Ratings of 1 indicate that a clinic was poorly operated.
Ratings of 10 indicate that a clinic operated very well.
Scheduling
9.2
9.2
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
8.6
8.6
Billing Department
Ratings of 1 indicate an unsatisfactory billing department.
Ratings of 10 indicate an excellent billing department.
Nursing Team
9
9
Nursing Team
Ratings of 1 indicate an unsatisfactory nursing team.
Ratings of 10 indicate an excellent nursing team.
LGBTQ+ Care
10
10
LGBTQ+ Care
Ratings of 1 indicate an unsatisfactory LGBTQ+ care.
Ratings of 10 indicate an excellent LGBTQ+ care.
Attention to Detail
8.6
8.6
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.
We discussed the results of our genetic testing and our choices regarding testing potential embryos [with Dr. Lisa Hansard]...strongly advises against multiple embryo transfers as they are riskier...I often find myself overwhelmed during checkups when my measurements and next steps are called out and documented while I'm still sans pants. Dr. Hansard is friendly and knows my case but frequently I forget my questions because the appointment is quick and I feel vulnerable while undressed.
clinic [Texas Fertility Center] strongly advises against multiple embryo transfers as they are riskier...The team of doctors and nurses are very fluid and easily pick up treatment appointments when I have to see someone other than my primary. (My choice - I tend to stick to my local office instead of traveling.) The whole office had an amazing and thorough pandemic response plan that was communicated in multiple ways and places. This office has done everything they could to make sure we (patients) could continue our care. I would love if they had a patient portal where I could access my billing records, care plan, and appointments online.
How was your experience with Lisa Hansard at Texas Fertility Center?
I completely agree that Dr. Hansard is very knowledgeable and confident and I usually feel encouraged after meeting her. At the same time the efficiency doesn't leave a whole lot of room for follow up questions on your care plan.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Lisa Hansard at Texas Fertility Center?
Be prepared. Take a notebook to jot down your appt notes, next steps and questions. Infertility care is a rollercoaster; waiting to start, the slow climb up, the free fall followed by corkscrew turns. You'll appreciate the record of follicle sizes, uterine lining, etc.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Lisa Hansard at Texas Fertility Center?
I often find myself overwhelmed during checkups when my measurements and next steps are called out and documented while I'm still sans pants. Dr. Hansard is friendly and knows my case but frequently I forget my questions because the appointment is quick and I feel vulnerable while undressed.
Describe the protocols Lisa Hansard used in your cycles at Texas Fertility Center and their degree of success.
At our initial consultation Dr. Hansard reviewed my file from another doctor; I had already started some of the basic blood work and testing. She suggested a continuing the supplements I was on to assist with my egg quality and balancing my hormones and continuing with my medications. I was sent for additional bloodwork that testing my FSH, AMH, Estradiol, and LH to give a more complete picture of my ovarian reserve. Then I was sent for an xray that would look at my uterus and fallopian tubes to rule out any mechanical issues. My other half was sent for a sperm analysis that ruled out any male factor infertility.
We started out with 3 IUI's with 5 mg of Femara on CD3-CD7. While waiting for our next steps consultation we asked for a 4th IUI that had the same as the previous 3.
Each of those cycles resulted in 3-4 total follicles with at least 1 if not 2 dominant follicles; unfortunately no pregnancies.
During our IVF consultation Dr. Hansard gave us an overview of how I would be on BCP, then follicle stimulating hormones, a ovulation inducing medication, followed by retrieval and then a frozen embryo transfer. We discussed the results of our genetic testing and our choices regarding testing potential embryos.
We thought it was a very good plan but honestly, COVID changed the landscape of our finances and we opted for an additional IUI with follistm injections & an ovidrel trigger. We had better success; my lead follicle was much larger earlier in my cycle - ultimately it was a chemical pregnancy.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Texas Fertility Center. (Assigned nurse: Lisa)
The staff there is work great together. They communicate with each other and respond to my calls/voicemails on the same day. Convenient appointments have been fairly easy for me to come by.
Describe your experience with Texas Fertility Center.
The team of doctors and nurses are very fluid and easily pick up treatment appointments when I have to see someone other than my primary. (My choice - I tend to stick to my local office instead of traveling.)
The whole office had an amazing and thorough pandemic response plan that was communicated in multiple ways and places. This office has done everything they could to make sure we (patients) could continue our care.
I would love if they had a patient portal where I could access my billing records, care plan, and appointments online.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Lisa Hansard at Texas Fertility Center.
$350 New Patient Consult
$250 Baseline & check up for follicle measuring
$220 for IUI
$240 for sperm wash
$ 10ish for femara prescription
$250.00 for 300 units of follistim
$197.00 for Ovidrel
$97.00 for progesterone suppositories
Describe Lisa Hansard's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Texas Fertility Center.
My doctor and clinic strongly advises against multiple embryo transfers as they are riskier.
He [Dr. Kaylen Silverberg] describes everything to you and has a wonderful, dry sense of humor which I appreciate...I elected to hold off on my transfer because of Covid-19...[he] very rarely would transfer more than one embryo at a time...We decided to go with IVF with ICSI because it was the most aggressive treatment that would ensure fertilization of any eggs retrieved and with a DOR diagnosis... I did the [IVF] injections and had a successful egg retrieval and the number of eggs was almost exactly what was predicted based on my lab work...
[nurse of Texas Fertility Center] are there to talk you through any questions you have...They always call you back in a timely manner and do everything in their power to make sure you have what you need... I thought my insurance wouldn't cover any part of my treatment, staff said I really should run it anyway and it ended up covering my diagnosis visits, many of my labs, and most of my medications. This saved me literally thousands of dollars
How was your experience with Kaylen Silverberg at Texas Fertility Center?
Dr. Silverberg is the best doctor. He describes everything to you and has a wonderful, dry sense of humor which I appreciate. He is very candid, which I appreciate, and gives you the facts. At the same time, he obviously cares very much about being successful and doing the absolute best he can to give you the best chance to have a baby. I elected to hold off on my transfer because of Covid-19 and I was never made to feel that was a bad decision and his nurses discussed with me my options before I made the decision. I also appreciate how he is an advocate for his patients and is on the cutting edge of fertility technology. I am confident that he will help me decide what is best and do whatever he can to help me be successful in my hope to have a baby. Even if I don't successfully end up having a baby (I hope this won't be the case!), I would not regret choosing Dr. Silverberg as I know he has and will continue to provide me with the best chance to have a baby because he is a great doctor and I would choose him every time.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Kaylen Silverberg at Texas Fertility Center?
Be ready with your questions, but also don't be afraid to any any question. I asked him what I thought were probably the silliest and most ridiculous, uneducated questions I could think of and he never made me feel like I was stupid or ridiculous. Also, know that his sense of humor is very dry and matter of fact and that might feel to some people (especially those who are just starting their infertility journey) like he doesn't care. I can assure you that he cares about all of his patients and their success and it is evident in every visit you have with him or the staff. Again, I cannot say enough good things about him - I have so much respect for him as a doctor.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Kaylen Silverberg at Texas Fertility Center?
I absolutely love Dr. Silverberg and the team at Texas Fertility Center. There is always someone available to help you, they keep you informed, they are patient with you even when you ask the same questions over and over, they address your fears kindly while also being completely honest. Everyone in the office is amazing and helpful. They really care about their patients and truly want what is best for them whether you get the outcome you want or not.
Describe the protocols Kaylen Silverberg used in your cycles at Texas Fertility Center and their degree of success.
My husband and I went through a lot of lab work and testing before we were presented with our specific treatment options (it took about 3 months for everything to be done and results in). Once we got our results back, we were presented with a range of options from IUI to IVF with ICSI. He gave us the statistics of success with each option and my diagnosis. We decided to go with IVF with ICSI because it was the most aggressive treatment that would ensure fertilization of any eggs retrieved and with a DOR diagnosis, time is most assuredly, not, on my side. I immediately started the process to start the IVF injections, but had to wait for a month because of my hormone levels. I did the injections and had a successful egg retrieval and the number of eggs was almost exactly what was predicted based on my lab work.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Texas Fertility Center. (Assigned nurse: They use a team nursing approach.)
The nurses are excellent. They are there to talk you through any questions you have. They always call you back in a timely manner and do everything in their power to make sure you have what you need. They are patient and generous with their time which is really amazing because they are very busy. You spend most of your time talking with or visiting with them and they always make sure you understand and have what you need. IVF was very confusing for me at first with everything you have to remember and not wanting to make a misstep, but my stress was alleviated by the nurses always being available and ready to help me in whatever way I needed.
Describe your experience with Texas Fertility Center.
I love the clinic. The entire staff is amazing. For example, I thought my insurance wouldn't cover any part of my treatment and the staff said I really should run it anyway and it ended up covering my diagnosis visits, many of my labs, and most of my medications. This saved me literally thousands of dollars and I wouldn't have known if the staff had not made it a priority to answer my questions and look at my coverage. I always enjoy the check out process - it's easy and everyone is helpful. The waiting room was rarely crowded and I never had to wait long for my appointments and often got seen early - this isn't always the case, but it was for me which I appreciated because I had to drive 2 hours to each appointment. The only problem I ever had was parking because of construction and limited spaces so you might want to make sure you get there early or have someone to drop you off while they find a space.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Kaylen Silverberg at Texas Fertility Center.
It varied based on what insurance covered, different labs, how many appointments I had, etc. It's about on par with what I would have expected to pay without insurance.
Describe Kaylen Silverberg's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Texas Fertility Center.
I haven't completed a transfer yet, but I know Dr. Silverberg said they very, very, very rarely would transfer more than one embryo at a time, so if that is something that is important to you for any reason, you need to make sure you address that at your consultation so you are not disappointed or upset at the time of transfer.
Before we begin IUI, Dr. Hansard started me (as I will be carrying) with prenatal genetic testing, an ovarian reserve assessment, and a couple other blood tests (including thyroid and CMV) to understand my baseline. She recommended expanded genetic testing once we had chosen a donor...has spent quite a bit of quality time with my wife and I, during initial consult and appointments that have followed. She's gotten to know our story and our priorities in starting our family. She's a very attentive listener, cares to make sure we understand each step, and speaks knowledgeably/directly on what the plan moving forward will be.
We are a same-sex couple, so we are relying on donor sperm and IUI [protocol at Texas Fertility Center]...[the nurse is] Efficient, warm and someone I can trust to hear back from within 24 hours. It can feel awkward divulging intimate details about ovulation or menstruation to someone you hardly know, but Rebecca makes me feel comfortable with everything, like a friend would...The office we visit is centrally located if you're in Austin. Friendly staff, easy to schedule/re-schedule. Facilities are nice. Would recommend making your appointments first thing in the morning, as they do get crowded and can tend to run behind later in the day. (Have waited 30 minutes to an hour past appointment time to be seen.)
