The Fertility Center of Michigan page 2

He [Dr. William Dodds] is honest and caring, good bedside manner and very intelligent. Although he can be a bit flighty at times with this thought processes, we wouldn't have wanted anyone else there. Sometimes he was too caring than informative and other times he was too informative without much care. Really depended on the day.

The billing department [at Fertility Center of MI-Grand Rapids] is totally unorganized and a joke; keep all your receipts and don't let any stone go unturned. They demand money immediately well before procedures even happen, makes them come across as money hungry. Front desk staff are cordial, but if you ever have an urgent need, no one wants or knows how to help you and you just get transferred around.

How was your experience with William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?

He is honest and caring, good bedside manner and very intelligent. Although he can be a bit flighty at times with this thought processes, we wouldn't have wanted anyone else there. Sometimes he was too caring than informative and other times he was too informative without much care. Really depended on the day.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?

He called after each successful and failed pregnancy test and took time to answer questions

Describe the protocols William Dodds used in your cycles at The Fertility Center of Michigan and their degree of success.

HSG, egg retrieval, embryo transfer and freezing

Describe your experience with your nurse at The Fertility Center of Michigan. (Assigned nurse: Robin Strouse)

She was always available to assist as needed, and super helpful, but frequently lost our paperwork and was a bit disorganized at times

Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.

The billing department is totally unorganized and a joke; keep all your receipts and don't let any stone go unturned. They demand money immediately well before procedures even happen, makes them come across as money hungry. Front desk staff are cordial, but if you ever have an urgent need, no one wants or knows how to help you and you just get transferred around.

Describe the costs associated with your care under William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan.

For egg retrieval with a surrogate, it costs around $15,000

What specific things went wrong at The Fertility Center of Michigan?

Lost paperwork
Provided conflicting information

Describe the specific things that went wrong at The Fertility Center of Michigan.

Paperwork is often lost, billing department is totally unorganized. I ran out of meds when they wanted me to keep stimming, and my pharmacy was in the middle of a snow storm. When I called the office freaking out they basically said they don't keep meds on hand and "good luck".

Doctor

William Dodds

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

The Fertility Center of Michigan

Grand Rapids

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

William Dodds The Fertility Center of Michigan

2017 - 2018, Unknown Success

Age 33 - 34

2 IUI

IVF

Egg Freezing

Embryo Freezing

Male Factor

Other

Income $0 - $49K

Teacher

3rd of 3 Docs

Doesn't Recommend

Neutral

Success w/ Doc Too early to know

Review of

Valerie Shavell The Fertility Center of Michigan

She [Dr. Valerie Shavell] is very kind but a little passive. I would have prefered a more aggressive treatment early on. I also wish I had seen her more frequently during my recently cancelled cycle. She is a good communicator and when I dis meet with her she explained everything thoroughly.... We tried 2 IUI's which were unsuccessful. Our recent IvF was cancelled after 10 days due to low follicle production. My injections have been adjusted for next time but I wonder if something could have been done earlier to get better results.

Overall, they [the nurses at the Fertility Center of Michigan-Grand Rapids] have been fine. It can be difficult to get them on the phone at times and when I asked for the new protocol for meds to be described they said it wasn't necessary at that time which I found frustrating.... In the end you will meet with all the doctors when it matters, so don't wait for her. Just get in there and get the process started.

How was your experience with Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan?

She is very kind but a little passive. I would have prefered a more aggressive treatment early on. I also wish I had seen her more frequently during my recently cancelled cycle. She is a good communicator and when I dis meet with her she explained everything thoroughly.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan?

In the end you will meet with all the doctors when it matters, so don't wait for her. Just get in there and get the process started.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan?

It has been hard at times to reach her and during my recently cancelled cycle I only met with other doctors at the clinic.

Describe the protocols Valerie Shavell used in your cycles at The Fertility Center of Michigan and their degree of success.

We tried 2 IUI's which were unsuccessful. Our recent IvF was cancelled after 10 days due to low follicle production. My injections have been adjusted for next time but I wonder if something could have been done earlier to get better results.

Describe your experience with the nursing staff at The Fertility Center of Michigan.

Overall, they have been fine. It can be difficult to get them on the phone at times and when I asked for the new protocol for meds to be described they said it wasn't necessary at that time which I found frustrating.

Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.

The first was very casual with rock star pictures all over his office. There was also lots of toys and stuffed animals. It was weird. The second just didn't seem very compassionate. We only saw them both once and decided to wait.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan.

So far we have spent 13,000 which included a prepayment for our upcoming IVF

Describe Valerie Shavell's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at The Fertility Center of Michigan.

She prefers single but with our chances so slim I think she should be more aggressive if the patient is willing.

