She is always very good at coming up with a plan and always making sure me and my husband are comfortable. She is very good at listening concerns and always will to try and coming up with a solution.
The team here [Shady Grove] is very good. Patience, understanding and effective. Your comfort and emotions are always taken into consideration. Making sure that you're comfortable and you understand is always key.... I'm a self pay so paying was not a problem. I was always told how much my next appointment payment would be. Most of the time it's a estimate price.... I had some blood work done at my Kaiser Permanente provider. Unfortunately no one from shady Grove called to explain the results.
How was your experience with Rachana Garde at Shady Grove Fertility?
Doctor Garde is wonderful I can't believe how understanding and patience she is with me. I'm a strong person and even Dr.Garde has a was of bring the best out of a tuff day. She is always very good at coming up with a plan and always making sure me and my husband are comfortable. She is very good at listening concerns and always will to try and coming up with a solution. There are no words to describe her she is one of the best doctors I have ever had. Doctor Garde is truly my blessings and I can't wait to continue our journey. I truly believe that if any Doctor can help me with having a little angel it would be Doc.Garde.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Rachana Garde at Shady Grove Fertility?
Be honest, trust her judgment and everything will just fine. Trust that she always has your best interest at heart.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Rachana Garde at Shady Grove Fertility?
Doctor Garde is one of the most patient and understanding doctors I have ever meet in my life. She is so nice and always loving and caring, more then willing to help or get me help. I could not have made a better choice in a doctor ever. There are no words to describe the kind of doctor Dr.Garde is I'm more then happy to call her my doctor. She is a true blessing.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Shady Grove Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Rachel Kelly)
Daniell Kelly is the best ever ❤️❤️
I was so sad when I got my new nurse I cried. I will truly miss Danielle Kelly
Describe your experience with Shady Grove Fertility.
The team here is very good. Patience, understanding and effective. Your comfort and emotions are always taken into consideration. Making sure that you're comfortable and you understand is always key.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Rachana Garde at Shady Grove Fertility.
I'm a self pay so paying was not a problem. I was always told how much my next appointment payment would be. Most of the time it's a estimate price.
What specific things went wrong at Shady Grove Fertility?
Failed to call with results
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Shady Grove Fertility.
I had some blood work done at my Kaiser Permanente provider. Unfortunately no one from shady Grove called to explain the results. But the doctor Garde did make sure the other doctor from Kaiser did explain to me my blood results.
It was clear that Dr. Bromer was always cognizant of our specific situation; he wasn't giving blanket/general recommendations when he spoke to us...I was personally looking for a doctor to be realistic versus optimistic but also to offer his point of view on the best option for us (own eggs vs. donor). I vetted four clinics and he was the first to deliver on my expectations. He called us several times while he was on vacation to personally review some unexpected setbacks and his recommendations for moving forward.
We participated in the shared risk donor program [at Shady Grove Fertility] in which we were one of three recipients (so we shared the cost). The total was about $26K...operates like a well-oiled machine. Their process for out-of-state patients is pretty seamless, and they really work to streamline the number of visits for those who live far away. They did get a few of our appointment times mixed up during our visit, which meant we were left sitting in the lobby for an extended period of time and my husband had to do his SA while we were supposed to be meeting with a social worker, but that was the only hiccup. While not a hugely important factor, their Rockville office is gorgeous. We also visited Fredrick and Towson, both of which
How was your experience with Jason Bromer at Shady Grove Fertility?
I was personally looking for a doctor to be realistic versus optimistic but also to offer his point of view on the best option for us (own eggs vs. donor). I vetted four clinics and he was the first to deliver on my expectations. He called us several times while he was on vacation to personally review some unexpected setbacks and his recommendations for moving forward. He was willing to consider my thoughts on how to proceed; he offered an expert opinion but was not overly prescriptive. He is kind, compassionate and invested in your success.
Aside from a new patient consult, in-person consult and various phone conversations, we had much more interaction with our nurse than our doctor.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Jason Bromer at Shady Grove Fertility?
Be up front on what you're hoping he can help with.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Jason Bromer at Shady Grove Fertility?
It was clear that Dr. Bromer was always cognizant of our specific situation; he wasn't giving blanket/general recommendations when he spoke to us.
Describe the protocols Jason Bromer used in your cycles at Shady Grove Fertility and their degree of success.
Since I am a donor egg recipient, my protocol was related to an embryo transfer only and was pretty standard (Lupron, progesterone, estrogen). I responded well to what he prescribed.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Shady Grove Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Vivian )
Vivian was always pleasant and to-the-point. There were a few small admin-type mix-ups, but nothing that affected my protocol. She was quick to respond to questions and always kept me up to date on my donor's status.
Describe your experience with Shady Grove Fertility.
Shady Grove Fertility operates like a well-oiled machine. Their process for out-of-state patients is pretty seamless, and they really work to streamline the number of visits for those who live far away. They did get a few of our appointment times mixed up during our visit, which meant we were left sitting in the lobby for an extended period of time and my husband had to do his SA while we were supposed to be meeting with a social worker, but that was the only hiccup.
While not a hugely important factor, their Rockville office is gorgeous. We also visited Fredrick and Towson, both of which were nice but not on the same level. I do wish Towson had onsite wellness (acupuncture, etc.) like Rockville, but they were able to refer me out to a local clinic.
The donor coordinator team was on the ball - very communicative and gave lots of personal attention when needed.
One frequent criticism I hear is that their financial department is difficult to work with, but that was not our experience.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Jason Bromer at Shady Grove Fertility.
We participated in the shared risk donor program in which we were one of three recipients (so we shared the cost). The total was about $26K.
Describe Jason Bromer's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Shady Grove Fertility.
N/A
What specific things went wrong at Shady Grove Fertility?
Lost appointments
Failed to convey critical information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Shady Grove Fertility.
My only complaint is that my nurse forgot to write stat on a bloodwork order which resulted my beta not being available the same day.
[Dr. Jason Bromer] he focused on hearing what our goals were in this and his opinions on those goals. He communicated well with us, but spoke in a lot of medical terms which made it difficult for my husband to understand (not so much me since I am a nurse), but I felt this is something that might cause confusion with other patients. Throughout the IUI procedures, we saw him 1 time when he stopped in during an ultrasound and he discussed the plan of care for that cycled IUI. Overall, he was very genuine, kind hearted, and you could tell he liked what he did as a profession.
[Shady Grove Fertility] Strengths would be the nursing team. They all treat the patients so personal and are compassionate. Most of them have gone through this themselves and understand the emotions. Weaknesses are of the financial team. Multiple times my husband and I were charged double for things such as copays that we paid in the office. Look at your bill and take note to things before you pay! They are also so difficult to get in touch with if you do have questions!
How was your experience with Jason Bromer at Shady Grove Fertility?
Dr. Bromer met up with my husband and I for both our initial consult to the office and again later when we wanted more information regarding IVF after our IUIs had failed. Both times, he focused on hearing what our goals were in this and his opinions on those goals. He communicated well with us, but spoke in a lot of medical terms which made it difficult for my husband to understand (not so much me since I am a nurse), but I felt this is something that might cause confusion with other patients. Throughout the IUI procedures, we saw him 1 time when he stopped in during an ultrasound and he discussed the plan of care for that cycled IUI. Overall, he was very genuine, kind hearted, and you could tell he liked what he did as a profession.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Jason Bromer at Shady Grove Fertility?
Take a tablet/paper/pen to your appointments when discussing plans with him. He uses a lot of larger/medical terms that some/most people would not understand unless in the medical field. My husband found difficulty in understanding some things due to this. Also, if you are not sure of something or agree with a plan he may have projected, please speak up because he was so willing to adjust to our needs and wants in this process!
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Jason Bromer at Shady Grove Fertility?