How was your experience with Lisa Hansard at Texas Fertility Center?
Dr. Hansard, though incredibly busy, has taken her time with us as patients. That's invaluable. She prescribed a straight-forward plan for prenatal testing, and once all results were in, we had another consult to decide on "next steps." She has been up front and a clear communicator, while maintaining an incredibly warm demeanor. Trust her expertise immeasurably.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Lisa Hansard at Texas Fertility Center?
Trust her. Take notes while she's speaking. Don't be afraid to ask follow up questions. She will answer any questions you have.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Lisa Hansard at Texas Fertility Center?
Dr. Hansard has spent quite a bit of quality time with my wife and I, during initial consult and appointments that have followed. She's gotten to know our story and our priorities in starting our family. She's a very attentive listener, cares to make sure we understand each step, and speaks knowledgeably/directly on what the plan moving forward will be.
Describe the protocols Lisa Hansard used in your cycles at Texas Fertility Center and their degree of success.
We are a same-sex couple, so we are relying on donor sperm and IUI. Before we begin IUI, Dr. Hansard started me (as I will be carrying) with prenatal genetic testing, an ovarian reserve assessment, and a couple other blood tests (including thyroid and CMV) to understand my baseline. She recommended expanded genetic testing once we had chosen a donor. We plan to begin our first round of IUI in a couple months, so we don't have results as of right now.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Texas Fertility Center. (Assigned nurse: Rebecca)
Rebecca has been one highlight of my care with Dr. Hansard. An incredibly prompt communicator. Will often leave voicemails, then follow up with an email to better outline instructions or next steps. Efficient, warm and someone I can trust to hear back from within 24 hours. It can feel awkward divulging intimate details about ovulation or menstruation to someone you hardly know, but Rebecca makes me feel comfortable with everything, like a friend would.
Describe your experience with Texas Fertility Center.
TFC is fantastic. The office we visit is centrally located if you're in Austin. Friendly staff, easy to schedule/re-schedule. Facilities are nice. Would recommend making your appointments first thing in the morning, as they do get crowded and can tend to run behind later in the day. (Have waited 30 minutes to an hour past appointment time to be seen.)
Describe the costs associated with your care under Lisa Hansard at Texas Fertility Center.
To this point, my insurance coverage has been solid. I've paid out of pocket for each visit/consult ($40). Each lab visit for blood work has been approximately $25, and I've been three times. HSG was only partially covered, so I owed approximately $200 (total cost $600). This does not include the cost of donor sperm ($900/vial, recommended purchasing 4 vials).
Describe Lisa Hansard's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Texas Fertility Center.
Dr. Hansard provided information and answered questions without rushing you through things. She went through steps to figure out why I wasn't able to get pregnant unlike my OB/GYN who told me to keep trying after two miscarriages. For surgery to remove a fibroid, she identified Stage 4 endo, removed it, and answered questions about it afterwards with a plan for my best chances...recommending evidence-based approaches to issues.
The post-surgery information from the clinic [Texas Fertility Center] was lacking in terms of what activities I could or could not participate in and that I needed to take post-surgery drugs at the same time every day. I was also prescribed the wrong hcg dosage shot by the nurse vs. the doctor...Egg retrieval including ICSI and PGS testing initially cost over $16,000 but the Ovation lab refunds you what doesn't occur (e.g. didn't get eggs to freeze, had less eggs for ICSI)
How was your experience with Lisa Hansard at Texas Fertility Center?
Dr. Hansard provided information and answered questions without rushing you through things. She went through steps to figure out why I wasn't able to get pregnant unlike my OB/GYN who told me to keep trying after two miscarriages. For surgery to remove a fibroid, she identified Stage 4 endo, removed it, and answered questions about it afterwards with a plan for my best chances.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Lisa Hansard at Texas Fertility Center?
Although some of the advice may seem contrary to what you read online, she's recommending evidence-based approaches to issues.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Lisa Hansard at Texas Fertility Center?
Dr. Hansard allowed time for questions, was hopeful for the process, and when the first egg retrieval failed, explained in detail what might have gone wrong.
Describe the protocols Lisa Hansard used in your cycles at Texas Fertility Center and their degree of success.
After surgery for removal of fibroids and stage 4 endo, she recommended to try naturally for one month, 3 IUIs, and moving on to IVF. This was based on the expectation of my endo growing back and if I didn't get pregnant right after surgery, to move on to more aggressive approaches. For my first IUI, I was on clomid but it seemed to thin my uterine lining too much so I was on femara for my last two IUIs. I had my AMH tested by a previous OB/GYN a year and a half before egg retrieval so Dr. Hansard didn't test me again. I responded poorly to the antagonist plan where my eggs were not growing quickly while doing the shots. She increased my dosage to grow more eggs but their growth slowed so that 8 eggs were retrieved, but only 3 were mature. The three fertilized but did not make it to blastocyst. She finally did the full 3 day bloodwork and found my AMH had drastically dropped from over 3 to under 1 in less than 2 years (from age 35 to 37). She put me on Coq10 and DHEA for 3 months to increase egg quality and plans to increase my dosage for the next egg retrieval.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Texas Fertility Center. (Assigned nurse: Michelle Hegtvedt)
Michelle served as the IVF coordinator and was responsive to questions. I was under a previous nurse who left who was also responsive.
Describe your experience with Texas Fertility Center.
The clinic has availability on the weekends to account for IUI and IVF timing although it's only one doctor available on weekends. The clinic has an ultrasound machine in every room so that there isn't a wait for one room. The biggest weakness is that everything is tracked on paper or phone - there is no EHR, no patient portal, no online appointments, no text reminders. You often have to call and leave a message resulting in frequent phone tag. The initial consultation took place six weeks after scheduling while regular appointments have more availability.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Lisa Hansard at Texas Fertility Center.
Each IUI (2 ultrasounds, sperm wash, IUI) costs over $900. Egg retrieval including ICSI and PGS testing initially cost over $16,000 but the Ovation lab refunds you what doesn't occur (e.g. didn't get eggs to freeze, had less eggs for ICSI) and varies if you need additional ultrasounds from the clinic at $200 each. Each frozen embryo transfer is over $3000. Depending on the type of visit, some of the consultations were charged at $200 each.
Describe Lisa Hansard's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Texas Fertility Center.
The clinic provides an IVF orientation where they emphasized that SART recommends a single embryo transfer from frozen. Although I would prefer to transfer more, Dr. Hansard emphasized that the research doesn't show improved chances when there are additional risks with multiple embryo transfer.
What specific things went wrong at Texas Fertility Center?
Failed to call with results
Provided conflicting information
Failed to convey critical information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Texas Fertility Center.
The post-surgery information from the clinic was lacking in terms of what activities I could or could not participate in and that I needed to take post-surgery drugs at the same time every day. I was also prescribed the wrong hcg dosage shot by the nurse vs. the doctor.
I tried to ask her [Dr. Hansard] to explain the results to me, and she said to contact her nurse...I ultimately had to do my own research online. This was the first of many bad experiences with Dr. Hansard...frequently provided me with contradictory information about my treatment plan, and then totally reversed course at the very last minute because either she or her nurse misread an email I'd written about my health history...a few days before my egg retrieval surgery, the nurses called to tell me that Dr. Hansard had decided to go on a last-minute vacation.
a few days before my egg retrieval surgery, the nurses [at Texas Fertility Center] called to tell me that Dr. Hansard had decided to go on a last-minute vacation. The doctor that performed my surgery, Natalie Burger, was much kinder and actually came back to the outpatient facility after I learned that my surgery had essentially failed (four eggs when we'd expected at least eight...) and took time to answer my questions and explain things to me, something Dr. Hansard never did.
How was your experience with Lisa Hansard at Texas Fertility Center?
Dr. Hansard may be a good fit for patients who want a doctor to take complete charge and not have to think about the course of treatment they're on. If you're a patient who needs to ask questions and actively participate in your health decisions, however, I strongly advise against Dr. Hansard.
First, she presents some medical information as absolute certainty when it isn't. For example, while she was emphatic that a hormonal IUD would absolutely not impact egg retrieval outcome, numerous studies (and also my ob-gyn) say the research is more mixed. I didn't learn this until it was too late for me to remove my IUD; I would have much preferred to make an informed decision based on a more nuanced presentation of the information.
Second, she reacts extremely defensively and unprofessionally to even the smallest questions about treatment. For example, she told me that the hormone-stimulating medications she'd placed me on would not exacerbate my endometriosis. I asked "are you sure?" (really, that's all I said) and she responded very angrily that she "did not go to twelve years of medical school to not be sure," and that she took this question to mean that I was "challenging her education level." (Later, I received a second opinion on this question from a leading endometriosis/fertility doctor in Houston, who said that the meds Dr. Hansard had given me could, in fact, make endometriosis worse.) Before I chose Dr. Hansard as my doctor, I wrote her to say that I was a patient who needed to ask questions and do my own research as a way of coping with my health anxiety and because of my career background as a journalist/researcher. During the confrontation I just described, I reminded her of this email--I'd been very upfront about my needs as a patient, and had tried to make sure we'd be a good fit. She responded: "well, there are questions and then there are questions."
She and her staff frequently provided me with contradictory information about my treatment plan, and then totally reversed course at the very last minute because either she or her nurse misread an email I'd written about my health history: The day before I was to start my birth control pills - after months of Dr. Hansard telling me that I didn't need to monitor my ovulation cycle - her nurse asked me if I had a family history of blood clots (something, of course, that they could have asked when they were developing my treatment plan). I told the nurse that my father had had a blood clot in his leg, but that I wasn't sure if it constituted a history or not and that I would check. He said his blood clot was injury-related, and didn't constitute a family history (he's a neurologist, so would know). I wrote the nurse this exact information the very next morning. Dr. Hansard changed the treatment plan anyways.... and suddenly it was a course of treatment that DID depend on my ovulation cycle, and that we were basically just guessing on. On my last visit with Dr. Hansard, during the fight I mentioned above, I told her that the treatment reversal had really shaken me up .She responded that she'd changed course because of my family's history of blood clots. I reminded her of my emails to the nurse. She looked back through my chart, seeming to read the emails, and then - instead of apologizing - said, "you should never bring up a family history of blood clots if you don't have one." Somehow, she managed to blame me for a misread email.
Ultimately, a few days before my egg retrieval surgery, the nurses called to tell me that Dr. Hansard had decided to go on a last-minute vacation. The doctor that performed my surgery, Natalie Burger, was much kinder and actually came back to the outpatient facility after I learned that my surgery had essentially failed (four eggs when we'd expected at least eight...) and took time to answer my questions and explain things to me, something Dr. Hansard never did.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Lisa Hansard at Texas Fertility Center?
A lot of ob-gyns say she's the best in town.... there are other good fertility doctors in Austin and other parts of the country, though, so I would pay serious attention to your instincts and go with someone else if you're not getting a good vibe from her, and know that you need a doctor who will really talk through things with you and field your questions without taking offense.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Lisa Hansard at Texas Fertility Center?