Doctor

Valerie Shavell

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

The Fertility Center of Michigan

Grand Rapids

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Valerie Shavell The Fertility Center of Michigan

2016 - 2017, Unknown Success

Age 28 - 29

6 Fertility Medications

Prefer not to answer

Income $50K - $99K

Only Doc Seen

Neutral

Success w/ Doc Not sure

Review of

Valerie Shavell The Fertility Center of Michigan

Overall, I feel Dr Shavell is very knowledgeable and compassionate toward her patients. She was very empathetic when I was experiencing my miscarriage. However, some appointments with her felt rushed at times. She did ask though if I had any questions at the end of appointments...Treatment strategies I used with Dr. Shavell include Femara and some cycles with Ovidrel added also. I originally began Femara at the 5 mg dosage and based on the number of follicles I was producing, she asked if I would like to increase my dosage up to 7.5mg. I did that and it did increase the number of follicles I produced.

Some nurses [at The Fertility Center of Michigan] were very sympathetic when I was going through my miscarriage. However, there were others that weren't as compassionate about the situation. Overall, it can be tough to get ahold of the nursing staff and receive a call back from them in a timely manner...Appointments seem to usually be running on time and they usually have appointment opening on the day I call or the next day. Their offices are nice and clean but the locations aren't the most convenient...Occasionally, I would have to call them in order to get bloodwork results. Some nurses weren't always able to interpret the results and give me information on precisely what my results were indicating.

How was your experience with Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan?

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan?

Come prepared with any potential questions you may have.

Describe the protocols Valerie Shavell used in your cycles at The Fertility Center of Michigan and their degree of success.

Treatment strategies I used with Dr. Shavell include Femara and some cycles with Ovidrel added also. I originally began Femara at the 5 mg dosage and based on the number of follicles I was producing, she asked if I would like to increase my dosage up to 7.5mg. I did that and it did increase the number of follicles I produced.

Describe your experience with the nursing staff at The Fertility Center of Michigan.

Some nurses were very sympathetic when I was going through my miscarriage. However, there were others that weren't as compassionate about the situation. Overall, it can be tough to get ahold of the nursing staff and receive a call back from them in a timely manner.

Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.

Appointments seem to usually be running on time and they usually have appointment opening on the day I call or the next day. Their offices are nice and clean but the locations aren't the most convenient.

Describe Valerie Shavell's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at The Fertility Center of Michigan.

N/A

What specific things went wrong at The Fertility Center of Michigan?

Failed to call with results
Failed to order appropriate test

Describe the specific things that went wrong at The Fertility Center of Michigan.

Occasionally, I would have to call them in order to get bloodwork results. Some nurses weren't always able to interpret the results and give me information on precisely what my results were indicating.

Doctor

Valerie Shavell

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

The Fertility Center of Michigan

Grand Rapids

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Valerie Shavell The Fertility Center of Michigan

2018 - 2020, Unsuccessful

Age 30 - 32

2 IUI

1 IVF

Endometriosis

Unexplained

Other

Income $50K - $99K

1st of 4 Docs

Neutral

Unsuccessful

Review of

James Young (retired)The Fertility Center of Michigan

Dr Young was very genuine and made me feel like he cared about us... is very quiet but compassionate and caring. He called me after our second transfer didn't work just to see how I was doing and if I had any questions. He always asked us if we had any questions, shook our hands at the end and made us feel like he cared about what was going on with us...Just be aware he is flat affected so if you're expecting an upbeat personality, you won't get that from him. It's not that he doesn't care, it's just not his personality

We love Libby [nurse at The Fertility Center of Michigan]! She was always upbeat but compassionate when things didn't go our way. She always had answers for us and always wished us well. She also never made me feel guilty for calling with a question...For egg retrieval, medications and 3 transfers, it was over $22,000...Strengths: They treat you really well when you're doing IVF Weaknesses: When asked what I needed to do differently according to diet, exercise, etc. They said nothing when other clinics would give me a list of things to do to help our chances.

How was your experience with James Young (retired) at The Fertility Center of Michigan?

Dr Young is very quiet but compassionate and caring. He called me after our second transfer didn't work just to see how I was doing and if I had any questions. He always asked us if we had any questions, shook our hands at the end and made us feel like he cared about what was going on with us.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of James Young (retired) at The Fertility Center of Michigan?

Just be aware he is flat affected so if you're expecting an upbeat personality, you won't get that from him. It's not that he doesn't care, it's just not his personality

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with James Young (retired) at The Fertility Center of Michigan?

Dr Young was very genuine and made me feel like he cared about us.

Describe your experience with your nurse at The Fertility Center of Michigan. (Assigned nurse: Libby )

We love Libby! She was always upbeat but compassionate when things didn't go our way. She always had answers for us and always wished us well. She also never made me feel guilty for calling with a question.

Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.

Strengths: They treat you really well when you're doing IVF Weaknesses: When asked what I needed to do differently according to diet, exercise, etc. They said nothing when other clinics would give me a list of things to do to help our chances.

Describe the costs associated with your care under James Young (retired) at The Fertility Center of Michigan.