The nurses were very personal and caring when calling and keeping me up to date on my cycle and plan of care. The clinic was usually busy most days but everyone made me and my husband feel welcome and important.
Describe the protocols Jason Bromer used in your cycles at Shady Grove Fertility and their degree of success.
During each IUI, I had baseline ultrasound/bloodwork done on day 3 of period. Days 3-7, I took clomid while being monitored every 2-3 days during. When my follicles were at optimal size, I then took a trigger injection and the next day was scheduled for my IUI procedure. Both IUI cycles resulted in proper stimulation of my follicles where one cycled actually ended up having such a large number of good sized follicles that they spoke about canceling that cycle IUI. Both IUI cycles resulted in negative beta tests.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Shady Grove Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Julie)
Julie was our primary nurse during our cycles and I absolutely couldn't have recommended anyone more! She went above and beyond and was there every time I needed an update or just had a question needing answered. When I had poor result in my HSG and needed set up for a saline sonogram unexpectedly the next day, she helped to get me scheduled in asap so that I did not have to wait a whole cycle to have this done. She was outstanding!!
Describe your experience with Shady Grove Fertility.
Strengths would be the nursing team. They all treat the patients so personal and are compassionate. Most of them have gone through this themselves and understand the emotions.
Weaknesses are of the financial team. Multiple times my husband and I were charged double for things such as copays that we paid in the office. Look at your bill and take note to things before you pay! They are also so difficult to get in touch with if you do have questions!
Describe the costs associated with your care under Jason Bromer at Shady Grove Fertility.
Each IUI cycle costed near $3,000. Medications were about $200-$300. When consulted for IVF, base price was around $15,000 with medications costing from $2,900-$4,000.
Describe Jason Bromer's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Shady Grove Fertility.
During a consult to discuss IVF in the future, we discussed the importance in only transferring a single embryo. It was explained to us that the risks of multiples can be dangerous and that it is not recommended to transfer more than one embryo.
Dr. Reh was honest in her assessments, if not a little conservative in her estimates of our chances of conceiving. She seemed up to date on the latest literature. She answered all of our questions. She made adjustments to my treatment as we went in response to how I was progressing. Overall, I was very pleased with my experience...
The [SGF] clinic was nice and clean. Street parking was generally available. Exam rooms were comfortable. I didn't usually have to wait much longer than my appointment time. They don't do some of the procedures at the Arlington location so I had to go to Fairfax for extraction and transfer, but weekday appointments were a breeze in Arlington...My only complaint was that they did not use the Patient Portal to the fullest extent
How was your experience with Andrea Reh at Shady Grove Fertility?
Dr. Reh was honest in her assessments, if not a little conservative in her estimates of our chances of conceiving. She seemed up to date on the latest literature. She answered all of our questions. She made adjustments to my treatment as we went in response to how I was progressing. Overall, I was very pleased with my experience.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Andrea Reh at Shady Grove Fertility?
Dr. Reh was not especially warm, but she was extremely knowledgeable and competent.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Andrea Reh at Shady Grove Fertility?
Dr. Reh was very matter of fact. She was not especially warm, but she was very knowledgeable. I felt confident in her abilities.
Describe the protocols Andrea Reh used in your cycles at Shady Grove Fertility and their degree of success.
Gonal-F (225 IUs) and Menopur (75 IUs) evenings; Cetrotide in the mornings; Lupron trigger;
27 eggs released; 21 mature eggs; 12 embryos; 7 day-5 or day-6 blastocysts; 2 chromosomally normal blastocytsts; 1 male child
Describe your experience with your nurse at Shady Grove Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Yes, but don't remember)
The staff called when they said the would, appointments were easy to make, and most documents were available on the patient portal. My only complaint was that they did not use the Patient Portal to the fullest extent. For example, they sent treatment documents, outcome documents, and billing information all through the email option. They never posted information to the different links (billing, test results, etc.).
Describe your experience with Shady Grove Fertility.
The clinic was nice and clean. Street parking was generally available. Exam rooms were comfortable. I didn't usually have to wait much longer than my appointment time. They don't do some of the procedures at the Arlington location so I had to go to Fairfax for extraction and transfer, but weekday appointments were a breeze in Arlington.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Andrea Reh at Shady Grove Fertility.
We did the shared risk program (guaranteed live birth or most of the fee is refunded). I believe that was $28,500 (due to my age). Meds on top of that for one cycle were ~$4,000.
Describe Andrea Reh's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Shady Grove Fertility.
Dr. Reh preferred single embryo transfer and we agreed
We saw Dr. McKeeby after our first failed cycle at another clinic. We were heartbroken, financially struggling and still, we clung to hope. He sat with us for over an hour during our first initial consult. He went thru every page (400 pages) of our medical records from our previous facility. When we tried to transfer our eggs from the other facility to Shady Groves lab, he called me personally to tell me the bad news. The old RE did not freeze our eggs appropriately and they would not be viable for thaw. He gave us devastating news, but he was calm and precise about his reasons. I respect him due to his honesty and compassion.
They [nurses at Shady Grove Fertility] take the time to talk to us and explain each question or concern that we have...The benefits/strengths include the cleanliness of all of their facilities, their friendly staff (from the front desk, to the lab technicians, to the nurses and physicians) and the way they make you feel welcome and less like a number...The only thing that went wrong was the clinic scheduled my appointment for the Annapolis location and I was suppose to be at the Salisbury location. It has bumped our appointment almost 30 days back, but it was a small mistake with no consequences.
How was your experience with Jeffrey McKeeby at Shady Grove Fertility?
We saw Dr. McKeeby after our first failed cycle at another clinic. We were heartbroken, financially struggling and still, we clung to hope. He sat with us for over an hour during our first initial consult. He went thru every page (400 pages) of our medical records from our previous facility.
When we tried to transfer our eggs from the other facility to Shady Groves lab, he called me personally to tell me the bad news. The old RE did not freeze our eggs appropriately and they would not be viable for thaw. He gave us devastating news, but he was calm and precise about his reasons. I respect him due to his honesty and compassion.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Jeffrey McKeeby at Shady Grove Fertility?
Ask a ton of questions, because he will absolutely take the time to answer them. When you leave all of your medical questions are answered completely, and you understand the treatment plans ahead.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Jeffrey McKeeby at Shady Grove Fertility?
Dr. McKeeby was the second RE that we saw. His team (Urologist Dr. Tanikarut) has been phenomenal. We were really let down by our first RE and had lost most hope to being parents. Dr. McKeeby is in the midst of making a plan for our future IVF cycles. He is honest and realistic and for that I am thankful. I am a nurse, and I know a lot more than the average patient. He doesn't make me feel like my questions and concerns are a bother, he takes the time to answer them completely.
Describe the protocols Jeffrey McKeeby used in your cycles at Shady Grove Fertility and their degree of success.
We have not done a cycle with Dr. McKeeby yet, my husband is still on the medications to boost his count and raise his testosterone.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Shady Grove Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Beth )
We are still new in the process at this clinic, but from our past experience they have been great. Our previous facility never knew us (even if we were there the day prior, they would forget why we were there (male factor), did not call to follow up post egg retrieval). We aren't just a number to them. They take the time to talk to us and explain each question or concern that we have.
Describe your experience with Shady Grove Fertility.
The only thing that is hard about our clinic is the drive. It is a two hour drive to get to the clinic with cryopreservation, but we do not mind because we really like the clinic and staff.
The benefits/strengths include the cleanliness of all of their facilities, their friendly staff (from the front desk, to the lab technicians, to the nurses and physicians) and the way they make you feel welcome and less like a number.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Jeffrey McKeeby at Shady Grove Fertility.
I do not remember specifics as we are have an appointment coming up to sit down in regards to IVF costs.
What specific things went wrong at Shady Grove Fertility?
Lost appointments
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Shady Grove Fertility.