During our first consultation, when Dr. Hansard was doing my ultrasound, she rattled off words and numbers to the nurse and never spoke to me directly. She then told me to get dressed and left the room. I assumed she would come back to tell me what everything meant, but she never did. At checkout, I tried to ask her to explain the results to me, and she said to contact her nurse. I then had to call and email the nurse a bunch of times to even learn what was on my ultrasound. Forget getting an explanation of what those numbers meant as far as fertility / egg retrieval outcome goes... I guess the nurse didn't want to scare me? I ultimately had to do my own research online. This was the first of many bad experiences with Dr. Hansard. I wish I'd listened to my instincts and gone to a different doctor, but my ob-gyn told me she was the best in town.
Describe the protocols Lisa Hansard used in your cycles at Texas Fertility Center and their degree of success.
I don't remember, unfortunately. It's been 18 months.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Texas Fertility Center.
The nurse didn't seem to understand the procedure I was undergoing, and was very cagey with me about what my test results meant. It felt like I had to play investigative reporter to get clear responses from her. While the buck ultimately stops with the physician, it may also be the case that the nurse misrepresented my medical history to Dr. Hansard, resulting in the last-minute change in medications/procedure. I ultimately asked to change nurses, and was given a nurse who was much more knowledgeable / a better communicator. I'm sorry I don't remember their names.
Describe your experience with Texas Fertility Center.
They seem to have a fairly streamlined, efficient process. They're clearly a well-run clinic on the business/paperwork side of things. Doesn't make up for poor medical care, of course. Egg retrieval + storage cost ~ $15,000.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Lisa Hansard at Texas Fertility Center.
Roughly $11,000 for egg retrieval treatment + $4000 for first few years of storage.
What specific things went wrong at Texas Fertility Center?
Failed to call with results
Provided conflicting information
Failed to convey critical information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Texas Fertility Center.
Decided to move on to IVF with ICSI and PGS testing [with Dr. Kaylen Silverberg] because of our limited supply of donor sperm...We see him most visits, of course weekends are hit or miss and I think one time he was away at a conference, but otherwise, we are always booked with him. When we do see another doctor or have a question after hours, they always check with him on how he wants to proceed so that they are acting on his behalf. I feel like all of the doctors at this clinic are that way.
She [nurse at Texas Fertility Center] went through IUI with us and the clinic lets you continue into IVF with your same nurse...Lovely clinic with 2 huge and very relaxing saltwater aquariums...Always greeted by name in the clinic. Nurse phone calls, including after hours, knew who we were...Definitely schedule your consultation a month or 2 in advance to get on the books (not that it necessarily takes that long but to get a time/day that you want). Great working partners with Ovation Fertility and Austin Anesthesiology - all went smoothly and there was great communication there as well.
How was your experience with Kaylen Silverberg at Texas Fertility Center?
After our initial consultation, we weren't quite sure what to think of Dr. Silverberg. Very factual, extremely knowledgeable and blunt. Didn't seem to have much of a bedside manner. When we returned and began treatment and spent more time with him, we fell madly for him. He is one of the funniest docs around! And great bedside manner. His humor is very dry so he may not be for everyone but he is a great doctor! Everytime we mention who we see to another healthcare professional, they say "oh, he's the best in town!" which is very reassuring to hear! We see him most visits, of course weekends are hit or miss and I think one time he was away at a conference, but otherwise, we are always booked with him. When we do see another doctor or have a question after hours, they always check with him on how he wants to proceed so that they are acting on his behalf. I feel like all of the doctors at this clinic are that way.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Kaylen Silverberg at Texas Fertility Center?
Enjoy his dry humor!
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Kaylen Silverberg at Texas Fertility Center?
Always greeted by name in the clinic. Nurse phone calls, including after hours, knew who we were.
Describe the protocols Kaylen Silverberg used in your cycles at Texas Fertility Center and their degree of success.
IUI #1 - gonal F injectible with Ovidrel trigger shot. Negative. He gave us a choice at where we wanted to start and we chose the big one first. Would probably do it differently next time.
IUI #2a - Medications cancelled because of cyst, natural IUI. Negative
IUI #2b - Clomid. Cycle cancelled because of think uterine lining.
IUI #3 - Femara. Negative.
IUI #4 - Femara. Negative
Decided to move on to IVF with ICSI and PGS testing because of our limited supply of donor sperm.
IVF 1: - FSH/Antagonist plan with birth control pills
IVF 2 - Luteal Estrace/Clomid/FSH/Antagonist protocol. In process. Going well at day 10 of stims.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Texas Fertility Center. (Assigned nurse: Megan)
We loved Megan. She went through IUI with us and the clinic lets you continue into IVF with your same nurse. Unfortunately, Megan left before our IVF cycle and we were assigned a different nurse.
Describe your experience with Texas Fertility Center.
Lovely clinic with 2 huge and very relaxing saltwater aquariums. I love to count the baby starfish! As the leading clinic in Austin, they are very busy. Definitely schedule your consultation a month or 2 in advance to get on the books (not that it necessarily takes that long but to get a time/day that you want).
Great working partners with Ovation Fertility and Austin Anesthesiology - all went smoothly and there was great communication there as well. Nurses are quick to respond and are actually in the office later than phone hours, often answering email so you may get a response after hours. The on-call nurse (Pam) is VERY quick to respond. Check-out is easy and they always have the info needed and lab slips for the next visit all ready when you come out of the exam room.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Kaylen Silverberg at Texas Fertility Center.
Dr. Vaughn outlined the exact probabilities and led us towards the best option for our circumstances. We did not take his advice and he remained completely supportive - though in the end he was right...cares about the patient as well as the outcome they're seeking. I dealt with a lot of shame and guilt for feeling like things weren't working as they should in my body and he gently but firmly would correct me on that every time I made a small comment. He's incredible. Also, we have a healthy happy baby and are super grateful.
[Texas Fertility Center] has dedicated nurses so you get to know them well too. Given the phone tree we mostly communicated via back and forth voicemails but it all worked fine and they were timely...I very rarely had to wait a long time for my appt and that was huge given the number of visits so big fan of that. Also easy to get to off the highway. Weaknesses- parking lot can be kind of annoying if you have to park far and are late like I often was... clearly I'm stretching here clinic works just fine for me its the doctor and results I really care about.
How was your experience with Thomas Vaughn at Texas Fertility Center?
From the first visit Dr. Vaughn outlined the exact probabilities and led us towards the best option for our circumstances. We did not take his advice and he remained completely supportive - though in the end he was right about what was best and we just wasted our own time and money in the middle!
Dr.Vaughn cares about the patient as well as the outcome they're seeking. I dealt with a lot of shame and guilt for feeling like things weren't working as they should in my body and he gently but firmly would correct me on that every time I made a small comment. He's incredible.
Also, we have a healthy happy baby and are super grateful.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Thomas Vaughn at Texas Fertility Center?
Listen and really consider his advice and the statistics of each option for you.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Thomas Vaughn at Texas Fertility Center?
Caring, warm doctor with a clear passion for his work who was fully invested in the outcome we wanted, while remaining professional and managing expectations properly
Describe the protocols Thomas Vaughn used in your cycles at Texas Fertility Center and their degree of success.
I wish I remembered more specifics I'll just note for those who might be in a similar situation I do not get a period so we were dealing with a lot of complexity trying to figure out the timing of ovulation and Dr.Vaughn navigated all of that.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Texas Fertility Center.
Vaughn has dedicated nurses so you get to know them well too. Given the phone tree we mostly communicated via back and forth voicemails but it all worked fine and they were timely.
Describe your experience with Texas Fertility Center.
I very rarely had to wait a long time for my appt and that was huge given the number of visits so big fan of that. Also easy to get to off the highway.
Weaknesses- parking lot can be kind of annoying if you have to park far and are late like I often was... clearly I'm stretching here clinic works just fine for me its the doctor and results I really care about.
Describe Thomas Vaughn's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Texas Fertility Center.
He as very specific that eSET was what he considered best practice and it wasn't something he seemed open to being a choice. I didn't push here though just took him at his word as he'd been solid on so many other things.
Dr. Vaughn felt like an invested coach every step of the way...He performed my egg retrieval, hysteroscopy, ERA and transfers...He personally called with results over the weekends and stayed on the phone answering all of my questions, again never rushing me. I felt able to push back and question his decisions and he was always patient explaining why he was recommending a particular direction but ultimately respecting my perspective and decisions....
I was always impressed by Texas Fertility as a whole. They are extremely organized and I felt like I was in great hands. They’ve been around awhile for good reason and know what they are doing. On weekends they alternate which doctor is on call and I enjoyed the other doctors as well and felt they were also very capable...They [nurses] always returned calls the same day and were very organized and helpful...
How was your experience with Thomas Vaughn at Texas Fertility Center?
I was hesitant about a male fertility doctor - I want to get saying that out of the way. I went into our consult after having a miscarriage wanting the highest chance of success getting pregnant again. Dr. Vaughn supported me going straight into IVF. At every appointment he was there and he was always present in our conversations and patient with answering as many questions as I had, which was always a lot. I never felt rushed. He performed my egg retrieval, hysteroscopy, ERA and transfers. It was such a comfort to see a friendly face going into those surgeries and feeling like I was in the most capable of hands. He personally called with results over the weekends and stayed on the phone answering all of my questions, again never rushing me. I felt able to push back and question his decisions and he was always patient explaining why he was recommending a particular direction but ultimately respecting my perspective and decisions. Dr. Vaughn felt like an invested coach every step of the way. When I got pregnant and was told I no longer needed to see him I cried because I didn’t want to leave him as my doctor. Yes, he is an older gentleman. Once you get past that you’ll see how amazing and dedicated he is. I could not recommend him enough and feel so lucky we found him. I’ll always be grateful to him for helping us start our family.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Thomas Vaughn at Texas Fertility Center?
Texas Fertility was the second practice I went to. I was shocked with how established and large they were (in comparison to the small practice I met with first) how quickly they knew me by name and how personal the treatment was.
Describe the protocols Thomas Vaughn used in your cycles at Texas Fertility Center and their degree of success.
For stims we used gonal f, menopur and lupron. I did PGT-A testing, ICSI and frozen egg transfers. I did a HSG, hysteroscopy, ERA and Receptiva testing.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Texas Fertility Center. (Assigned nurse: Laura)
Laura and Kathy were amazing and true professionals. They recognized me and called me by name when I was in the office. Laura helped me find medications during the ice storm so that I wouldn’t have to delay my retrieval. They always returned calls the same day and were very organized and helpful. Pam, the on call nurse, was also wonderful and an absolute lifesaver at times.
Describe your experience with Texas Fertility Center.