For egg retrieval, medications and 3 transfers, it was over $22,000

Doctor

James Young (retired)

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

The Fertility Center of Michigan

Grand Rapids

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

James Young (retired)The Fertility Center of Michigan

2018 - 2019, Unknown Success

Age 27 - 28

2 Fertility Medications

Anovulation

Recurrent Pregnancy Loss

Unexplained

Other

Income $50K - $99K

Nurse or HC Services

1st of 2 Docs

Neutral

Success w/ Doc Not sure

Review of

Valerie Shavell The Fertility Center of Michigan

She [Dr. Valerie Shavell] is very compassionate, answers all questions, and made sure we were comfortable with the plan. She ordered tests to try to find a cause for my recurrent miscarriage, but we didn’t find anything. I do wish she would’ve done further testing.... Femara followed by an ultrasound to monitor follicles and Ovidrel to stimulate ovulation. She added Estradiol due to thin lining and Crinone after ovulation. I did get pregnant that cycle but unfortunately miscarried.

They [the nursing staff at The Fertility Center] were very helpful and called promptly with results.... I did not find Dr. Dodds to be at all compassionate or professional. We had a very poor experience with him following our fourth loss. It also seems there is a lack of communication among nursing staff regarding change of plans.... We used oral medications with timed intercourse and insurance covered most of the cost but do not cover IVF.

How was your experience with Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan?

She is very compassionate, answers all questions, and made sure we were comfortable with the plan. She ordered tests to try to find a cause for my recurrent miscarriage, but we didn’t find anything. I do wish she would’ve done further testing.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan?

Don’t be scared to ask questions. She is very compassionate and willing to answer.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan?

She took the time to empathize with my situation and ask how I would like to proceed.

Describe the protocols Valerie Shavell used in your cycles at The Fertility Center of Michigan and their degree of success.

Femara followed by an ultrasound to monitor follicles and Ovidrel to stimulate ovulation. She added Estradiol due to thin lining and Crinone after ovulation. I did get pregnant that cycle but unfortunately miscarried.

Describe your experience with the nursing staff at The Fertility Center of Michigan.

They were very helpful and called promptly with results.

Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.

I did not find Dr. Dodds to be at all compassionate or professional. We had a very poor experience with him following our fourth loss. It also seems there is a lack of communication among nursing staff regarding change of plans.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan.

We used oral medications with timed intercourse and insurance covered most of the cost but do not cover IVF.

Describe Valerie Shavell's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at The Fertility Center of Michigan.

I do not have experience.

Doctor

Valerie Shavell

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

The Fertility Center of Michigan

Grand Rapids

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Valerie Shavell The Fertility Center of Michigan

2018, Unsuccessful

Age 24

3 Fertility Medications

European

Other

Income $50K - $99K

Only Doc Seen

Neutral

Unsuccessful

Review of

William Dodds The Fertility Center of Michigan

I was previously diagnosed with pcos ... He [Dr. Dodd] was kind and caring but also matter of fact. He is a pro life Christian doctor which I respect also. ... He was kind and genuine. I only met with him once so I can’t say much about him but my husband and I both liked him. ... I hope to see him again in the future for further treatment. ... Doctors don’t know everything and do not have magical powers so be patient.

They [The Fertility Center of Michigan] are kind and informative, the office is nice and comfortable. Everything was tidy and clean and the recruit area always had the nicest ladies. They had a lurid full of different flavor options and nice furniture to sit on in the waiting room. Little things that make you feel more comfortable. ... [Nursing staff] Very nice kind people ...Cost were quite minimal but we do have insurance that covered some of it

How was your experience with William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?

He was kind and genuine. I only met with him once so I can’t say much about him but my husband and I both liked him. I hope to see him again in the future for further treatment. He is a pro-life Christian doctor that my doctor recommended seeing which I respect a lot. He explained everything matter of fact but was also kind and understanding.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?

Give it time. Doctors don’t know everything and do not have magical powers so be patient. Everyone is different.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?

He was kind and caring but also matter of fact. He is a pro life Christian doctor which I respect also.

Describe the protocols William Dodds used in your cycles at The Fertility Center of Michigan and their degree of success.

I was previously diagnosed with pcos and was put on clomid to trigger ovulation and produce good eggs. I responded well to the medication but it didn’t end up working for three months. After that I needed a break, it was very stressful going through that.

Describe your experience with the nursing staff at The Fertility Center of Michigan.

Very nice kind people

Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.

They are kind and informative, the office is nice and comfortable. Everything was tidy and clean and the recruit area always had the nicest ladies. They had a lurid full of different flavor options and nice furniture to sit on in the waiting room. Little things that make you feel more comfortable.

Describe the costs associated with your care under William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan.