The only thing that went wrong was the clinic scheduled my appointment for the Annapolis location and I was suppose to be at the Salisbury location. It has bumped our appointment almost 30 days back, but it was a small mistake with no consequences.
I always felt like she [Dr. Anitha Nair] really cared about me as an individual. She asked about my work, never rushed when I had lots of questions, was candid yet compassionate in all of her communication. And even though my transfer was scheduled while she was on vacation, she called me to check in that morning!...She was fully present during our visits. She never rushed or seemed annoyed when I had a lot of questions. She treated me like an educated, informed adult (which is more than I can say for my prior doctor).
It was easy to get an appointment [at Shady Grove Fertility], and the locations are convenient. All of the staff were competent and kind. I did have to call to remind the insurance/billing specialist about my authorizations, after not hearing from them before a procedure...My nurse the first time was very good. She sometimes didn’t get back to me as quickly as I would have liked, but overall was compassionate and answered my questions and served as a very helpful resource. The other nurses and staff who I interacted with during monitoring appointments, etc. were all wonderful.
How was your experience with Anitha Nair at Shady Grove Fertility?
I always felt like she cared about the smallest details, and that she had my best interests at heart. She was fully present during our visits. She never rushed or seemed annoyed when I had a lot of questions. She treated me like an educated, informed adult (which is more than I can say for my prior doctor).
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Anitha Nair at Shady Grove Fertility?
Have your list of questions ready, and she will answer all of them!
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Anitha Nair at Shady Grove Fertility?
I always felt like she really cared about me as an individual. She asked about my work, never rushed when I had lots of questions, was candid yet compassionate in all of her communication. And even though my transfer was scheduled while she was on vacation, she called me to check in that morning!
Describe the protocols Anitha Nair used in your cycles at Shady Grove Fertility and their degree of success.
We did a pretty standard (antagonist?) IVF protocol for a fresh transfer. It was the first cycle we had tried, after 3 failed IUIs at another clinic that declined to let us try a fresh transfer. I did not take BCP because I’ve had bad reactions in the past, and Dr. Nair was supportive of me declining that component. I responded well to the protocol.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Shady Grove Fertility.
My nurse the first time was very good. She sometimes didn’t get back to me as quickly as I would have liked, but overall was compassionate and answered my questions and served as a very helpful resource. The other nurses and staff who I interacted with during monitoring appointments, etc. were all wonderful.
Describe your experience with Shady Grove Fertility.
It was easy to get an appointment, and the locations are convenient. All of the staff were competent and kind. I did have to call to remind the insurance/billing specialist about my authorizations, after not hearing from them before a procedure.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Shady Grove Fertility.
It definitely felt a little bit like a cattle call, but a well run one. I went in the morning before work and it was always packed but moved along fairly quickly.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Anitha Nair at Shady Grove Fertility.
I had really good insurance coverage for the cycle, including meds. I had already met my out of pocket max, thanks to IUIs done earlier in the year, so my IVF cycle cost very little. I paid an office visit copay when I saw the doctor. The most expensive part was the cost for a nurse to help me at home with my injections the first few days (I was nervous!!). And also the embryo storage, which insurance did not cover.
Describe Anitha Nair's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Shady Grove Fertility.
I was happy to do eSET, and Dr. Nair was fully supportive given my age and history.
I've seen Dr Doyle on 3 occasions; 1 consult, 1 follow-up after testing, and during 1 monitoring appointment for my 3rd IUI. He was very thorough in explaining the testing, the results, the treatment plan, and the odds of success. He was also very compassionate and positive when discussing the treatment plan and the failure of the first 2 IUIs.
It is pretty easy to get an appointment [at Shady Grove Fertility] and the doctors/nurses/staff all seem very compassionate. It is a large clinic with many patients per day so my doctor did not perform any of my monitoring or IUI procedures except that he checked in during one monitoring appointment for my 3rd IUI attempt. The other sonographers/technicians/doctors were great so it didn't bother me that he wasn't at all of my appointments.
How was your experience with Joseph Doyle at Shady Grove Fertility?
I've seen Dr Doyle on 3 occasions; 1 consult, 1 follow-up after testing, and during 1 monitoring appointment for my 3rd IUI. He was very thorough in explaining the testing, the results, the treatment plan, and the odds of success. He was also very compassionate and positive when discussing the treatment plan and the failure of the first 2 IUIs.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Joseph Doyle at Shady Grove Fertility?
I would say I recommend him. He is a great doctor and you should feel at ease expressing any concerns to him as he should be able to reassure you.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Joseph Doyle at Shady Grove Fertility?
I felt like Dr. Doyle took the time to explain all the testing and treatments and showed compassion and positivity during a monitoring appointment for my 3rd IUI.
Describe the protocols Joseph Doyle used in your cycles at Shady Grove Fertility and their degree of success.
My treatment protocol is up to 3 medicated IUIs using Clomid (75mg for the first IUI, increased to 100mg for 2nd and 3rd) on days 3-7, Ovidrel trigger shot to induce ovulation, and Prometrium (progesterone) vaginal inserts after the IUI until the pregnancy test. The rationale is that we conceived our first child on our own in less than a year and the testing showed some mild male factors so IUI would bring the sperm closer to the egg. He prescribed Clomid because I am 39 so the hope was that 2 eggs would be released at ovulation increasing the odds that one of them would be of good quality and get fertilized. We are in the two week waiting period for the 3rd IUI. The first 2 did not work.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Shady Grove Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Efrat Inbar)
All of the nurses I interacted with were very compassionate and knowledgeable.
Describe your experience with Shady Grove Fertility.
Shady Grove Fertility has high success rates. It is pretty easy to get an appointment and the doctors/nurses/staff all seem very compassionate. It is a large clinic with many patients per day so my doctor did not perform any of my monitoring or IUI procedures except that he checked in during one monitoring appointment for my 3rd IUI attempt. The other sonographers/technicians/doctors were great so it didn't bother me that he wasn't at all of my appointments.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Joseph Doyle at Shady Grove Fertility.
Each IUI cost $1800 plus the cost of the medications which was ~$250-260. My treatment is not covered by insurance. Most of the testing was covered. I think we paid ~$200-300 out of pocket for all of the testing procedures for copays/coinsurance/deductibles.
He [Dr. Mottla] had a strong preference for single embryo transfer and essentially told me that multiple embryo transfers were not an option and something that he did not suggest. This was a little disappointing...He has been very hands on throughout the process. Always willing to answer any questions or concerns that I may have. At one point there seemed like there could have been a "miracle" for my situation, and he was very realistic and practical with how often the miracle could happen. It let me know and see that he was hopeful and optomistic, but also being real about the situation.
I appreciate how communicative they are [at Shady Grove Fertility], including the blog posts recieved via email. When I've been MIA for a few months my clinical coordinator has sent an email just to check in and see if there is anything they can do. There are a few waiting rooms, one seems to be for people doing consultations and the other for women getting checked out quickly in the am- but you can access either. For my process, I was asked to meet with a social worker, that is conveniently located in the same building.
How was your experience with Gilbert Mottla at Shady Grove Fertility?
He has been very hands on throughout the process. Always willing to answer any questions or concerns that I may have. At one point there seemed like there could have been a "miracle" for my situation, and he was very realistic and practical with how often the miracle could happen. It let me know and see that he was hopeful and optomistic, but also being real about the situation.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Gilbert Mottla at Shady Grove Fertility?
Go for it- ask all of your "what if" questions- he is a straight shooter.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Gilbert Mottla at Shady Grove Fertility?
He asked myself and my husband about ourselves. how we met, what lead us to him. During the discussion we realized that he went to the same college as my parents and they actually attended school during the same time, though they did not know each other. The conversation was very organic.
Describe the protocols Gilbert Mottla used in your cycles at Shady Grove Fertility and their degree of success.