I was always impressed by Texas Fertility as a whole. They are extremely organized and I felt like I was in great hands. They’ve been around awhile for good reason and know what they are doing. On weekends they alternate which doctor is on call and I enjoyed the other doctors as well and felt they were also very capable.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Thomas Vaughn at Texas Fertility Center.
I paid out of pocket - in total around $40k.
Describe Thomas Vaughn's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Texas Fertility Center.
We had PGS tested embryos, so Dr. Silverberg suggested a single embryo transfer to give the embryo the best shot...He will give it to you straight, but be open to your preferences and perspective. He explained my condition to me, gave me statistics, recommended a course of action and then let me decide...[he] always kept up with my case, got to know us personally, and made us feel like we were human, not a number.
They [Texas Fertility Center nurses] are super busy, but made sure to get back to me quickly if they sensed I was worried in an email or voicemail...Each cycle was around $10K (including PGS testing)...Strengths + Modern equipment + Calm environment Weakness - Long wait times at time - No in-house phlebotomy Overall, the clinic is not fancy, but it's nice. They focus on the medicine, not the bells and whistles as much.
How was your experience with Kaylen Silverberg at Texas Fertility Center?
Pros:
+ Very science/facts-based. Dr. Silverberg backed up his recommendations with research. I always felt like we were in good hands because he was up to date on the latest practices. Also very well networked in the IVF community and knows the cutting edge of new practices.
+ Very to the point. Some people like this, others don't. We loved it and felt that he was efficient, concise, yet thorough in all our interactions. That being said, he's also warm and funny, so you never feel like you're speaking to a cold clinician.
+ He will give it to you straight, but be open to your preferences and perspective. He explained my condition to me, gave me statistics, recommended a course of action and then let me decide. Every step of the way, he provided a recommendation but was very open with my preferences and incorporated them into the protocol.
Cons
- Dr. Silverberg is a busy man and frequently lectures all over the world. We wasn't available at all screening appointments or retrievals, but kept up with my case remotely. No protocol adjdustments were made unless he signed off on it, so his schedule didn't impact us.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Kaylen Silverberg at Texas Fertility Center?
I referred my sister to Dr. Silverberg - that's how much I trust him. Run, don't walk to TFC/Dr. Silverberg if you are thinking of getting IVF!
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Kaylen Silverberg at Texas Fertility Center?
TFC sees about 80% of the IVF cases in Austin, so they're a high volume center. That being said, Dr. Silverberg always kept up with my case, got to know us personally, and made us feel like we were human, not a number.
Describe the protocols Kaylen Silverberg used in your cycles at Texas Fertility Center and their degree of success.
I was diagnosed with low ovarian reserve, so Dr. Silverberg recommended the micro-dose lupron flare protocol. Several days of lupron leading up to the cycle. In cycle, lupron, follistim (350), and omnitrope (HGH) in the morning. Follistim (150), menopur (150), and lupron in the evening. I did 3 cycles with Dr. Silverberg and he adjusted my protocol each time.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Texas Fertility Center. (Assigned nurse: Rebecca )
Rebecca and the rest of the nursing team are AWESOME. They are super busy, but made sure to get back to me quickly if they sensed I was worried in an email or voicemail. I always felt in the loop and supported.
Describe your experience with Texas Fertility Center.
Strengths
+ Modern equipment
+ Calm environment
Weakness
- Long wait times at time
- No in-house phlebotomy
Overall, the clinic is not fancy, but it's nice. They focus on the medicine, not the bells and whistles as much.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Kaylen Silverberg at Texas Fertility Center.
Each cycle was around $10K (including PGS testing), but we had fertility insurance, so my out of pocket cost was relatively low.
Describe Kaylen Silverberg's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Texas Fertility Center.
We had PGS tested embryos, so Dr. Silverberg suggested a single embryo transfer to give the embryo the best shot.
Dr. Hansard is a data-driven person. Though she knows there's a bit of luck involved in fertility treatments, she's going to let the numbers and your body's response guide her practice...She's honest and objective without being harsh. She was non-judgmental and supportive of my decision to become a single mother by choice....
[Texas Fertility Center] founded and own Ovation, which is one of the top embryology labs in the country....The billing is extremely straight-forward and detailed. Prior to every round, I received a packet with a detailed list of anticipated exams/procedures and the cost of each...you'll work with the same nurses every time....
How was your experience with Lisa Hansard at Texas Fertility Center?
Dr. Hansard listened to what I wanted to achieve and did everything she could to make it happen. She's honest and objective without being harsh. She was non-judgmental and supportive of my decision to become a single mother by choice.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Lisa Hansard at Texas Fertility Center?
Dr. Hansard is a data-driven person. Though she knows there's a bit of luck involved in fertility treatments, she's going to let the numbers and your body's response guide her practice. She will do her absolute best to balance your desired outcome with what's a realistic outcome.
Describe the protocols Lisa Hansard used in your cycles at Texas Fertility Center and their degree of success.
Due to my age and below-average fertility numbers, Dr. Hansard recommended a high dosage. I wanted to do three rounds of embryo banking before moving to transfers. For supplements: 800mg Coq10, 25mg DHEA + 2,000iu Vitamin D. For IVF meds: 300 Follistim, 300 Menopur, Ganirelix, + HCG trigger. For first trigger, I did 5,000 and we retrieved fewer eggs than expected. For the second two rounds, she upped it to 10,000, and we retrieved the expected number or higher both times.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Texas Fertility Center. (Assigned nurse: Lisa & Jennifer)
I loved Dr. Hansard's nurse team. They returned my phone calls promptly, thoroughly answered my questions, and didn't seem rushed to get off the phone whenever we spoke.
Describe your experience with Texas Fertility Center.
Pro: It's a big clinic. They're very experienced in what they do. They founded and own Ovation, which is one of the top embryology labs in the country. If you're doing IVF, lab quality is critical. Con: It's a big clinic, and it can be easy to feel overwhelmed at first. Rest assured, you'll work with the same nurses every time.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Lisa Hansard at Texas Fertility Center.
The billing is extremely straight-forward and detailed. Prior to every round, I received a packet with a detailed list of anticipated exams/procedures and the cost of each. I knew exactly how much I would be expected to pay and when. If an exam or procedure wasn't used, then I was promptly refunded that amount.
Dr. Hansard kept appointments short and didn't seem to appreciate being asked a lot of questions. However, she figured out my issue and was always kind...She is very no-nonsense and keeps appointments short, which I struggled with some as a person who likes very warm care and to do my own research and talk everything through, but she was also compassionate.
My appointments [at Texas Fertility Center] were on time and easy to schedule once I had my first consult. The nursing and billing staff have been great to work with...I mainly communicated with one nurse, who was very nice, remembered me, and was willing to talk through harder questions with me...each sonogram would cost $224 and the sperm wash + IUI would have been $440. The estimate for IVF, frozen transfer, meds not included was about $20,000. $7,000 of that was ICSI, biopsy, and PGS.
How was your experience with Lisa Hansard at Texas Fertility Center?
When I first met with Dr. Hansard, I was thrilled by her confidence that she knew what the problem was and I wouldn't need IVF. I moved quickly into surgery, which went well, but was very freaked out when she expressed much less confidence after the surgery. However, she seemed to be right on the money, as two cycles later I was pregnant! She is very no-nonsense and keeps appointments short, which I struggled with some as a person who likes very warm care and to do my own research and talk everything through, but she was also compassionate.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Lisa Hansard at Texas Fertility Center?
Dr. Hansard kept appointments short and didn't seem to appreciate being asked a lot of questions. However, she figured out my issue and was always kind (especially during my appointments outside of the central office) and the nurse staff was great.
Describe the protocols Lisa Hansard used in your cycles at Texas Fertility Center and their degree of success.
Dr. Hansard performed surgery to correct an arcuate uterus and remove suspected (now confirmed) endo. After a natural cycle, I had one cycle with 5mg letrozole, which was successful. I had had four previous medicated cycles with an OBGYN (Clomid or letrozole + HCG shot, including one IUI) that were unsuccessful.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Texas Fertility Center.
I mainly communicated with one nurse, who was very nice, remembered me, and was willing to talk through harder questions with me (e.g. should I really do this surgery; how should I interpret my HCG numbers).
Describe your experience with Texas Fertility Center.
My appointments were on time and easy to schedule once I had my first consult. The nursing and billing staff have been great to work with. While other doctors I've talked to have said they wouldn't have recommended the surgery I had, it seems to have been effective, which makes me trust Dr. Hansard.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Lisa Hansard at Texas Fertility Center.
The surgery cost my OOP max for the year. Had I done an IUI without insurance, each sonogram would cost $224 and the sperm wash + IUI would have been $440. The estimate for IVF, frozen transfer, meds not included was about $20,000. $7,000 of that was ICSI, biopsy, and PGS.
The clinic is very busy and it took awhile to get a consult with her [Dr. Natalie Burger]....She spent time taking our medical history and explaining IVF. We didn't feel rushed during our consults and I could always call if I had a follow up questions. Our egg retrieval happened during COVID, but she worked through the crisis and maintained quality care during this procedure...She recognizes that IVF is not covered under our insurance so she always let us make the decision on what to do.
The central location [of Texas Fertility Center] was where we had most of our appointments. Once I started monitoring, it was easier to get sonogram appointments. All the clinic's staff were nice. Protocols changed daily during COVID, but they would let me know...When I would have my monitoring appointments different doctors had different options for the protocol. It made me unsure of who was right...I didn't want to mess anything up so I needed reassurance in what things I could control. They [nurses] all took notes so I didn't have to repeat myself and listened with compassion. The nursing staff was amazing!
How was your experience with Natalie Burger at Texas Fertility Center?
The clinic is very busy and it took awhile to get a consult with her. She was recommended by my OBGYN doctor. She spent time taking our medical history and explaining IVF. We didn't feel rushed during our consults and I could always call if I had a follow up questions. Our egg retrieval happened during COVID, but she worked through the crisis and maintained quality care during this procedure. She took the precautions to keep all of us safe during the procedure.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Natalie Burger at Texas Fertility Center?
She seems to care about her patients. Even if the procedure doesn't go well, she talks about additional options to create a family.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Natalie Burger at Texas Fertility Center?
We met Dr. Burger a few times for the consultation and going over our results before starting IVF. She answered all of our questions and reassured about the process. She recognizes that IVF is not covered under our insurance so she always let us make the decision on what to do. We felt encouraged with the clinic's success rates.
Describe the protocols Natalie Burger used in your cycles at Texas Fertility Center and their degree of success.
Egg retrieval. Menopur 150, Follistim 300 evening for 5 days. I believe Ganirelex in the morning for 5 days in addition to Menopur 150 and Follistim 300. The last few days Menopur decreased to 75. I think Ovidrel for the trigger shot. My body responded better than predicted for the medication.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Texas Fertility Center. (Assigned nurse: Leann, Tamara, Kathy)
I talked with all of them, but they never rushed me when I had a lot of questions or worried about cancellation. I didn't want to mess anything up so I needed reassurance in what things I could control. They all took notes so I didn't have to repeat myself and listened with compassion. The nursing staff was amazing!