Cost were quite minimal but we do have insurance that covered some of it

Doctor

William Dodds

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

The Fertility Center of Michigan

Grand Rapids

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

William Dodds The Fertility Center of Michigan

2018, Unknown Success

Age 32

1 IUI

Unexplained

European

Income $100K - $199K

Nurse or HC Services

2nd of 2 Docs

Neutral

Success w/ Doc Too early to know

Review of

Valerie Shavell The Fertility Center of Michigan

Nice and kind. She [Dr. Shavell] gave me my treatment plan for the next month in ways I understood. ... You won’t see the actual doctor much so make sure when you do you ask all the questions you can. ... I have only seen or talked to the doctor 2 times in several months. ... Femara 2.5 days 3-7 first month, then 5mg second month, and 7.5mg third month. IUI at any time. CD 12 ultrasounds every month

I feel the nurses [The Fertility Center] pretty much run the show and give out all the advice. It’s hard when you don’t feel listened to and have to make an actual appointment to get answers from the doctor. ... I sometimes felt they [nurses] weren’t listening to my concerns. I had to make an appointment with my doctor to talk about what’s next because they didn’t seem to know what to do.

How was your experience with Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan?

Nice and kind. She gave me my treatment plan for the next month in ways I understood. I wish I could see her over Dr. Thakur. I hope they can get down to the bottom of why I can’t conceive. This is probably one of the most frustrating journeys of my life and I hope they can fix it

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan?

You won’t see the actual doctor much so make sure when you do you ask all the questions you can.

Describe the protocols Valerie Shavell used in your cycles at The Fertility Center of Michigan and their degree of success.

Femara 2.5 days 3-7 first month, then 5mg second month, and 7.5mg third month. IUI at any time. CD 12 ultrasounds every month

Describe your experience with the nursing staff at The Fertility Center of Michigan.

Overall good. I sometimes felt they weren’t listening to my concerns. I had to make an appointment with my doctor to talk about what’s next because they didn’t seem to know what to do.

Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.

I really feel like the doctor should be more present in the patient’s care. I have only seen or talked to the doctor 2 times in several months. Maybe that’s how they keeps costs down I don’t know. I feel the nurses pretty much run the show and give out all the advice. It’s hard when you don’t feel listened to and have to make an actual appointment to get answers from the doctor.

Describe Valerie Shavell's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at The Fertility Center of Michigan.

What specific things went wrong at The Fertility Center of Michigan?

Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy

Describe the specific things that went wrong at The Fertility Center of Michigan.

Forgot to call in my Ovidrel

Doctor

Valerie Shavell

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

The Fertility Center of Michigan

Grand Rapids - Women's Center/Downtown (closed)

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Valerie Shavell The Fertility Center of Michigan

2016 - 2017, Unknown Success

Age 26 - 27

2 IUI

Donor Sperm

Male Factor

Other

Income $50K - $99K

Only Doc Seen

Neutral

Success w/ Doc Not sure

Review of

Valerie Shavell The Fertility Center of Michigan

Dr. Shavell seems very nice and soft spoken. Although I have only seen her a few short times. She gave us as much information as we'd like on all of the different types of procedures that might be right for us...She is very soft spoken and looks you right In the eye when talking to you....I did 3 months of clomid 50 mgdays 3-7 and ovidrel injection before iui with donor sperm. My first 2 iui's didn't work. My 3rd month was cancelled due to not good enough follicles.

The clinic [The Fertility Center] is super nice and I hardly ever have to wait. I've maybe waited 15 min before...I see the nurses often, mainly for everything. They do my ultrasounds and iui's. I have seen Erica a lot and I love her. She is so sweet, down to earth, and so compassionate....The cost is expensive but all healthcare is. So far since january we have probably spent $4000 and have not gotten pregnant yet....Dr. Shavell seems very nice and soft spoken. Although I have only seen her a few short times.

How was your experience with Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan?

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan?

Do not have super high expectations for treatment working on the first try.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan?

She is very soft spoken and looks you right In the eye when talking to you.

Describe the protocols Valerie Shavell used in your cycles at The Fertility Center of Michigan and their degree of success.

I did 3 months of clomid 50 mgdays 3-7 and ovidrel injection before iui with donor sperm. My first 2 iui's didn't work. My 3rd month was cancelled due to not good enough follicles. Now I am on my 4th month with clomid 100mg with ovidrel and iui with donor sperm again.

Describe your experience with the nursing staff at The Fertility Center of Michigan.

I see the nurses often, mainly for everything. They do my ultrasounds and iui's. I have seen Erica a lot and I love her. She is so sweet, down to earth, and so compassionate.

Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.

The clinic is super nice and I hardly ever have to wait. I've maybe waited 15 min before.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan.

The cost is expensive but all healthcare is. So far since january we have probably spent $4000 and have not gotten pregnant yet.