The one thing that initially made me a little sad, was he stated in the beginning that he is a fan of single births and that he would not implant more than one embryo. As someone hoping for twins, I was a little disappointed. He explained the health risks associated with the recommendation, so I knew it was coming from a good place.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Shady Grove Fertility.
The original nurse that I was assigned was not good. She was very unorganized and actually confused my case/situation with another client. I requested a transfer to a different nurse, who is wonderful!
Describe your experience with Shady Grove Fertility.
Everyone is extremely friendly, warm and welcoming. I appreciate how communicative they are, including the blog posts recieved via email. When I've been MIA for a few months my clinical coordinator has sent an email just to check in and see if there is anything they can do. There are a few waiting rooms, one seems to be for people doing consultations and the other for women getting checked out quickly in the am- but you can access either. For my process, I was asked to meet with a social worker, that is conveniently located in the same building. I was able to meet with the financial coordinator right after my consultation, thanks to Shady Grove being proactive. At the end of our consultation we were given temporary access into a database to take a look at the various options there and help familiarize ourselves with the process. I found the doctor to be realistic with timeliness, treatments and expectations. Also, the financial coordinator was extremely helpful and patient- my husband and I sat with her for over an hour discussing the various options, pros and cons. She also went above and beyond to speak with the broker for my husbands insurance to determine exactly what, if anything, was covered. Overall, it’s been a great experience.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Gilbert Mottla at Shady Grove Fertility.
Approximately 42k
Describe Gilbert Mottla's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Shady Grove Fertility.
He had a strong preference for single embryo transfer and essentially told me that multiple embryo transfers were not an option and something that he did not suggest. This was a little disappointing.
What specific things went wrong at Shady Grove Fertility?
Provided conflicting information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Shady Grove Fertility.
I mentioned this previously, but our initial coordinator was unresponsive and she confused my information with another patient that allegedly had a similar name.
We started with a questionnaire and an face to face consultation [with Dr. Jason Bromer]. He introduced himself and explained how the facility worked and what test he wanted to run on me and my husband so that we can get a better picture of what was going on. My husband did a semen analysis to check his sperm count and I was given an HSG test where they could see if my fallopian tube‘s were blocked or not . I had had one ectopic pregnancy and already lost one tube so he was pretty certain that my other tube was blocked with endometriosis but he did a test to be sure .
The clinic [Shady Grove Fertility] was fabulous it was very clean And a calm atmosphere there was a lot of privacy. They were very up-to-date with new technology . There was lots of room and information was easily accessible . They had one main location that was in Rockville Maryland where they did the transfer but they had a smaller clinic in Hagerstown Maryland where I was able to go and I’m still able to go that’s closer to my home . Me and my husband travel about three hours to make our appointments the appointments are very early in the morning so it’s nice to have the convenience of the Dr traveling back-and-forth between the different facilities
How was your experience with Jason Bromer at Shady Grove Fertility?
I would recommend him to anyone. He has gone through the process with his own family so he was able to understand our fears an concerns. We felt very safe with his medical choices and thought he was/is an outstanding doctor
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Jason Bromer at Shady Grove Fertility?
Be yourself don’t be afraid to ask questions
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Jason Bromer at Shady Grove Fertility?
He was amazing! He really was kind and explained everything to us in detail. He was very patient with us
Describe the protocols Jason Bromer used in your cycles at Shady Grove Fertility and their degree of success.
We started with a questionnaire and an face to face consultation. He introduced himself and explained how the facility worked and what test he wanted to run on me and my husband so that we can get a better picture of what was going on. My husband did a semen analysis to check his sperm count and I was given an HSG test where they could see if my fallopian tube‘s were blocked or not . I had had one ectopic pregnancy and already lost one tube so he was pretty certain that my other tube was blocked with endometriosis but he did a test to be sure . My husband sperm came back a very high count so he was fine my test came back that my rate tube was completely blocked with endometriosis . At that point we had another sitdown meeting face-to-face with him which I liked he was with us every step of the way . He suggested that we do IVF and he explained the reasons why . We have been trying to get pregnant for over three years we had had one miscarriage and one ectopic pregnancy. Ivf would be the safest and best route for our family . I was given Esterase tabs and progesterone injections daily. We had to do several ultrasounds I was given a medication to have my follicles ready so that we can do an egg retrieval. Again Dr bromer was the one doing the procedure of the egg retrieval I was very emotional and nervous but he was so kind and right there with me the whole time explaining to me what he was doing . The lab fertilize my eggs and we had to wait to see if they took . Dr Bromer Called me himself to tell me that we had six that we were going to keep frozen. Then we did a mock transfer. And then we did the actual embryo transfer. The procedure was not painful but it was very emotional and it was cool how he let us see the picture of the embryo and we got to take a copy of The procedure was not painful but it was very emotional and it was cool how he let us see the picture of the embryo and we got to take a copy of it it home. We had to wait two weeks to see if the pregnancy took it was a very long two weeks we found out on December 26 that are pregnancy did take.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Shady Grove Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Jeanette )
Jeanette was fabulous she was my nurse . Jennifer was my lab technician she was amazing every single person remembered my name when I came in and they genuinely cared how we were doing and how we were feeling
Describe your experience with Shady Grove Fertility.
The clinic was fabulous it was very clean And a calm atmosphere there was a lot of privacy. They were very up-to-date with new technology . There was lots of room and information was easily accessible . They had one main location that was in Rockville Maryland where they did the transfer but they had a smaller clinic in Hagerstown Maryland where I was able to go and I’m still able to go that’s closer to my home . Me and my husband travel about three hours to make our appointments the appointments are very early in the morning so it’s nice to have the convenience of the Dr traveling back-and-forth between the different facilities
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Shady Grove Fertility.
The monitoring appointments were ran very smoothly they were always done very early in the morning no later than 8 AM so that they could get your lab results back that same day which I appreciate . They work very well with your schedule even the receptionist was very kind and understanding . The doctor was there for all of my monitoring it was very reassuring to see his face and for him to take a look at everything and let us know how the progress was going
Describe the costs associated with your care under Jason Bromer at Shady Grove Fertility.
The cost for my medications was around $1200 . My co-pay was $20 for every visit . I had to travel three hours for the procedure so I had a lot of money in gas and food . I don’t remember the total cost of my IVF it was thousands of dollars . And now we’re starting the process all over for baby number two
Describe Jason Bromer's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Shady Grove Fertility.
I actually wanted to do a multiple embryo transfer and after talking it over with the doctor we made the decision together that it would be safer to do one transfer
During appointments, Dr. McKeeby takes plenty of time to explain the diagnosis and the recommended treatment plan. He never makes you feel rushed and always answers all of our questions. He has offered to meet with us beyond our “normal” follow up appointments (if we needed) and has squeezed us in multiple times to keep the process moving forward. When we see him at the office during monitoring appointments he always acknowledges us and often comes to say hi and see how everything is going.
Overall it’s been a pretty positive experience with Shady Grove Annapolis. The front desk staff are always friendly and organized, and scheduled appointments with physicians are (mostly) on schedule. The wait times for monitoring appointments can vary anywhere from 15-45 minutes before being seen). I’ve never had a problem getting an appointment and the staff has always been accommodating when they could be. By far the worst part of the process so far has been the financial aspect as the Annapolis office doesn’t have a financial coordinator on site.
How was your experience with Jeffrey McKeeby at Shady Grove Fertility?