Describe your experience with Texas Fertility Center.
The clinic's south location was far from my work and home. We only had to go there twice. The central location was where we had most of our appointments. Once I started monitoring, it was easier to get sonogram appointments. All the clinic's staff were nice. Protocols changed daily during COVID, but they would let me know.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Natalie Burger at Texas Fertility Center.
Ugh....NOTHING was covered through insurance. We paid for consults, diagnostic blood work, specialized tests, sonograms, medication, surgery center, lab testing, anesthetist's fees and egg retrieval. I also saw an acupuncturist 6 weeks before the procedure. Acupuncture appointments stopped because of COVID so I didn't get it before or after the egg retrieval. We paid around $18,000 but got back $6000 because we had no embryos.
Describe Natalie Burger's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Texas Fertility Center.
She highly suggests single embryo transfer because it is safest for mom and baby.
What specific things went wrong at Texas Fertility Center?
Provided conflicting information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Texas Fertility Center.
When I would have my monitoring appointments different doctors had different options for the protocol. It made me unsure of who was right.
[Dr. Silverberg] is responsive to calls and texts to his personal phone, seven days a week, and on holidays...He is very direct and blunt...his sense of humor is sarcastic...He is not a doctor that is going to paint a picture of unicorns and rainbows, but he is extremely good at what he does...He offers a 25% military discount...We used high dose protocols due to being diagnosed with DOR.
This clinic [at Texas Fertility Center] is great. They know what they are doing, they are well organized, and they have processes in place. Every detail is accounted for and the care is very personalized. There were a few appointments where the doctors would run late...The nursing staff is very well organized and responsive. I either emailed or called with questions. I received answers within a couple of hours.
How was your experience with Kaylen Silverberg at Texas Fertility Center?
If I could rate Dr. Silverberg a 1000, I would. He is an amazing physician and a great person. He has gone above and beyond our expectations and continues to exceed them. He is responsive to calls and texts to his personal phone, seven days a week, and on holidays. When my husband was facing some problems, he took the time, during his busy surgery schedule, to go out to the car (thanks, COVID), and talk with him. He is very direct and blunt, but there is a compassionate heart in there too!
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Kaylen Silverberg at Texas Fertility Center?
He is very direct and blunt. Sometimes, he uses humor to lighten the mood, and his sense of humor is sarcastic. (I tend to be similar, so I enjoyed it).
He is not a doctor that is going to paint a picture of unicorns and rainbows, but he is extremely good at what he does.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Kaylen Silverberg at Texas Fertility Center?
Dr. Silverberg takes the time to get to know his patients. In our initial consult, he asked questions, like what were our occupations, etc. Every visit I had with him, he asked what was going on in our lives, how our work was, things like that. He always presents multiple options for treatment and lets you pick what works for you. He is upfront in setting expectations, even if they aren't great. However, when you decide on a path, he is your biggest cheerleader, and with do everything he can to make you successful.
Describe the protocols Kaylen Silverberg used in your cycles at Texas Fertility Center and their degree of success.
We used high dose protocols due to being diagnosed with DOR. We started with a microdose lupron flare, and only had two follicles. We converted to an IUI. Next cycle was Clomid/Cetrotide with HGH. We retrieved two eggs, one mature, one not. The most recent cycle was MLF again but adding HGH. He retrieved three eggs.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Texas Fertility Center.
The nursing staff is very well organized and responsive. I either emailed or called with questions. I received answers within a couple of hours.
Describe your experience with Texas Fertility Center.
This clinic is great. They know what they are doing, they are well organized, and they have processes in place. Every detail is accounted for and the care is very personalized.
There were a few appointments where the doctors would run late, but this goes with the territory of fertility specialists. I never minded waiting, because when I saw the doctors, I was always given plenty of time to discuss my questions and concerns.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Kaylen Silverberg at Texas Fertility Center.
We were charged for ultrasound visits ($220 each). The surgery costs were ~$1300 to the Dr and $1300 to the surgery center. The anesthesia was $450. Lab fees were about $5k (without PGS). Drugs were about $5k through a pharmacy he partners with, which provides a slight discount to his patients.
He offers a 25% military discount, along with the lab offering a 20% military discount, which helps tremendously.
What specific things went wrong at Texas Fertility Center?
Failed to order appropriate test
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Texas Fertility Center.
They forgot to order a simple blood test. Luckily, when I went to the lab, they had the back-office number on file and were able to get it handled within about 15 mins. On my way home, the nurse called and apologized for the error, and let me know everything was fixed.
In their defense, my cycle started earlier than we all planned so it was rushed, along with the complications due to COVID (reduced staff, split shifts, etc).
I saw him [Dr. Vaughn] for IVF and so far 2 eSETs. In 2016 I had my egg retrieval and he was helpful in monitoring my progress and we got 21 eggs which turned into 9 embryos...he suggested (but didn’t push) an ERA biopsy to check my receptivity...He strongly prefers eSET at least for my age group...He sees a lot of patients, so I can’t pretend he remembered my case every time. However, he has always been warm and kind when undergoing egg retrieval, transfer, or WTF appointment. He has called multiple times per failed cycle to check in on me.
I would say for the most part the clinic [Texas Fertility Center] is pretty organized. I really wish they had a patient portal, though, because there are so many documents, tests, forms, and times when you want to communicate where it would just be nice to have a centralized location...One time a nurse mistakenly added a day to September when making my protocol calendar and a friend of mine caught it...
How was your experience with Thomas Vaughn at Texas Fertility Center?
I trust Dr Vaughn completely. He has been at this for so long and I fully trust his expertise. He can be blunt but also warm. He has talked me off the ledge more than one and told me to be kind in the way I speak about my body.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Thomas Vaughn at Texas Fertility Center?
Don’t be afraid to ask a lot of questions. And yes he has an insanely firm handshake! But it doesn’t bother me!
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Thomas Vaughn at Texas Fertility Center?
He sees a lot of patients, so I can’t pretend he remembered my case every time. However, he has always been warm and kind when undergoing egg retrieval, transfer, or WTF appointment. He has called multiple times per failed cycle to check in on me.
Describe the protocols Thomas Vaughn used in your cycles at Texas Fertility Center and their degree of success.
I saw him for IVF and so far 2 eSETs. In 2016 I had my egg retrieval and he was helpful in monitoring my progress and we got 21 eggs which turned into 9 embryos. In 2016 he transferred a frozen embryo using Crinone. That failed and he suggested (but didn’t push) an ERA biopsy to check my receptivity. The first one came back pre-receptive. He gave me the option of transferring right away with that information or of undergoing a second ERA to double check that 1 more day of crinone would work. I opted for the latter, and I came back POST-receptive which is crazy. Then, he told me we could do just half a dose of crinone even tho he had never seen that result before. I ended up getting pregnant “naturally” with my daughter right after the second ERA. Now I’m in a sibling cycle. His protocol changed and I did an eSET with a trigger shot and femara, no crinone. That didn’t work and so I asked for another biopsy.
Describe your experience with Texas Fertility Center.
I would say for the most part the clinic is pretty organized. I really wish they had a patient portal, though, because there are so many documents, tests, forms, and times when you want to communicate where it would just be nice to have a centralized location.
Describe Thomas Vaughn's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Texas Fertility Center.
He strongly prefers eSET at least for my age group
What specific things went wrong at Texas Fertility Center?
Provided conflicting information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Texas Fertility Center.
One time a nurse mistakenly added a day to September when making my protocol calendar and a friend of mine caught it.
Dr. Hansard was extremely honest about my test results, and aggressively moved forward to fix the issues with my cervix. She is very good at explaining what is happening and why, and treats you with respect...She is up to date on the latest research and honest about your chances with success. She is warm and caring, but she won't just tell you what you want to hear. This builds trust in the process...is not going to give me a plan until we have the results of my HSG.
The clinic [Texas Fertility Center] does not do blood work or HSG's on site. You have to go to a separate location for all of your blood work, Clinical Pathology Laboratories ("CPL"). This is frustrating, particularly with Austin traffic. Furthermore, CPL does not necessarily communicate the best with the software used by the clinic. Also, the HSG is done by a radiologist, so your RE doctor is not there and has to go off their report...
How was your experience with Lisa Hansard at Texas Fertility Center?
I highly recommend Dr. Hansard. She is up to date on the latest research and honest about your chances with success. She is warm and caring, but she won't just tell you what you want to hear. This builds trust in the process.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Lisa Hansard at Texas Fertility Center?
Have blood work done prior to meeting with her, and collect your medical records before you go in. This will make the process faster.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Lisa Hansard at Texas Fertility Center?
Dr. Hansard was extremely honest about my test results, and aggressively moved forward to fix the issues with my cervix. She is very good at explaining what is happening and why, and treats you with respect.
Describe the protocols Lisa Hansard used in your cycles at Texas Fertility Center and their degree of success.
I am not far along enough in the process to leave a review on this. I am still in the discovery phase. Dr. Hansard is not going to give me a plan until we have the results of my HSG.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Texas Fertility Center.
The nurses are great. You are given to a specific nursing team for your doctor. You can communicate with them by email. They are very quick to report results, and order tests if needed.
Describe your experience with Texas Fertility Center.
The clinic does not do blood work or HSG's on site. You have to go to a separate location for all of your blood work, Clinical Pathology Laboratories ("CPL"). This is frustrating, particularly with Austin traffic. Furthermore, CPL does not necessarily communicate the best with the software used by the clinic. Also, the HSG is done by a radiologist, so your RE doctor is not there and has to go off their report. The HSG is difficult to schedule, and this slows down the process. Also, if you are doing IVF, they want you to go to a presentation by one of the clinic's doctors. The presentation is attended by a bunch of other patients. It appears to be a PowerPoint presentation where you can ask a doctor from their clinic questions about the IVF process in a group setting.
Here is the exact language from the website:
"The next IVF orientation will be held at North Austin Medical Center on October 10, 2019
Light refreshments will be served starting at 6:15 PM. The presentation will start at 6:30 PM. A question and answer session will follow the presentation. One of our reproductive endocrinologists will discuss the IVF cycle. You will also hear one of our embryologists discuss the processes that occur in the embryo lab. The embryologists will show exciting videos of laboratory procedures such as ICSI, assisted hatching, and preimplantation screening."
I am sure this is not troublesome to some patients, but my husband and I found it demeaning - particularly with the amount of money being charged for IVF services. This is such a personal and heartbreaking process. Orientation? Are you kidding me? To be forced to sit through a cattle-call PowerPoint presentation with a bunch of strangers to have the IVF process explained to us so we can have a baby just seems absurd, and honestly a bit dystopian.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Lisa Hansard at Texas Fertility Center.