Doctor

Valerie Shavell

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

The Fertility Center of Michigan

Grand Rapids

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Valerie Shavell The Fertility Center of Michigan

2017, Unsuccessful

Age 31

3 Fertility Medications

Endometriosis

Other

Income $0 - $49K

Teacher

Only Doc Seen

Neutral

Unsuccessful

Review of

James Young (retired)The Fertility Center of Michigan

Dr. Young was very patient with my many questions and made sure I knew exactly what to expect before moving on. He set up a road map of the steps we would take throughout our journey on our first meeting...We are now planning on laparoscopic surgery for endometriosis...Since I had already taken Clomid for 5 cycles we moved on to taking Femara on days 3-7 and taking Ovidrel on day 13 for 3 cycles. I also had an ultrasound on day 13 of each cycle to check on folicle production. The first cycle I had produced 3 large follicles, the 2nd only 2 good sized follicles and the 3rd, one good size and one small follicle.

The nursing staff [at The Fertility Center of Michigan] was very informative and always returned my phone calls in a timely manner...Ultrasound visits cost around $170. Visits with the Doctor were $190...The doctors and nurses at this clinic are very knowledgable and helpful...Since I had already taken Clomid for 5 cycles we moved on to taking Femara on days 3-7 and taking Ovidrel on day 13 for 3 cycles. I also had an ultrasound on day 13 of each cycle to check on folicle production. The first cycle I had produced 3 large follicles, the 2nd only 2 good sized follicles and the 3rd, one good size and one small follicle. None of these cycles resulted in pregnancy. We are now planning on laparoscopic surgery for endometriosis.

How was your experience with James Young (retired) at The Fertility Center of Michigan?

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of James Young (retired) at The Fertility Center of Michigan?

Be open and completely honest with your goals.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with James Young (retired) at The Fertility Center of Michigan?

They treated me as an individual and was knowledgable of my case.

Describe the protocols James Young (retired) used in your cycles at The Fertility Center of Michigan and their degree of success.

Since I had already taken Clomid for 5 cycles we moved on to taking Femara on days 3-7 and taking Ovidrel on day 13 for 3 cycles. I also had an ultrasound on day 13 of each cycle to check on folicle production. The first cycle I had produced 3 large follicles, the 2nd only 2 good sized follicles and the 3rd, one good size and one small follicle. None of these cycles resulted in pregnancy. We are now planning on laparoscopic surgery for endometriosis.

Describe your experience with the nursing staff at The Fertility Center of Michigan.

The nursing staff was very informative and always returned my phone calls in a timely manner.

Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.

The doctors and nurses at this clinic are very knowledgable and helpful. Unfortunately, this clinic did not accept my insurance so many procedures were expensive.

Describe the costs associated with your care under James Young (retired) at The Fertility Center of Michigan.

Ultrasound visits cost around $170. Visits with the Doctor were $190.

Doctor

James Young (retired)

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

The Fertility Center of Michigan

Kalamazoo

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

James Young (retired)The Fertility Center of Michigan

2013 - 2015, Unsuccessful

Age 26 - 28

1 IVF

Male Factor

Other

Income $50K - $99K

Nurse or HC Services

1st of 3 Docs

Doesn't Recommend

Neutral

Unsuccessful

Review of

William Dodds The Fertility Center of Michigan

When I was told that our pregnancy didn't survive, that it was an empty sac, the Dr [Dr Dodds] had a student in there and the Dr seemed to be showing off and not very compassionate...We were devastated and he was very non compassionate.

Dr Shively whom performed embryo transfer was very kind as was the nursing staff. Make sure you ask questions...[Nursing Staff was] Very compassionate...[Monitoring Appointments was] Very convenient.

How was your experience with William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?

Very non compassionate when finding out pregnancy did not survive. We were devastated and he was very non compassionate.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?

None

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?

When I was told that our pregnancy didn't survive, that it was an empty sac, the Dr had a student in there and the Dr seemed to be showing off and not very compassionate.

Describe the protocols William Dodds used in your cycles at The Fertility Center of Michigan and their degree of success.

I took injectable medications for ovarian stimulation and had transvaginal ultrasounds every 2 to 3 days to monitor follicles. I then had egg retrieval process that was extremely painful as I was awake the entire time. They were unable to get to my right ovary where most of my eggs were due to it being swollen or in a position behind my uterus. The 6 embryos we had were fertilized but by transfer day (3), only 1 survived and was grade C. The embryo was successful and we were over the moon with excitement. However, our ultrasound appt revealed an empty sac. We were very devastated. I did not miscarry on my own after 4 weeks and required a D and C.

Describe your experience with the nursing staff at The Fertility Center of Michigan.

Very compassionate

Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.

Compassion as a weakness with Dr Dodds. Dr Shively whom performed embryo transfer was very kind as was the nursing staff. make sure you ask questions

Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at The Fertility Center of Michigan.

Very convenient

Describe the costs associated with your care under William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan.