Dr. McKeeby displays a great deal of experience and knowledge. He thoroughly answers all questions and provides examples (and drawings!) to make sure we understand and feel comfortable. Early on in our treatment, Dr. McKeeby built a more personal relationship with us and tried to relate to us about things we had in common, which was helpful in building an overall positive rapport. We’ve had ups and downs so far in our treatment, and Dr. McKeeby has had to communicate difficult or disappointing news to us on multiple occasions. Although sometimes he can be very blunt/direct, he recognizes when we need him to communicate information differently and he will re-state his point. After a difficult first cycle which didn’t end the way we had hoped, he was positive/reassuring and recommended a change in protocol to try and refine the results and increase our chances of success. While it’s too early to say how things will end, we trust his opinion and are very satisfied with our interactions with Dr. McKeeby to this point.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Jeffrey McKeeby at Shady Grove Fertility?
Not so much related to Dr. McKeeby but more the process - don’t be afraid to ask questions, be your own advocate, and be clear about your wishes and concerns.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Jeffrey McKeeby at Shady Grove Fertility?
During appointments, Dr. McKeeby takes plenty of time to explain the diagnosis and the recommended treatment plan. He never makes you feel rushed and always answers all of our questions. He has offered to meet with us beyond our “normal” follow up appointments (if we needed) and has squeezed us in multiple times to keep the process moving forward. When we see him at the office during monitoring appointments he always acknowledges us and often comes to say hi and see how everything is going.
Describe the protocols Jeffrey McKeeby used in your cycles at Shady Grove Fertility and their degree of success.
The first IVF cycle we did was a “standard” protocol - baseline bloodwork and birth control for 2-3 weeks, begin injections of stimulating hormones and attend routine monitoring appointments (bloodwork and ultrasound). Trigger shot of HcG and a scheduled egg retrieval 36 hours later. Although we achieved pretty good results with a decent number of eggs retrieved, we did not have any embryos to transfer this cycle. Dr. McKeeby explained that we’ll change up the protocol for the next cycle in the hopes that we have a more efficient stimulation synchronizing follicle growth and hopefully resulting in more (and better quality) eggs retrieved. Additionally, after the first IVF cycle Dr. McKeeby referred us to another Shady Grove physician to gather some additional information about the male component and to make sure we’re taking the best approach for our situation.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Shady Grove Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Elizabeth Bazel)
Beth is amazing - she is organized, responsive, compassionate, knowledgeable, and she truly goes above and beyond! She has made us feel cared for and supported throughout the process.
We were initially assigned to a different nurse but requested to change to a new nurse very early on in the process due to a disconnect in communication styles and expectations.
Describe your experience with Shady Grove Fertility.
Overall it’s been a pretty positive experience with Shady Grove Annapolis. The front desk staff are always friendly and organized, and scheduled appointments with physicians are (mostly) on schedule. The wait times for monitoring appointments can vary anywhere from 15-45 minutes before being seen). I’ve never had a problem getting an appointment and the staff has always been accommodating when they could be. By far the worst part of the process so far has been the financial aspect as the Annapolis office doesn’t have a financial coordinator on site. You spend a lot of time playing phone tag and trying to reach the single financial coordinator assigned to patients in Annapolis, Towson, and Rockville. When you are able to get through they almost never have the answers to your questions and almost always need to get back to you.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Jeffrey McKeeby at Shady Grove Fertility.
Our health insurance covered some of the diagnostic testing and appointments but doesn’t cover anything for infertility, so we are 100% self pay for procedures, medication, and all other related expenses/costs.
Describe Jeffrey McKeeby's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Shady Grove Fertility.
For our situation, Dr. McKeeby was not supportive of multiple embryo transfer (I asked!), but he did explain the reasons why and we feel comfortable with that decision.
What specific things went wrong at Shady Grove Fertility?
Failed to order appropriate test
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Shady Grove Fertility.
The first nurse we were assigned to failed to schedule the correct bloodwork/prepare the correct order in the system. It ultimately wasn’t an issue because the phlebotomist caught the error and corrected it immediately.
[Dr. Devine] definitely has a direct communication style but I have never felt like a number. During my appointments with her, she was always patient enough to answer my questions, and I tend to have a great deal of questions. :) She also provides advice that seems to come from a place of care and concern. I felt more “connected” with her after the first meeting. That also might have been because I was overwhelmed about the process.
I am on round one of IVF with donor sperm [at Shady Grove Fertility]. My protocol includes birth control pills and IVF “shots” to include the trigger shot. I have had to increase my Vitamin D. I also elected for PGA testing. Going straight to IVF instead of IUI made the most sense for my age (42)...[nurses are] very knowledgeable about the process and allowed for extra discussions about it. I’ve asked them both at different times to walk me through a notional timeline.
How was your experience with Kate Devine at Shady Grove Fertility?
Dr. Divine, from the beginning, has been honest and candid about my fertility options. Given that I am over 40, she shared the scary statistics without making them feel daunting. Instead, she highlighted all possible options including ones I had never considered (e.g., using donor eggs if mine are not viable). Although she has a direct communication style (think: straight, no chaser), I found her candor to be refreshing. You definitely know where you stand, both with her, and your fertility options. After every appointment, I was clear on what to do next. She has been thorough, rigorous and quick minded I implicitly trust that she will do everything possible to ensure that I have the best possible options during this journey. Given that I struggle financially and, like many, juggle other life stresses, it is a relief to have a doctor and medical team who don’t add unnecessary stress due to lack of bedside manner, incompetence, etc. Overall, I am pleased with Dr. Divine and I look forward to having her continue to guide me through this process!
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Kate Devine at Shady Grove Fertility?
Ask as many questions as you would like. She is patient and thorough! She’s extremely knowledgeable! She will also guide you to nurses for questions they can address.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Kate Devine at Shady Grove Fertility?
Dr. Divine definitely has a direct communication style but I have never felt like a number. During my appointments with her, she was always patient enough to answer my questions, and I tend to have a great deal of questions. :) She also provides advice that seems to come from a place of care and concern. I felt more “connected” with her after the first meeting. That also might have been because I was overwhelmed about the process.
Describe the protocols Kate Devine used in your cycles at Shady Grove Fertility and their degree of success.
I am on round one of IVF with donor sperm. My protocol includes birth control pills and IVF “shots” to include the trigger shot. I have had to increase my Vitamin D. I also elected for PGA testing. Going straight to IVF instead of IUI made the most sense for my age (42)
Describe your experience with your nurse at Shady Grove Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Shiela and Kelsey )
I started with Sheila and ended up with Kelsey when Sheila left SGF. Both were very knowledgeable about the process and allowed for extra discussions about it. I’ve asked them both at different times to walk me through a notional timeline. They literally walked through each step very slowly and deliberately. I felt like I was not alone when we talk through the process. They were also very reassuring. I have appreciated working with them both
Describe your experience with Shady Grove Fertility.
SGF is huge so it is ideal to have questions prepped in advance before making a phone call or laying a visit. Some appointments move very quickly. I would say that if you need to slow them down, advocate for yourself and slow the conversation down. It’s your money, your baby and your experience!
Describe the costs associated with your care under Kate Devine at Shady Grove Fertility.
23,500 for the two round bundle deal. 5,000 for PGS testing, 5,076 for medication. Also approx 2,000 for donor sperm. This is all out of pocket for me unfortunately. No insurance coverage outside of the initial visits
Describe Kate Devine's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Shady Grove Fertility.
No comments on this actually. She mentioned preferring single and it makes sense to me.
The only other thing she [Dr. Timmereck] has done repeatedly is bring up my age. I’m 43, and it’s mentioned at EVERY SINGLE appointment I have with her. I know my age! That’s one of the reasons we are there, I don’t need constant reminders!! But overall, since that one phone call, everything has been great. Just don’t expect any unscheduled discussions with her!...don’t expect to feel like you’re her only patients. She is very kind and understanding and was supportive after our miscarriage, but Dr. Timmreck does not make it a secret that she’s extremely busy.
SGF in general is like a factory. The staff, including doctors are very kind, but the sheer volume of patients and wait times can be overwhelming...The first nurse they assigned me was horribly inexperienced, but Natalie has been wonderful. She is kind, compassionate, knowledgeable and I never feel rushed or that I am bothering her. She always responds to me in a timely manner and does exactly what she says she’ll do.