I am not very far along in the process, but the nurses were great at making sure my testing and preliminary surgical procedures were covered by insurance.
Describe Lisa Hansard's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Texas Fertility Center.
I don't have that information yet.
What specific things went wrong at Texas Fertility Center?
Failed to convey critical information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Texas Fertility Center.
I would say the only issue here is with the clinic, not the doctors and definitely not with Dr. Hansard, she is great. We had all of our medical records provided before our first appointment, in an effort to make our first appointment worthwhile. It became patently obvious to us that the clinic schedules all first appointments on the same day, and that you are shuffled into a prescribed system. They were not expecting to have all of our medical records and testing already, and Dr. Hansard was surprised and unprepared to receive the information (although I do not think this was her fault, they hadn't been printed out for her and put in my chart - she was expecting a normal nice to meet you appointment, not a we moved here from out of state here are all of our medical records lets move forward appointment). As soon as she realized the records were there and available, she went through them quickly and deftly. Also, after your first appointment is over (you will get a sonogram on your first appointment) your doctor is immediately sent away to his or her next appointment and you are left in a bullpen with a bunch of staff shoving information at you. My husband was so overwhelmed. We were given at least four prescriptions, told to get blood work at CPL off site, and I was told to schedule an HSG off site. There are multiple things you have to do for each specific procedure and detailed instructions on the various scripts (antibiotics for both of us for the HSG, positive LH tests before the progesterone suppositories I was immediately prescribed, boxes of testing kits with specific instructions for blood work) and the staff just kind of throws them at you and rushes you out the door. This is NOT my experience with the staff at any other appointment other than the first appointment - once you are an established patient you get assigned to a specific nursing team for your doctor, and Dr. Hansard's nursing team is amazing and very detailed oriented.
Dr. Vaughn is an amazing communicator and is truly the most experienced. He explained every avenue of treatment and the risks and benefits. He would also explain other treatment options and allow us to think on the decision. Dr. Vaughn always called my personal cell after every surgery or fertility treatment...My body responded great to gonal f and we got 23 eggs after retreval. Ultimately we froze 4 embryos and did not PGS test....
[Texas Fertility Center is] Very organized and amazing at open communication. Lovely building and many locations to choose from. Their billing policy is straight forward and there are financing options as well. I would recommend this clinic to anyone. Especially with my type A personality...[nurses are] Wonderfully organized and very open with communication and calling you back or answering emails....
How was your experience with Thomas Vaughn at Texas Fertility Center?
Dr. Vaughn is an amazing communicator and is truly the most experienced. He explained every avenue of treatment and the risks and benefits. He would also explain other treatment options and allow us to think on the decision. Dr. Vaughn always called my personal cell after every surgery or fertility treatment. He seemed to always want the best for us.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Thomas Vaughn at Texas Fertility Center?
Don’t be afraid to ask questions and he makes your experience a collaborative appointment.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Thomas Vaughn at Texas Fertility Center?
Visits felt empathetic and I could
Tell he really wanted the best for us.
Describe the protocols Thomas Vaughn used in your cycles at Texas Fertility Center and their degree of success.
Started with iui’s with Femara then after 2 failed iui’s, we moved to an iui with gonal f and trigger shot. After that, it was confirmed I ovulated 3 eggs but none took. After taking a few months off, we went through with a laparoscopy and from there he found stage zero endometriosis. He still considered us unexplained because he didn’t feel my endometriosis caused infertility. My husband checked out fine too. After that surgery we waited 2 months and then proceeded to IVF. My body responded great to gonal f and we got 23 eggs after retreval. Ultimately we froze 4 embryos and did not PGS test. Our first FET with estradiol and PIO failed. We were devastated but tried again after 2 more months. That FET worked using the same protocol and she’s now 2. We did another FET 8/2019 using the same protocol, that failed. After a normal hysteroscopy, we’re gearing up for our Hail Mary final FET #4.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Texas Fertility Center. (Assigned nurse: Laura Kuykendall )
Wonderfully organized and very open with communication and calling you back or answering emails.
Describe your experience with Texas Fertility Center.
Very organized and amazing at open communication. Lovely building and many locations to choose from. Their billing policy is straight forward and there are financing options as well. I would recommend this clinic to anyone. Especially with my type A personality.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Thomas Vaughn at Texas Fertility Center.
Cost for ultrasounds consultation fees as well as general office expenses .
He [Dr. Propst] is a warm doctor with good bedside manner, but he is very busy! As soon as he's done seeing you, he's right out the door to the next patient. ... He definitely listens and takes into consideration what you have to say. ... With that info he decided, to just go with injectables only and no femara (I started femara with my OBGYN and continued it with Dr. Propst) to hopefully maximize my chances
There's several locations [Texas Fertility Center] which is great since Austin traffic is horrible. Also, they use CPL for labs which is also convenient as they have a lot of locations. There's no online patient portal or way to email them which can be frustrating. Hopefully they will transition to that one day. Also, my insurance doesn't cover anything related to infertility so it's been a costly process. The injectable medications have been expensive, but I also haven't done any rx shopping due to time constraints with knowing what med to take and when.
How was your experience with Anthony Propst at Texas Fertility Center?
He is a warm doctor with good bedside manner, but he is very busy! As soon as he's done seeing you, he's right out the door to the next patient. Luckily he sees patients ar 2 different locations. He definitely listens and takes into consideration what you have to say. When trying to decide on how to proceed with my next treatment (I've done 2 IUIs-only 1 with injectables), I told him that this would probably be my last IUI attempt. With that info he decided, to just go with injectables only and no femara (I started femara with my OBGYN and continued it with Dr. Propst) to hopefully maximize my chances
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Anthony Propst at Texas Fertility Center?
Just go with your questions! He will answer them all. I didn't know what to ask in the beginning and I regret not doing more research before our consultation
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Anthony Propst at Texas Fertility Center?
He always came in with a smile and greeted me asking how I was doing instead of just jumping right to business
Describe the protocols Anthony Propst used in your cycles at Texas Fertility Center and their degree of success.
I "probably" have PCOS per both my OBGYN and Dr. Propst. I have irregular cycles but no cycsts on the ultrasound. I have been using femara (started with just taking this pill with my OB) for about 5 months and then went to see an RE.
Our first IUI was right after our consultation since it was near the right timing of my cycle. All I used was an hcg trigger shot which resulted in a negative pregnancy test.
The next round was femara, gonal f injections and an hcg trigger shot with inseminations on back to back days since he was unsure of my ovulation. This also resulted in a negative pregnancy test.
I am about to start my 3rd round in which we are NOT using femara but just a gonal f injection and hcg trigger shot. So we'll see what happens!
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Texas Fertility Center.
The nurses are very sweet, but coming out of your appointment, they sometimes assume you understand everything. Ask about meds, timing, next appt, etc if you have questions! They're happy to help. Also, it's hard to get a hold of them. You always have to call and leave a message. They get back to you fairly quickly, but I've never once called and got to talk directly to a nurse on that phone call
Describe your experience with Texas Fertility Center.
There's several locations which is great since Austin traffic is horrible. Also, they use CPL for labs which is also convenient as they have a lot of locations. There's no online patient portal or way to email them which can be frustrating. Hopefully they will transition to that one day.
Also, my insurance doesn't cover anything related to infertility so it's been a costly process. The injectable medications have been expensive, but I also haven't done any rx shopping due to time constraints with knowing what med to take and when.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Anthony Propst at Texas Fertility Center.
The initial consultation is around $600 and each ultrasound is $220. You do an ultrasound at the start of your cycle and several times throughout to see how your ovaries are progressing. My medications have ranged from $400-800 and they do use a pharmacy that overnights them to you (not sure if this is built into the cost since again I didn't do any price shopping).
She [Dr. Natalie Burger] has walked us through the different possible treatments we can pursue to become pregnant, encouraged us to start with IUI which is more cost effective, rather than jumping straight into the expensive IVF treatments. Unfortunately, the several times I have taken the medications during my cycle, have resulted in ovulation taking place in the ovarian tube which may have a blockage. We have discussed, and agreed that we would try a few more rounds to see if we can get a cycle on the "good" ovary, and proceed with the IUI, otherwise, we can attempt to unblock the other tube, or move on to IVF. I just feel that she is very compassionate and willing to try all options before jumping into the most expensive route, and we really appreciate that!
Dr. Burger practices at all of the clinics [of Texas Fertility Center], so if there is a certain one that is better for you, I would find out her schedule and try to arrange your visits around that. Otherwise, I have been to the central office (most often), but also South office and they are both very nice, clean, and staff is awesome at both!... Everyone at the Texas Fertility Center is upbeat, sweet and caring. I like them all very much!
How was your experience with Natalie Burger at Texas Fertility Center?
She is very warm and caring and takes time to answer all questions. I feel very comfortable with her. She has walked us through the different possible treatments we can pursue to become pregnant, encouraged us to start with IUI which is more cost effective, rather than jumping straight into the expensive IVF treatments. Unfortunately, the several times I have taken the medications during my cycle, have resulted in ovulation taking place in the ovarian tube which may have a blockage. We have discussed, and agreed that we would try a few more rounds to see if we can get a cycle on the "good" ovary, and proceed with the IUI, otherwise, we can attempt to unblock the other tube, or move on to IVF. I just feel that she is very compassionate and willing to try all options before jumping into the most expensive route, and we really appreciate that!
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Natalie Burger at Texas Fertility Center?
Be patient and trust in the process.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Natalie Burger at Texas Fertility Center?
She was very warm and attentive, took time to answer my questions, and her nurse always called me back in a timely manner to answer any additional questions I may have. Dr. Burger also rearranged her schedule to accommodate me when I needed to come in for ultrasounds during my first days of my cycle for IUI treatment.
Describe the protocols Natalie Burger used in your cycles at Texas Fertility Center and their degree of success.
Previously answered.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Texas Fertility Center. (Assigned nurse: Laura Kuykendall)
Everyone at the Texas Fertility Center is upbeat, sweet and caring. I like them all very much!
Describe your experience with Texas Fertility Center.
Dr. Burger practices at all of the clinics, so if there is a certain one that is better for you, I would find out her schedule and try to arrange your visits around that. Otherwise, I have been to the central office (most often), but also South office and they are both very nice, clean, and staff is awesome at both!
Describe the costs associated with your care under Natalie Burger at Texas Fertility Center.
For each interuterine ultrasound I have had to do (which is 2 per cycle) have been around $216 each time, so around $430 per cycle. I have been through 3 cycles so far.
Dr. Hansard has shown interest in getting me to my end goal of having a baby. My situation is a bit different in the sense that embryos look great I have no problem making day 5 blastocyst but no implantation happens. It has been difficult to choose a course of treatment because we have done ERA’s and PGS, blood thinners, steroids and laparoscopic myomectomy( a few years ago with different doctor) and most recently a hysteroscopy and no success.