IVF total with medication $10k

Doctor

William Dodds

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

The Fertility Center of Michigan

Grand Rapids

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

William Dodds The Fertility Center of Michigan

2014 - 2015, Successful

Age 25 - 26

4 IUI

Male Factor

Other

Income $50K - $99K

Teacher

Only Doc Seen

Neutral

Successful

Review of

Valerie Shavell The Fertility Center of Michigan

Dr. Shavell was great at explaining everything and she was very kind. She only did one of my ultrasounds before IUI and that is the time I got pregnant. It makes me wonder if that was a factor in me getting pregnant vs. the nurse doing the ultrasound and determining the course of action. I wish that Dr. Shavell did it each time...She was very kind and explained everything in as much detail as I wanted. She made sure I was aware of all of the options I had and was respectful of the options I did not want to try.

Never had to wait for very long [at The Fertility Center - Grand Rapids]. I think the longest I waited in the waiting room was 10 minutes, which is unheard of for a doctor's office. It was easy to schedule and billing was easy...They were all very kind and helpful. The only negative I can think of is that they had a really hard time with my ultrasounds each time and it was pretty painful.

How was your experience with Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan?

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan?

It is a hard road, but don't be afraid to ask questions.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan?

She was very kind and explained everything in as much detail as I wanted. She made sure I was aware of all of the options I had and was respectful of the options I did not want to try.

Describe the protocols Valerie Shavell used in your cycles at The Fertility Center of Michigan and their degree of success.

I used Femara because Clomid wasn't working for me. My husband also used Fertilaid. I also had to inject Ovidril when they told me to. Lastly, she had us do IUI. We were not comfortable with IVF, so this was the best course of action for us.

Describe your experience with the nursing staff at The Fertility Center of Michigan.

They were all very kind and helpful. The only negative I can think of is that they had a really hard time with my ultrasounds each time and it was pretty painful.

Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.

Never had to wait for very long. I think the longest I waited in the waiting room was 10 minutes, which is unheard of for a doctor's office. It was easy to schedule and billing was easy.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan.

We ended up spending around $10,000.

Doctor

Valerie Shavell

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

The Fertility Center of Michigan

Grand Rapids

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Valerie Shavell The Fertility Center of Michigan

2018 - 2019, Unsuccessful

Age 37 - 38

4 IUI

1 IVF

Diminished Ovarian Reserve

European

Income $50K - $99K

Teacher

Only Doc Seen

Doesn't Recommend

Neutral

Unsuccessful

Review of

Valerie Shavell The Fertility Center of Michigan

The procedure used for IUI was the same each of the four times I did it [with Dr. Valerie Shavell]. I am now starting my second round of IVF and she is changing the procedure to a flair protocol...During some appointments I felt as though she was looking at my chart for the first time...is a very nice person but sometimes her tone can be taken the wrong way at first. She is very light spoken and sometimes I perceived her tone as patronizing. After getting to know her more I became use to it.

The nursing staff [at The Fertility Center of Michigan] is pleasant...IUI's were around $500 for the procedure. IVF was around $8500...Clean and inviting but sometimes the wait times are long when arriving for an appointment. I also wish there was a payment plan option when doing IVF. Appointments are usually easy to schedule and are flexible...The procedure used for IUI was the same each of the four times I did it. I am now starting my second round of IVF and she is changing the procedure to a flair protocol.

How was your experience with Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan?

Valerie is a very nice person but sometimes her tone can be taken the wrong way at first. She is very light spoken and sometimes I perceived her tone as patronizing. After getting to know her more I became use to it.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan?

Ask questions.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan?

During some appointments I felt as though she was looking at my chart for the first time.

Describe the protocols Valerie Shavell used in your cycles at The Fertility Center of Michigan and their degree of success.

The procedure used for IUI was the same each of the four times I did it. I am now starting my second round of IVF and she is changing the procedure to a flair protocol.

Describe your experience with the nursing staff at The Fertility Center of Michigan.

The nursing staff is pleasant.

Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.

Clean and inviting but sometimes the wait times are long when arriving for an appointment. I also wish there was a payment plan option when doing IVF. Appointments are usually easy to schedule and are flexible.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan.

IUI's were around $500 for the procedure. IVF was around $8500.

Doctor

Valerie Shavell

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

The Fertility Center of Michigan

Grand Rapids

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Valerie Shavell The Fertility Center of Michigan

2016 - 2017, Unsuccessful

Age 27 - 28

4 IUI

1 IVF

Male Factor

European

Income $50K - $99K

Only Doc Seen

Neutral

Unsuccessful

Review of

James Young (retired)The Fertility Center of Michigan

He [Dr. James Young] has a very laid back personality. Did not meet with him every time, but I did not mind because the other doctors and nurses were very friendly and willing to help. I appreciate that the wait time to see him was not super long.... He is always friendly and on time.... I love how they have such a large staff that they are able to go along with my cycle instead of messing with it to fit their time line. I just wished that the 4 IUI's and the IVF round would have worked.