How was your experience with Lorna Timmreck at Shady Grove Fertility?
Overall, she’s been really nice, but at the beginning of our first cycle, they assigned us to a very inexperienced nurse who couldn’t even answer questions on the phone without checking with a colleague. When I called Dr. Timmreck to discuss, she tried to rush me off the phone saying, “I have patients waiting for me” as if I wasn’t a patient myself! But she did reassign us to another experienced nurse. The only other thing she has done repeatedly is bring up my age. I’m 43, and it’s mentioned at EVERY SINGLE appointment I have with her. I know my age! That’s one of the reasons we are there, I don’t need constant reminders!! But overall, since that one phone call, everything has been great. Just don’t expect any unscheduled discussions with her!
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Lorna Timmreck at Shady Grove Fertility?
Just don’t expect to feel like you’re her only patients. She is very kind and understanding and was supportive after our miscarriage, but Dr. Timmreck does not make it a secret that she’s extremely busy.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Lorna Timmreck at Shady Grove Fertility?
SGF in general is like a factory. The staff, including doctors are very kind, but the sheer volume of patients and wait times can be overwhelming.
Describe the protocols Lorna Timmreck used in your cycles at Shady Grove Fertility and their degree of success.
First cycle: I don’t remember the dosages, but we did BCP for 2.5 weeks, then Gonal-f and Menopur injections for 14 days, at some point, they added in cetrotide injections, but I don’t remember exactly when. I did a Lupron trigger shot, then egg retrieval and 5 day transfer
Second cycle: we had the Gonal-f and Menopur injections with the added cetrotide again, I don’t remember the dosages, but I do remember that this time it went on for 16 days. Lupron trigger and then egg retrieval. No eggs fertilized in this cycle, so no transfer occurred :(
Third cycle in progress: we are on day 7 of Gonal-f and Menopur injections. They increased the Gonal dosage so we hopefully can trigger earlier this time.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Shady Grove Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Natalie Eaton)
The first nurse they assigned me was horribly inexperienced, but Natalie has been wonderful. She is kind, compassionate, knowledgeable and I never feel rushed or that I am bothering her. She always responds to me in a timely manner and does exactly what she says she’ll do.
Describe your experience with Shady Grove Fertility.
This clinic is like a factory. The plus side: they have the system down pat, so you know exactly what to expect and can learn how to work the system to your advantage.
The down side: it is EXTREMELY busy ALL THE TIME. They only have 2 blood draw chairs and 3 ultrasound rooms, so you could make an appointment for monitoring at 7:30am and not be seen until 9:00 or later. They do have several other locations in the area, so you can go to any of those locations to be seen if more convenient. But they are all just as busy!
Describe the costs associated with your care under Lorna Timmreck at Shady Grove Fertility.
They have a multi-cycle discount of $18,500 for 2 cycles. This not include the medications which can be another $5,000-7,000 per cycle.
Describe Lorna Timmreck's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Shady Grove Fertility.
They did tell me that they would only transfer 2 embryos at a time. We only had 2 that were mature enough to transfer anyway, so it was fine.
What specific things went wrong at Shady Grove Fertility?
Failed to convey critical information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Shady Grove Fertility.
It was only the first inexperienced nurse we had that provided incorrect information about my husband’s fertility issue. She almost caused us to give up entirely until we requested a new nurse and a second opinion.
Although I have yet to have success, I have been very happy with my experiences so far in Dr. Jason Bromer’s care. ... The very first statement Dr. Bromer made at our initial consultation was “Ok, I’ve reviewed all your previous records, but I want to hear it from you. What have you been through, how has this process been for you?” ...
Shady Grove Fertility has been phenomenal. Office visits are very efficient and I’ve been able to get out in a timely fashion and get back to work. All of the staff is so kind and wonderful. They have hours daily, even on the weekends. They also have an on call service for after regular hours which helps when you have questions or concerns.
How was your experience with Jason Bromer at Shady Grove Fertility?
Although I have yet to have success, I have been very happy with my experiences so far in Dr. Jason Bromer’s care. He listened to our wants and needs and I feel like he looked at us as people and not just numbers. I just got my results after our first IVF cycle yesterday and he was so compassionate on the phone. He was patient and answered every question I had. I felt like he truly felt the grief with us. I have all the faith in him that we will be successful
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Jason Bromer at Shady Grove Fertility?
Trust in him and in the process.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Jason Bromer at Shady Grove Fertility?
The very first statement Dr. Bromer made at our initial consultation was “Ok, I’ve reviewed all your previous records, but I want to hear it from you. What have you been through, how has this process been for you?” That was the first time I had a doctor ask me that. And not immediately look at my age and just shrug me and my husband off and say “oh you’ve got plenty of time!”
Describe the protocols Jason Bromer used in your cycles at Shady Grove Fertility and their degree of success.
I was started on Menopur 75 IU and Gonal F 150 IU as my stimulation drugs. I also took Cetrotide. Lupron was my trigger drug prior to egg retrieval. I was stimulating really quickly so my doses were lowered part way through the stimulation process. I ended up with 19 follicles, 9 eggs, and 5 embryos. Unfortunately only one of my embryos made it to Blastocyst stage. It was transferred on day 5. We were unsuccessful. We plan to initiate another cycle soon.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Shady Grove Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Jamie Dean)
Jamie has been fantastic through this process. She has returned messages in a timely manner, has been very compassionate, and has tried to help us as much as possible in this journey. She even made sure to call at times that worked with our work schedules so my husband and I could get results together.
Describe your experience with Shady Grove Fertility.
Shady Grove Fertility has been phenomenal. Office visits are very efficient and I’ve been able to get out in a timely fashion and get back to work. All of the staff is so kind and wonderful. They have hours daily, even on the weekends. They also have an on call service for after regular hours which helps when you have questions or concerns.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Jason Bromer at Shady Grove Fertility.
I felt that our treatment was pretty cost effective compared to other facilities that I have heard about. For our first IVF cycle it was about $7,500
We started seeing Dr Bromer after a failed cycle at a different clinic. He changed up the stimulation medication and along the way, changed and edited the dosage as needed. He is always monitoring and adjusting as he sees fit which is very appreciated. He also suggested PGS testing and an ERA assessment...He really looks into everything and is extremely thorough. He self reports that he has been through IVF so he understands the emotional component from personal experience...
Shady Grove Fertility is a big clinic. The Frederick office that we go to is smaller and super personable. Very friendly and warm staff all the way around. The main lab is located in Rockville and I think due to its size is a bit more formal and less personable...Shady Grove has a Shared Risk Program that some are eligible for. You pay a certain amount for 6 cycles. If you do not take home a baby (either due to the 6 cycles not working or your inability to continue for whatever reason) you are able to get a 100% refund. This does not include medication.
How was your experience with Jason Bromer at Shady Grove Fertility?
Dr Bromer gives you faith. He really looks into everything and is extremely thorough. He self reports that he has been through IVF so he understands the emotional component from personal experience. He gives us confidence that things will eventually work out.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Jason Bromer at Shady Grove Fertility?
As long as you do your own research and have questions to ask, he will always find and give an answer.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Jason Bromer at Shady Grove Fertility?
You can tell that Dr Bromer cares. He follows up, makes sure you are doing ok, checks in on you, explains everything so well and does his research specific to you and your situation.
Describe the protocols Jason Bromer used in your cycles at Shady Grove Fertility and their degree of success.
We started seeing Dr Bromer after a failed cycle at a different clinic. He changed up the stimulation medication and along the way, changed and edited the dosage as needed. He is always monitoring and adjusting as he sees fit which is very appreciated. He also suggested PGS testing and an ERA assessment.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Shady Grove Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Toni Benjamin )
Our nurse(s) honestly feel like family. They smile with you, cry with you, cheer you on and are constantly checking in and updating you - sometimes “just because.” They respond same day (if not same hour) and are just the very best!