They [Texas Fertility Center- Austin] are an organized system because every Doctor has their own staff so it’s easier to deal with patients. They’ll get back to you if you have any questions, also the on call nurse is a great resource. I know that a lot of times I rather call and talk to the nurse but I found that they communicate faster via email. Overall I’m pleased with the care I received at TFC. The one thing I wish I would have is fertility coverage because treatments are extremely expensive.
How was your experience with Lisa Hansard at Texas Fertility Center?
Dr. Hansard has shown interest in getting me to my end goal of having a baby. My situation is a bit different in the sense that embryos look great I have no problem making day 5 blastocyst but no implantation happens. It has been difficult to choose a course of treatment because we have done ERA’s and PGS, blood thinners, steroids and laparoscopic myomectomy( a few years ago with different doctor) and most recently a hysteroscopy and no success.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Lisa Hansard at Texas Fertility Center?
I would say to trust her because she is very knowledgeable but in my situation I don’t think it’s my doctor hindering my success but rather something else we haven’t figured out.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Lisa Hansard at Texas Fertility Center?
I felt like a human because Dr. Hansard shows compassion and seems to know my personal medical issues without much reminder.
Describe the protocols Lisa Hansard used in your cycles at Texas Fertility Center and their degree of success.
We tried following a femara natural cycle for FET, this protocol didn’t work because ovulation always occurred too early. So I decided to do a medicated cycle because it was more controlled. We repeated the ERA with a different protocol of medication using crinone instead of progesterone in oil for FET. We tried using Heparin and dexamethasone. So far I still haven’t had success.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Texas Fertility Center. (Assigned nurse: Jennifer Flora)
My Nurse gets back to me with any concerns I may have.
Describe your experience with Texas Fertility Center.
They are an organized system because every Doctor has their own staff so it’s easier to deal with patients. They’ll get back to you if you have any questions, also the on call nurse is a great resource. I know that a lot of times I rather call and talk to the nurse but I found that they communicate faster via email. Overall I’m pleased with the care I received at TFC. The one thing I wish I would have is fertility coverage because treatments are extremely expensive.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Lisa Hansard at Texas Fertility Center.
The costs for: IVF cycle for egg retrieval, every monitoring appointment, medications, lab tests, FET cycles had costs associated with doctors fees, surgery center fees, embryology lab fees.
Describe Lisa Hansard's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Texas Fertility Center.
Dr. Hansard recommends transfering one embryo for my age that has been PGS tested. During my previous FET we transferred two embryos due to my history of recurrent implantation failure and embryos were not PGS tested.
He [Dr. Thomas Vaughn] had told us to go right to ivf but said if we wanted to try IUI we can but he wouldn’t do more than 3 because of my diagnosis . He said it was silly to waste time . We decided to do 2 IUIs before moving on to ivf . Our first IUI was with 5 mg of femara for 5 days . I produced 1 follicle . 2nd IUI was with follistim injectables my dose kept going up every visit . I also produced one follicle . Both iuis were unsuccessful . We moved onto ivf and I was on 450iu follistim and 150iu menopur daily and added in cetrotide at the end. He knew I needed high doses because of my IUI with injectable . I stimmed for 13 days today and retrieved 8 eggs , 6 were mature and we ended up with 2 five day embryos to freeze .
My nurse [at Texas Fertility Center- Central Austin] was fantastic with communication . If I emailed her she emailed me back right away and if she wasn’t in the office for some reason someone else contacted me ! She was very to the point and honest and very nice !... There can be longer wait times at this clinic but I believe they were very organized . I think with dr. Vaughn I waited maybe 2-3 times for a long time other then that he was on time mostly. They are very nice and explain things well . A good atmosphere!
How was your experience with Thomas Vaughn at Texas Fertility Center?
I was treated like a human with him he always showed compassion and took the time to answer any questions I may have . I never felt uncomfortable with him once I always felt at ease and that he knew exactly what to do. I trusted everything he said and wanted to do and he got me pregnant with my miracle baby boy and I’m forever grateful for him!
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Thomas Vaughn at Texas Fertility Center?
Trust him! He knows what he’s doing !
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Thomas Vaughn at Texas Fertility Center?
He always walked into the room with a smile and asked how I was doing and addressed me by my Name . I never felt rushed . He always took the time to answer any questions I had and never made me feel stupid about a question I may have asked . He always made me feel at ease when I was nervous or concerned .
Describe the protocols Thomas Vaughn used in your cycles at Texas Fertility Center and their degree of success.
He had told us to go right to ivf but said if we wanted to try IUI we can but he wouldn’t do more than 3 because of my diagnosis . He said it was silly to waste time . We decided to do 2 IUIs before moving on to ivf . Our first IUI was with 5 mg of femara for 5 days . I produced 1 follicle . 2nd IUI was with follistim injectables my dose kept going up every visit . I also produced one follicle . Both iuis were unsuccessful . We moved onto ivf and I was on 450iu follistim and 150iu menopur daily and added in cetrotide at the end. He knew I needed high doses because of my IUI with injectable . I stimmed for 13 days today and retrieved 8 eggs , 6 were mature and we ended up with 2 five day embryos to freeze .
Describe your experience with your nurse at Texas Fertility Center. (Assigned nurse: Ashley Staha )
My nurse was fantastic with communication . If I emailed her she emailed me back right away and if she wasn’t in the office for some reason someone else contacted me ! She was very to the point and honest and very nice !
Describe your experience with Texas Fertility Center.
There can be longer wait times at this clinic but I believe they were very organized . I think with dr. Vaughn I waited maybe 2-3 times for a long time other then that he was on time mostly. They are very nice and explain things well . A good atmosphere!
Describe the costs associated with your care under Thomas Vaughn at Texas Fertility Center.
Under our insurance we are covered 100 percent for IVF . I paid some copays for our visits with TFC . We had to pay out of pocket for ovation which is the lab because they aren’t in network with most insurances . So we had to pay the majority out of pocket due to this.
Describe Thomas Vaughn's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Texas Fertility Center.
I think putting in 1 embryo was a good choice . I didn’t think to put in 2 or more honestly as I know it can be scary with multiples and I had been pregnant before . I was totally fine with that choice
Dr. Hansard was very friendly and encouraging. When I had surgery to remove endometriosis, she held my hand as they put me to sleep. I was very nervous and this was so sweet and comforting! Her office can get busy some times and appointments can feel rushed.... She diagnosed me with stage 4 endometriosis after surgery to remove it. We tried naturally for 4 cycles then began IUIs. The first IUI was with clomid only. Then I did two more IUIs with clomid (days 3-7 of my cycle) and 200mg progesterone suppository at night
The facility [Texas Fertility Ctr] is very organized and happy to help. With each step of fertility treatments I had different questions. I wanted to know about local employers who covered fertility treatments and their business office help with a list. Before we got to IVF, I wanted to know the costs and the quickly sent me cost sheets. Everyone has been so helpful and kind.... Kat is so sweet and full of information. Most of my time working with her was by phone. Often when I called her, I got to her right away. If I did have to leave a voicemail, I heard back from her the same day.
How was your experience with Lisa Hansard at Texas Fertility Center?
She is very knowledgeable and confident. I always felt encouraged and hopeful after meeting her. Sometimes I think she made me feel like pregnancy was going to happen easily or quickly for us, which it hasn’t. I still appreciated her encouraging approach versus a more realistic standpoint that it might be a long process.
Sometimes I wanted her to slow down and talk with me a little longer about the treatment plan. I think she gladly would have if I voiced that that’s what I wanted.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Lisa Hansard at Texas Fertility Center?
Ask all the questions you want and tell her how you’re really feeling. She’s excellent at helping to ease your fears.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Lisa Hansard at Texas Fertility Center?
Dr. Hansard was very friendly and encouraging. When I had surgery to remove endometriosis, she held my hand as they put me to sleep. I was very nervous and this was so sweet and comforting! Her office can get busy some times and appointments can feel rushed.
Describe the protocols Lisa Hansard used in your cycles at Texas Fertility Center and their degree of success.
She diagnosed me with stage 4 endometriosis after surgery to remove it. We tried naturally for 4 cycles then began IUIs. The first IUI was with clomid only. Then I did two more IUIs with clomid (days 3-7 of my cycle) and 200mg progesterone suppository at night, 3 days after the IUI. After none of the IUIs worked she recommended IVF. While we saved for IVF, she said we could do another IUI and add injections. We decided to wait and save.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Texas Fertility Center. (Assigned nurse: Kat)
Kat is so sweet and full of information. Most of my time working with her was by phone. Often when I called her, I got to her right away. If I did have to leave a voicemail, I heard back from her the same day. When I met her in person she gave me a big hug and said how good it was to meet me. She felt like a really helpful friend.
Describe your experience with Texas Fertility Center.
The facility is very organized and happy to help. With each step of fertility treatments I had different questions. I wanted to know about local employers who covered fertility treatments and their business office help with a list. Before we got to IVF, I wanted to know the costs and the quickly sent me cost sheets. Everyone has been so helpful and kind.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Lisa Hansard at Texas Fertility Center.
The IUI (one ultrasound, the IUI procedure and sperm prep) cost about $600.
Dr. Vaughn always is upfront about risk, what to expect and chances. He is calm but direct and changes his approach if you are not understanding terminology. I never felt rushed or like I couldn't ask more questions.... Clomid and iui was used for several years, because inwas not ready to admit i needed to go to the next step. Dr. Vaughn was patient and allowed me to go at my own speed based on comfortability. We added gonal f injections with iui and progesterone and had 1 miscarraige and 1 live birth.
Front office [Texas Fertility Center] is nice, clean and well kept. Everyone was courteous. Even in billing, I was always treated with respect and compassion about our situation. They were helpful with providing ways to save and always did everything they could to assist with insurance filing and reimnursements.... Quick to return calls / emails same day, awesome about communicating results quickly. Always great about giving you time to process what they said and ask questions before they got off the phone. Excellent bedside manner.
How was your experience with Thomas Vaughn at Texas Fertility Center?
Dr. Vaughn always is upfront about risk, what to expect and chances. He is calm but direct and changes his approach if you are not understanding terminology. I never felt rushed or like I couldn't ask more questions.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Thomas Vaughn at Texas Fertility Center?
Dont wait. If you are having trouble go early and often. No question is off limits, make sure you understand and have all questions answered.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Thomas Vaughn at Texas Fertility Center?
Dr. Vaughn knows me and my story. He never forgets what happened before, he asks about my children by name.
Describe the protocols Thomas Vaughn used in your cycles at Texas Fertility Center and their degree of success.
Clomid and iui was used for several years, because inwas not ready to admit i needed to go to the next step. Dr. Vaughn was patient and allowed me to go at my own speed based on comfortability. We added gonal f injections with iui and progesterone and had 1 miscarraige and 1 live birth. After that we went to ivf with gonal f, progesterone and one other drug that I cant think of. I had 1 negative, 1 tubal pregnancy and 1 live birth (one other live birth but we are not 100% sure if it was from tubal or natural)
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Texas Fertility Center.