I love how they have such a large staff [at The Fertility Center of Michigan] that they are able to go along with my cycle instead of messing with it to fit their time line. I just wished that the 4 IUI's and the IVF round would have worked.... He has a very laid back personality. Did not meet with him every time, but I did not mind because the other doctors and nurses were very friendly and willing to help. I appreciate that the wait time to see him was not super long.... He is always friendly and on time.

How was your experience with James Young (retired) at The Fertility Center of Michigan?

He has a very laid back personality. Did not meet with him every time, but I did not mind because the other doctors and nurses were very friendly and willing to help. I appreciate that the wait time to see him was not super long.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of James Young (retired) at The Fertility Center of Michigan?

Be patient & try not to get overwhelmed by the process, and the needles. All the many needles.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with James Young (retired) at The Fertility Center of Michigan?

He is always friendly and on time.

Describe the protocols James Young (retired) used in your cycles at The Fertility Center of Michigan and their degree of success.

I was on so many, I do not remember. I know I took Clomid, Femara, Gonal F, Progesterone shots in oil, ovidril, and a few others I cannot remember the names of.

Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.

I love how they have such a large staff that they are able to go along with my cycle instead of messing with it to fit their time line. I just wished that the 4 IUI's and the IVF round would have worked.

Describe the costs associated with your care under James Young (retired) at The Fertility Center of Michigan.

Due to my insurance not covering anything, I have paid over $20,000 so far, out of pocket, for our treatments,

Describe James Young (retired)'s approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at The Fertility Center of Michigan.

He wanted to transfer multiple embryos, and so did we.

Doctor

James Young (retired)

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

The Fertility Center of Michigan

Grand Rapids

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

James Young (retired)The Fertility Center of Michigan

2015 - 2016, Unsuccessful

Age 40 - 41

5 IUI

Donor Sperm

European

Income $0 - $49K

Only Doc Seen

Neutral

Unsuccessful

Review of

Valerie Shavell The Fertility Center of Michigan

Difficult as she [Dr. Valerie Shavell] did not provide treatment to me, but the nurse or doctor that worked at the time I was ovulating. Hard to work with so many different professionals but understand why it had to be that way...Hadn’t worked with many singles at the time I worked with them. May have changed now...Spoke to me in caring manner

[The nurses at The Fertility Center of Michigan] Seemed to communicate well with each other so everyone was on the same page about my treatment...Hadn’t worked with many singles at the time I worked with them. May have changed now. Not open on Sundays which is a significant issue; if you’re ready then, they’re closed. Now connected with Spectrum which is helpful for me.

How was your experience with Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan?

Difficult as she did not provide treatment to me, but the nurse or doctor that worked at the time I was ovulating. Hard to work with so many different professionals but understand why it had to be that way.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan?

Request to have a consult after every failed attempt.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan?

Spoke to me in caring manner

Describe the protocols Valerie Shavell used in your cycles at The Fertility Center of Michigan and their degree of success.

I do not recall

Describe your experience with the nursing staff at The Fertility Center of Michigan.

Seemed to communicate well with each other so everyone was on the same page about my treatment.

Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.

Hadn’t worked with many singles at the time I worked with them. May have changed now. Not open on Sundays which is a significant issue; if you’re ready then, they’re closed. Now connected with Spectrum which is helpful for me.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan.

Don’t recall

Describe Valerie Shavell's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at The Fertility Center of Michigan.

Didn’t have this

Doctor

Valerie Shavell

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

The Fertility Center of Michigan

Grand Rapids

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Valerie Shavell The Fertility Center of Michigan

2014 - 2017, Successful

Age 39 - 42

5 IUI

1 IVF

Male Factor

PCOS

Tubal Blockage

Recurrent Pregnancy Loss

European

Ashkenazi Jewish

Income $50K - $99K

1st of 3 Docs

Neutral

Successful

Review of

Valerie Shavell The Fertility Center of Michigan

Dr Shavell is calm and compassionate but not always super reassuring. She doesn’t holdback on explaining low chances of success but ultimately we were successful. She’s a realist and I probably needed more handholding. ... She is pretty direct without a lot of hand holding but does a good job. ... She gave good options for multiple embryos for transfer given my age. ... Clovis and Gemara for IUIs that didn’t work. Gonal F and lots of it for IVF.

You end up a number really until you move to IVF. They [Fertility Center of MI] are high volume and relatively low cost and effective. You only see docs for consult and IVF retrieval and transfer everything else is the nurses. ... A time or two the calls to the mail pharmacy needed to be more timely. ... Fantastic [nurse]! Sandy is why we made it through! ... Rely on her [Dr. Shavell] nurses for the handholding and the optimism and consoling.

How was your experience with Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan?

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan?

Rely on her nurses for the handholding and the optimism and consoling.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan?

She is pretty direct without a lot of hand holding but does a good job.

Describe the protocols Valerie Shavell used in your cycles at The Fertility Center of Michigan and their degree of success.

Clovis and Gemara for IUIs that didn’t work. Gonal F and lots of it for IVF.