Describe your experience with Shady Grove Fertility.
Shady Grove Fertility is a big clinic. The Frederick office that we go to is smaller and super personable. Very friendly and warm staff all the way around. The main lab is located in Rockville and I think due to its size is a bit more formal and less personable.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Jason Bromer at Shady Grove Fertility.
Shady Grove has a Shared Risk Program that some are eligible for. You pay a certain amount for 6 cycles. If you do not take home a baby (either due to the 6 cycles not working or your inability to continue for whatever reason) you are able to get a 100% refund. This does not include medication.
As we transitioned from iui to ivf to reciprocal ivf we got to know him [Dr. Jospeh Doyle] more. He tries to do our procedures when possible. Says hi and comments on our cycle when we see him in the hallway.... Natural iui, 3 cycles. Medicated iui with clomid 3 cycles upping dose each time. 1 iui with clomid and gonal f. One ivf microdose lupron, had 6 embryos, but nothing made it to blast. 2nd ivf did estrogen priming. Had 16 eggs retrieved nothing made it to blastocyst, but transferred 2 that were almost blastocysts. 3rd ivf did lupron stop protocol. Had best response yet. 18 eggs retrieved. 2 made it to blastocyst. Had freeze all due to higher prpgesterone. Switched to reciprocal ivf. First retrieval for my wife was estrogen priming. Had 8 eggs retrieved. 3 fertilized and 3 made it to blastocyst. Preparing for my wife’s second retrieval in the coming months. Planning lupron stop.
It [Shady Grove Fertility- Rockville] is a large clinic. Sometimes it feels like a factory, however the staff knows you and interacts with you pn a human level. No one talks in the waiting room. The medical assistants are very personable. The nurse practitioners in monitoring are great.... Effie is a wonderful nurse and great communicator. We started with her on our 9th cycle of treatment. Our first nurse was Alana. Her comminication was lacking.
How was your experience with Joseph Doyle at Shady Grove Fertility?
He is very personable and knows us as patients. He is kind and compassionate. Serious, but also has a sense of humor. We appreciate that he has done many of our procedures. He calls after procedures and after big tests like beta tests.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Joseph Doyle at Shady Grove Fertility?
Let him know what youbare thinking. Ask for his opinion.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Joseph Doyle at Shady Grove Fertility?
Felt like numbers in the beginning. As we transitioned from iui to ivf to reciprocal ivf we got to know him more. He tries to do our procedures when possible. Says hi and comments on our cycle when we see him in the hallway. He really treats us as humans.
Describe the protocols Joseph Doyle used in your cycles at Shady Grove Fertility and their degree of success.
Natural iui, 3 cycles. Medicated iui with clomid 3 cycles upping dose each time. 1 iui with clomid and gonal f. One ivf microdose lupron, had 6 embryos, but nothing made it to blast. 2nd ivf did estrogen priming. Had 16 eggs retrieved nothing made it to blastocyst, but transferred 2 that were almost blastocysts. 3rd ivf did lupron stop protocol. Had best response yet. 18 eggs retrieved. 2 made it to blastocyst. Had freeze all due to higher prpgesterone. Switched to reciprocal ivf. First retrieval for my wife was estrogen priming. Had 8 eggs retrieved. 3 fertilized and 3 made it to blastocyst. Preparing for my wife’s second retrieval in the coming months. Planning lupron stop.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Shady Grove Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Efrat “Effie” Inbar)
Effie is a wonderful nurse and great communicator. We started with her on our 9th cycle of treatment. Our first nurse was Alana. Her comminication was lacking.
Describe your experience with Shady Grove Fertility.
It is a large clinic. Sometimes it feels like a factory, however the staff knows you and interacts with you pn a human level. No one talks in the waiting room. The medical assistants are very personable. The nurse practitioners in monitoring are great.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Joseph Doyle at Shady Grove Fertility.
$50,000
Describe Joseph Doyle's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Shady Grove Fertility.
He discussed eset in the beginning. After nothing made it to blast in first and second cycles transferred 2 in 2nd and 3rd cycles-because they weren’t blasts on 2nd and because I was 38 for the 3rd cycle.
What specific things went wrong at Shady Grove Fertility?
Despite having a very busy practice and being its medical director, Dr. Levens frequently goes the extra mile to answer detailed and numerous questions, calling ahead of and after treatments, and being available to do procedures himself whenever possible. He listens carefully and attentively so I have never felt rushed during consults or even with middle-of-the-hallway questions during monitoring. Dr. Levens encourages patients to be engaged in their care and always invites follow-up inquiries as needed...he has a terrific bedside manner. Infertility treatments can make male partners feel marginalized yet Dr. Levens' attitude and soft-spoken nature are very approachable to men as well and he puts them at ease.
I liked the flexibility of being able to go to any of [Shady Grove Fertility's] numerous locations (even in several states) as medical records are linked. Overall, getting an appointment is easy especially for monitoring, which can be done in different centers across town rather than needing to be at one's primary clinic every time. Having said this, I found it necessary to book a post-treatment follow-up appointments with my RE weeks out (typically at the start of a cycle) if my goal was to not miss any time due to scheduling availability. While getting a phone consult to regroup was an option, in-person consults had to be scheduled further out. Even though one has to medically qualify, SG's programs such as Shared Risk allow for a certain sense of security to the stress of many unknowns associated with IVF cycles.
How was your experience with Eric Levens at Shady Grove Fertility?
From the first time I met Dr. Levens, it was very clear that he makes a personal investment in the care and well-being of his patients. I tend to have a lot of intricate questions and he regularly engages in answering these in sufficient detail. While Dr. Levens has a game plan with treatments, he is open to patients' input and, if so desired, will discuss the pros/cons of what one might have found in researching the latest protocols or merits of various options. I have recommended Dr. Levens to numerous friends and acquaintances as he has a terrific bedside manner. Infertility treatments can make male partners feel marginalized yet Dr. Levens' attitude and soft-spoken nature are very approachable to men as well and he puts them at ease. Although this stage of the relationship deepened with IVF (and was less so during the TI/IUI phase of my treatment), Dr. Levens frequently calls ahead of procedures if he isn't the one on-call that day and even after to offer support/encouragement. As the complexity of my clinical situation expanded, Dr. Levens' personal attention to my case increased and he communicated updates to me much more often rather than relying on the nursing staff. When one egg retrieval went particularly awry, he updated me regularly on what was going on. It was clear that Dr. Levens was as interested in the outcome of my medical care as my husband and I--further, he even commented on how personally took this clinical setback so Dr. Levens is definitely in the trenches with his patients. Through my several years as his patient, I particularly appreciated how Dr. Levens sought to keep as many options open for his patients as possible (e.g., endometrial prep for a fresh transfer just in case we decide to go for this option on day 5 vs do a freeze-all, go/no go options on PGS testing, etc.). The language a person chooses to use can say a lot about one's true take on a situation and Dr. Levens speaks of 'we' vs 'you' as in 'we are in this together' and that shows up in every aspect of the care I received to date--infertility really is a team sport.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Eric Levens at Shady Grove Fertility?
Although he has a very caring nature, Dr. Levens tends to have a more pessimistic/realistic view of the situation so be mindful of this. For instance, Dr. Levens regularly subtracts 10% from assorted success statistics I've seen (e.g., chance of implantation, odds of pregnancy from procedure, etc.) so consider this when hearing both good news (it's likely better) or bad news (it might not be as bleak). Dr. Levens is also really approachable so do take him up on the offer of reaching out with questions in between consults and/or during monitoring as he will make time to speak with you. As with any infertility treatment, be your own advocate.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Eric Levens at Shady Grove Fertility?