Quick to return calls / emails same day, awesome about communicating results quickly. Always great about giving you time to process what they said and ask questions before they got off the phone. Excellent bedside manner.
Describe your experience with Texas Fertility Center.
Front office is nice, clean and well kept. Everyone was courteous. Even in billing, I was always treated with respect and compassion about our situation. They were helpful with providing ways to save and always did everything they could to assist with insurance filing and reimnursements.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Thomas Vaughn at Texas Fertility Center.
10k per ivf cycle, 3k frozen transfer
Describe Thomas Vaughn's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Texas Fertility Center.
My doctor recommended 1 or 2 embryo transfers not any more. My age and history was part of his decision.
He [Dr. Silverberg] speaks quickly and is very up to date and knowledgeable on all fertility topics but takes time to review all details with you personally. He cared when our first round wasn’t successful enough to give us his personal cell for any questions or concerns along the way. He hugged me and commiserated the initial loss (lack of success) upon learning of unsuccessful transfers.... Our first stimulation and egg retrieval resulted in a lower number of eggs retrieved than originally predicted. Dr Silverberg adjusted my next cycle appropriately with more estrogen injections to yield more eggs for fertilization.
Their knowledge base is invaluable! The doctors [Texas Fertility Center] all seem to be very professional and ensure that your care is provided at the highest level. The nurses are responsive and compassionate. They are organized as well. The only weakness I would begin to discuss would be the wait time at regular office visit is but I understand that surgeries often go longer than expected and I would rather have the great care they provide.
How was your experience with Kaylen Silverberg at Texas Fertility Center?
He is quick paced and speaks very quickly but works well and is super knowledgeable. He slows down when asked and will review any information when asked. His wait time leaves something to be desired but otherwise he is amazing. He is caring and compassionate and I would recommend him!
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Kaylen Silverberg at Texas Fertility Center?
I would advise a prospective patient to bring a book to the waiting room of the office but rest assured that it’s worth the wait.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Kaylen Silverberg at Texas Fertility Center?
He speaks quickly and is very up to date and knowledgeable on all fertility topics but takes time to review all details with you personally. He cared when our first round wasn’t successful enough to give us his personal cell for any questions or concerns along the way. He hugged me and commiserated the initial loss (lack of success) upon learning of unsuccessful transfers.
Describe the protocols Kaylen Silverberg used in your cycles at Texas Fertility Center and their degree of success.
Our first stimulation and egg retrieval resulted in a lower number of eggs retrieved than originally predicted. Dr Silverberg adjusted my next cycle appropriately with more estrogen injections to yield more eggs for fertilization. He also carefully monitored me to ensure that I didn’t become hyper stimulated. The second round of stimulation was also accompanied by a freeze all cycle rather than fresh which was easier on my emotions and body to have the break between the retrieval and the transfer. The research showed that freeze all is typically more successful which was true for our situation as well.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Texas Fertility Center. (Assigned nurse: Nicole)
They were super responsive and efficient. They would personally call with results and review the meaning of the information. The care I received from them when any delicate or bad news was shared was very compassionate.
Describe your experience with Texas Fertility Center.
Their knowledge base is invaluable! The doctors all seem to be very professional and ensure that your care is provided at the highest level. The nurses are responsive and compassionate. They are organized as well. The only weakness I would begin to discuss would be the wait time at regular office visit is but I understand that surgeries often go longer than expected and I would rather have the great care they provide.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Kaylen Silverberg at Texas Fertility Center.
All in all (for two rounds of stimulation, 3 egg retrievals) we spent $35K but that included our medications, the embryology (through Ovation), the surgery center, and TFCs services.
The costs associated with TFC directly were very reasonable (for the ultrasounds, office visits, retrevial and transfer).
Describe Kaylen Silverberg's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Texas Fertility Center.
Dr Silverberg strongly stuck to transferring only one embryo at a time. He said he was part of the initiative that wrote guidelines for age and transfer and that he had been responsible for too many NICU babies and exorbitant hospital bills. He felt it was a more responsible move to transfer one embryo at a time based on age factors. He said once I was >35 he would be willing to transfer 2 at a time.
Dr. Thomas Vaughn is punctual and I appreciate that he respects his patience’s time. He’s a great listener and I feel he has my health and safety in mind when suggesting different protocols. After each failed IUI and FET’s he’s called me every single time to check in and to answer any questions I might have had.... Dr. Vaughn is wonderful, though our fertility journey isn’t over I’ve been very satisfied under his care. He’s honest, I trust him & appreciate his kind bedside manner. We have experienced more downs than ups but his position attitude has kept me wanting to drive forward
The overall clinic [Texas Fertility Center] is great, the location is easy to find, bathrooms clean, waiting room comfortable, exam rooms clean and warm. Front desk employees are helpful and willing to assist with any questions and guidance.... I wasn’t assigned a nurse until IVF. All the other nurses I encountered were wonderful, caring, attentive, followed up and knew me by my first name. Once I stared IVF and was assigned Jaime, this started my displeasures with the clinic.
How was your experience with Thomas Vaughn at Texas Fertility Center?
Dr. Thomas Vaughn is punctual and I appreciate that he respects his patience’s time. He’s a great listener and I feel he has my health and safety in mind when suggesting different protocols. After each failed IUI and FET’s he’s called me every single time to check in and to answer any questions I might have had.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Thomas Vaughn at Texas Fertility Center?
If you don’t understand all the abbreviations, ask. Ask lots of questions, write them down prior to your appointment
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Thomas Vaughn at Texas Fertility Center?
Dr. Vaughn is wonderful, though our fertility journey isn’t over I’ve been very satisfied under his care. He’s honest, I trust him & appreciate his kind bedside manner. We have experienced more downs than ups but his position attitude has kept me wanting to drive forward
Describe the protocols Thomas Vaughn used in your cycles at Texas Fertility Center and their degree of success.
4 cycles of Timed intercourse clomid/Ovidrel
first iui was Clomid/Ovidrel
2nd - 4th IUI Femara/Ovidrel
1st FET estradiol, Crinone & PVS
2nd FET Estradiol, Crinone & PVS
Upcoming 3rd FET Femara, estradiol, Ovidrel & PVS (potentially scheduled for 3/20/18)
Describe your experience with your nurse at Texas Fertility Center. (Assigned nurse: Jaime Burkott )
I started my ivf journey in October 2017, prior to this we were trying different protocols and I wasn’t assigned a nurse until IVF. All the other nurses I encountered were wonderful, caring, attentive, followed up and knew me by my first name. Once I stared IVF and was assigned Jaime, this started my displeasures with the clinic. Jamie is forgetful, hard to get answers from, distracted and at times makes me feel as though I’m annoying her. I feel I’ve developed a better relationship with the on call nurse than my IVF nurse. The only time I’ve met with Jaime in person was to do my initial injection consult, other than that it’s primarily emails with the occasional phone call. I’ve asked to see her after a baseline appointment and she pawned me off to a different nurse. After my 2nd Failed FET I had to tell her I wanted to meet with her because I had questions I wanted to go over in person with a difference in progesterone days before FET. I remember something different than what she had written. We set an appointment and the day of she emailed me and had to push it back because she had forgotten a prior commitment. Dr. Vaughn had an emergency and was out of office unexpectedly, everyone was rescheduled but of course my nurse forgot to reschedule me until I called. I simply don’t trust Jaime at all.
Describe your experience with Texas Fertility Center.
The overall clinic is great, the location is easy to find, bathrooms clean, waiting room comfortable, exam rooms clean and warm. Front desk employees are helpful and willing to assist with any questions and guidance.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Thomas Vaughn at Texas Fertility Center.
So far since October 2017 - current we have spent $31,000 NOT including all the other cycles like IUI and timed intercourse. Between Texas fertility, Ovation Fertility, CPL and the Austin Surgery Center. MY insurance doesn’t cover anything regarding fertility.
Describe Thomas Vaughn's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Texas Fertility Center.
The first two FET Dr. Vaughn would only transfer a single embryo. Now that we are on our 3rd he is open to transferring two embryos
What specific things went wrong at Texas Fertility Center?
Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
Failed to call with results
Failed to inform you of changes in protocol
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Texas Fertility Center.
I’ve had to remind Jaime about my Estradiol prescription on a couple occasions, she’s also forgotten to call me with lab result that effect that’s night dosage so I had to call on-call nurse
Dr. Vaughn comes across as the caring grandfather or uncle that you would go to with your biggest problem in life knowing that he's going to hear you and provide great wisdom. He's kind, trustworthy and always takes the time to answer any questions you have. He really seeks to make sure you understand exactly where you are in the process and where you're going. He has personally called me with all of my results and has never made me feel as though I'm bothering him with my concerns or questions.
The staff [Texas Fertility Center] has been excellent.... The clinic runs exceptionally smoothly. They are always prepared and on time for their appointments. Each person working there is kind, understanding and willing to go above and beyond to serve the patients.... Dr. Vaughn is amazing! I truly can't think of any weaknesses at this time. He has been a calming influence through this stressful time and I leave my appointments feeling encouraged
How was your experience with Thomas Vaughn at Texas Fertility Center?
Dr. Vaughn is amazing! I truly can't think of any weaknesses at this time. He has been a calming influence through this stressful time and I leave my appointments feeling encouraged. He's 100% on time all the time so I've never had to wait more than 2 minutes to be seen which was great for my work schedule. He always wrote down for me how many follicles I had maturing and what he hoped to see next visit.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Thomas Vaughn at Texas Fertility Center?
Don't be afraid to ask questions. Dr. Vaughn will answer them all.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Thomas Vaughn at Texas Fertility Center?
Dr. Vaughn comes across as the caring grandfather or uncle that you would go to with your biggest problem in life knowing that he's going to hear you and provide great wisdom. He's kind, trustworthy and always takes the time to answer any questions you have. He really seeks to make sure you understand exactly where you are in the process and where you're going. He has personally called me with all of my results and has never made me feel as though I'm bothering him with my concerns or questions.
Describe the protocols Thomas Vaughn used in your cycles at Texas Fertility Center and their degree of success.
My protocol was set by my initial doctor who went out of town shortly after beginning treatments and Dr. Vaughn didn't want to change the protocol. He did extend my treatment by a few days as I was not responding very well to the stimulation meds. While disappointing to spend money on an extra 3 days of injections, it was well worth it as the egg retrieval was very successful.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Texas Fertility Center.
The staff has been excellent.
Describe your experience with Texas Fertility Center.
The clinic runs exceptionally smoothly. They are always prepared and on time for their appointments. Each person working there is kind, understanding and willing to go above and beyond to serve the patients.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Thomas Vaughn at Texas Fertility Center.