Describe your experience with your nurse at The Fertility Center of Michigan. (Assigned nurse: Sandy)

Fantastic! Sandy is why we made it through!

Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.

You end up a number really until you move to IVF. They are high volume and relatively low cost and effective. You only see docs for consult and IVF retrieval and transfer everything else is the nurses.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan.

$15,000 including meds for IVF

Describe Valerie Shavell's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at The Fertility Center of Michigan.

She gave good options for multiple embryos for transfer given my age.

What specific things went wrong at The Fertility Center of Michigan?

Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy

Describe the specific things that went wrong at The Fertility Center of Michigan.

A time or two the calls to the mail pharmacy needed to be more timely.

Doctor

Valerie Shavell

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

The Fertility Center of Michigan

Grand Rapids

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Valerie Shavell The Fertility Center of Michigan

2017 - 2018, Successful

Age 30 - 31

2 IVF

PCOS

European

Income $100K - $199K

2nd of 2 Docs

Strongly Recommends

Neutral

Successful

Review of

Valerie Shavell The Fertility Center of Michigan

Dr shavell was wonderful and understood what we were going through. She was always willing to talk to us about us situation and never rushed through anything...Dr shavell discovered I had pcos so she put me on metformin.... But I kept miscarrying each transfer so we checked my thyroid and I was elevated so we started medication for that... She was always willing to talk to us about us situation and never rushed through anything

I feel they [Fertility Center of MI - nurses] didn’t have as much compassion as the doctors did.... The one thing that was tough was when you had a miscarriage and wanted to try again right away you had to wait to get on the list for the month. Sometimes it was full and they would say you should have signed up sooner-like I knew I was going to miscarry... Dr shavell was wonderful and understood what we were going through.

How was your experience with Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan?

I always felt very comfortable while working with her. She always put you at ease with all the things you had to go through as a patient. I was always the one that came with a million questions and she never made me feel rushed or just another patient to her

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan?

Ask questions and be an advocate for yourself

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan?

Dr shavell was wonderful and understood what we were going through. She was always willing to talk to us about us situation and never rushed through anything

Describe the protocols Valerie Shavell used in your cycles at The Fertility Center of Michigan and their degree of success.

Dr shavell discovered I had pcos so she put me on metformin. I can’t remember the specifics of the IVF medication treatments. But I kept miscarrying each transfer so we checked my thyroid and I was elevated so we started medication for that

Describe your experience with the nursing staff at The Fertility Center of Michigan.

I feel they didn’t have as much compassion as the doctors did. Sometimes I felt like just a number with them

Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.

The one thing that was tough was when you had a miscarriage and wanted to try again right away you had to wait to get on the list for the month. Sometimes it was full and they would say you should have signed up sooner-like I knew I was going to miscarry

What specific things went wrong at The Fertility Center of Michigan?

Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy

Doctor

Valerie Shavell

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

The Fertility Center of Michigan

Grand Rapids

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Valerie Shavell The Fertility Center of Michigan

2019, Successful

Age 26

3 Fertility Medications

Tubal Blockage

European

Income $50K - $99K

Nurse or HC Services

2nd of 2 Docs

Neutral

Successful

Review of

Valerie Shavell The Fertility Center of Michigan

I was given the option to either do a single or multiple embryo transfer [by Dr. Valerie Shavell]...I felt as though my opinions mattered and that ultimately I was able to help make the decisions for myself...I felt as though my provider listened to my concerns and looked into my medical record to get a full background so that my consultation wasn’t a waste of time. She also called me personally to discuss some of my lab results and went over the next steps with me which was very helpful.

Strengths [of The Fertility Center of Michigan] are being very timely to get back with lab results and communicate what the next steps are. When I called the clinic with concerns I was take seriously and I was gotten in to the clinic for a follow up quickly...The nursing staff provided a lot of information that was helpful and they made it clear that if you ever had any questions to not be afraid to call...Some costs that seemed to be optional ended up being costs that were required for successful treatment

How was your experience with Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan?

I felt as though my provider listened to my concerns and looked into my medical record to get a full background so that my consultation wasn’t a waste of time. She also called me personally to discuss some of my lab results and went over the next steps with me which was very helpful.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan?

Be honest and tell them what’s really on your mind.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan?

I felt as though my opinions mattered and that ultimately I was able to help make the decisions for myself.

Describe your experience with the nursing staff at The Fertility Center of Michigan.

The nursing staff provided a lot of information that was helpful and they made it clear that if you ever had any questions to not be afraid to call

Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.

Strengths are being very timely to get back with lab results and communicate what the next steps are. When I called the clinic with concerns I was take seriously and I was gotten in to the clinic for a follow up quickly.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan.

Some costs that seemed to be optional ended up being costs that were required for successful treatment

Describe Valerie Shavell's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at The Fertility Center of Michigan.

I was given the option to either do a single or multiple embryo transfer

What specific things went wrong at The Fertility Center of Michigan?