Despite having a very busy practice and being its medical director, Dr. Levens frequently goes the extra mile to answer detailed and numerous questions, calling ahead of and after treatments, and being available to do procedures himself whenever possible. He listens carefully and attentively so I have never felt rushed during consults or even with middle-of-the-hallway questions during monitoring. Dr. Levens encourages patients to be engaged in their care and always invites follow-up inquiries as needed.
Describe the protocols Eric Levens used in your cycles at Shady Grove Fertility and their degree of success.
I did 2 medicated timed intercourse cycles with Clomid, an IUI with Clomid and supplemented with Gonal-F, 2 non-consecutive IUIs with Gonal-F, an antagonist IVF (Gonal-F and Menopur with Cetrotide followed by HCG trigger), an agonist IVF (Lupron, Gonal-F, and Menopur with HCG trigger), an antagonist IVF with a dual trigger (Gonal-F and Menopur with Cetrotide followed by HCG and Lupron triggers), and 2 estrogen priming antagonist cycles (i.e., estrogen is used to prime follicles mid-luteal phase ahead of a stim cycle the following month). After 5 IVF stim cycles, I finally got pregnant from my 2nd estrogen priming cycle. During this time and ahead of the FET, I also used CoQ10/ubiquinol (~6 months), acai berry (~2 months), and acupuncture (~5 weeks ahead of transfer). For the FET, I was on PIO, vaginal Estrace, low-dose aspirin, and Lovenox. In terms of rationale for stim protocols, we were working on reaching greater levels of egg maturation by various mechanisms in hopes of making more embryos. My last cycle yielded 2 AA blasts (a personal record) of which 1 became my daughter.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Shady Grove Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Layluma and Chelsea)
I've been in treatment for so long that managed to have 2 nurses. Layluma was fantastic--very sweet and caring--both as my primary nurse (for TIs and IUIs) then we kept in touch upon her promotion to leading the surgical team. Chelsea took over as my primary nurse thereafter and has been great about answering my many questions promptly and patiently. During a particularly stressful time during my doctor's rare day off, she even went the extra mile of getting timely guidance on protocol modifications from an RE late on a Friday afternoon. As a testament to her approach to patient care, I decided to stay with Chelsea even after she switched to another office. Since most of your clinical relationship is with the nurses, I was fortunate to have had a positive experience with a responsive team.
Describe your experience with Shady Grove Fertility.
Shady Grove's (SG) strength is in its reputation and size as apparently the biggest fertility clinic in the nation. With experienced REs across multiple centers, the within network expertise is available to guide treatment plans in difficult cases. I liked the flexibility of being able to go to any of its numerous locations (even in several states) as medical records are linked. Overall, getting an appointment is easy especially for monitoring, which can be done in different centers across town rather than needing to be at one's primary clinic every time. Having said this, I found it necessary to book a post-treatment follow-up appointments with my RE weeks out (typically at the start of a cycle) if my goal was to not miss any time due to scheduling availability. While getting a phone consult to regroup was an option, in-person consults had to be scheduled further out. Even though one has to medically qualify, SG's programs such as Shared Risk allow for a certain sense of security to the stress of many unknowns associated with IVF cycles. While I haven't used SG's Shared Risk program, either party (clinic or patient) can choose to withdraw at any time in which case the patient receives a full refund. Although I learned of this too late to fully benefit when first seeking care, SG provides a free consultation for would-be patients who attend a free seminar. This is a terrific idea since some insurance companies make women jump through multiple hoops before being allowed to see a specialist yet timing of early diagnosis is so critical to improved outcomes. SG's major weakness is that patients do not see an RE at every appointment (far from it) and unless one really tries, it's possible--likely even--to have very little interaction with the clinician overseeing your medical care. I had to specifically work on getting attention from my RE between consults since SG is nurse-centric-in patient care, which is admittedly to a detriment relative to competing clinics. For instance, I had to actually ask to receive attention from my RE between consults via call-backs by request through my nurse or run-by Q&A during monitoring if we happened to intersect (his idea & willingness, by the way, for mid-hallway dialogue). Admittedly, my RE was quite open to grant the extra time and even came in purposefully early on numerous occasions to do my egg retrievals himself. Were it not for my RE taking an interest in seeing me succeed in having a baby, I would have left SG for one of the several competing clinics offering more ready access to its REs. I further think that much can be missed by having REs only analyze images rather than being there to see results firsthand and would urge SG to restructure its practice towards a greater fraction of direct patient care.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Eric Levens at Shady Grove Fertility.
I am fortunate enough to have had insurance coverage for infertility treatments. With BCBS for IVF, my costs were usually $5k-$7k for medications, and $2.5k+ for procedures. Via this insurance, patients could bank embryos up to a $25k ART procedure max and $15k medications max (medications coverage was charged at a much higher rate by the pharmacy such that this sum only lasted for 0.5 of an IVF cycle). With my new insurance through Aetna, coverage of procedures and medications varied by whether met the high deductible ($2.8k for family) but then medications and procedures were a reasonable copay. After hitting the OOP max ($4.3k for family including deductible), then everything became free for the remainder of the year. However, this insurance plan has a 4 IVF cycle lifetime max and the insurer directed whether patients were covered for each procedure (e.g., no embryo banking possible). Overall, we spent $25k+ in fertility treatments and medications to have our daughter.
Describe Eric Levens's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Shady Grove Fertility.
As most REs, Dr. Levens would recommend transfer of a single blastocyst especially following PGS testing although is willing to consider multiple embryo transfers when clinically indicated (e.g., untested embryos, following past implantation failures, advanced maternal age, diminished ovarian reserve, etc.).
What specific things went wrong at Shady Grove Fertility?
Failed to order appropriate test
Provided conflicting information
Failed to convey critical information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Shady Grove Fertility.
While overall treatment plans ran smoothly, there were a few instances with room for improvement. The front desk staff didn't always have accurate information on which RE was scheduled to do a particular procedure even a day or two out. As a planner, this kind of information was important to me especially since infertility is a process where patients have so little control over anything. When my RE ordered the use of a dual trigger protocol, I received conflicting instructions from the weekend nursing staff of when the two triggers needed to be done relative to each other and the dosing. Although this got resolved because the day of trigger ultimately fell on a school night, if I were not the type of patient to self-advocate and seek out answers then that cycle may have been jeopardized. For one of my embryo transfers, I did not get notification ahead of the procedure how many embryos survived or their status (e.g., morula, blastocyst, etc.) until we were already in the procedure room. The RE on-call even already prepared paperwork with her plan before indicating to my husband and me what were our options. The RE did end up giving us some time to figure out what to do without pressure but I would have appreciated being informed the morning of about the status and grades of my embryos so that could be in a better place to make a clear-headed decision. Further, calls to inform of bad news were on a few instances saved until the end of the day or even after hours. While one has to admire the fact that my RE wanted to give difficult news himself so as to be available to provide better guidance than the nursing team, the wait was excruciating and unnecessary. A better approach would have been for a nurse or even the front desk can do an initial call or even send an email to say that the RE will call to discuss the results. Lastly, the financial department is very much hit or miss so incorrect information was provided on a few instances. For instance, I was told that PGS testing was covered for at least the biopsy; however, this ended up being denied about 9 months later by insurance. In another instance, I was given the green light to start an IVF cycle despite the fact that the financial department could not confirm whether my insurance had enough to the max coverage sum to fund another IVF cycle. Instead, I had to piece together this mystery myself and then pull out of stimming upon having started the cycle because--to the best of my understanding after many, many calls to all responsible entities--insufficient insurance coverage funds remained. Although it has been over a year, this situation still unsettles me greatly as this could have cost me the opportunity to have another child. In speaking with others, discrepancies of various kinds with SG's financial department are not a rare occurrence.