Ratings of 1 indicate that a clinic was poorly operated.
Ratings of 10 indicate that a clinic operated very well.
Scheduling
9.1
9.1
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
7.5
7.5
Billing Department
Ratings of 1 indicate an unsatisfactory billing department.
Ratings of 10 indicate an excellent billing department.
Nursing Team
8.8
8.8
Nursing Team
Ratings of 1 indicate an unsatisfactory nursing team.
Ratings of 10 indicate an excellent nursing team.
Attention to Detail
7.5
7.5
Attention to Detail
Attention to detail is on a 1 - 10 scale, and is scored based on the rate, and severity, of errors committed by the clinic according to the patients.
For example, a severe error might be failing to inform a patient of critical information, while a small error might be failing to call a patient with results.
CDC Success Rates
This is the most recent data from the CDC. The CDC cautions that it should not be used to compare doctors and clinics. This data represents the outcomes of IVF cycles when using a person's own eggs.
For more information please see our FAQs.
Where you see a “?” on the chart, a clinic has done fewer than 20 cycles in this category and age range, so the CDC says showing percentages from this small data set would be misleading and unreliable.
Dr. Goldfarb has a very warm manner in general and it is clear that he has taken the time to review your medical record...not a lot of direct contact with him...when I had a procedure, he was not involved. I did occasionally hear from him, but usually a nurse called with my results...developed ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome after being switched to the wrong protocol. This change was made based upon one low test result. My spouse and I were then on tenterhooks about whether my egg retrieval would be cancelled, the physician team weren't completely on the same page about what should happen. The egg retrival was performed, but we could not proceed with a fresh transfer due to the OHSS.
Usually organized and responsive to calls and questions. The team [at University Hospitals Fertility Center] works well together. The waiting area is comfortable, parking is easy, although occasionally the main lot used for the clinic is full...Occasionally there are long waiting times, especially during weekend appointments. The responsibility to be in the loop about what's happening is on the patient.
How was your experience with James Goldfarb at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
The few times I interacted with Dr. Goldfarb were good. My concerns about my experience with him we're greatly improved by how the clinic overall functions and how it impacted my experience with him. There was not a lot of direct contact with him, but that's primarily because the nurses are more your primary contact rather than your physician. Also, there was a lot of coverage by his colleagues, so when I had a procedure, he was not involved. I did occasionally hear from him, but usually a nurse called with my results.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of James Goldfarb at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
A prospective patient would need to make it clear that they want to hear/discuss results with Dr. Goldfarb and would need to work around his call schedule to have him perform procedures.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with James Goldfarb at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
Dr. Goldfarb has a very warm manner in general and it is clear that he has taken the time to review your medical record. He also takes the time to make sure all your questions are answered. There is no rushing.
Describe the protocols James Goldfarb used in your cycles at University Hospitals Fertility Center and their degree of success.
We did 2 IUI cycled with Clomid in order to increase the number of eggs that could be fertilized due to male factors and unexplained infertility. Neither cycle produced a positive pregnancy test.
Describe your experience with your nurse at University Hospitals Fertility Center. (Assigned nurse: Debbie)
Although I had a primary nurse, she often was not the nurse I spoke to or saw during my clinic visits. All of the nurses I've interacted with are warm, compassionate, and good communicators. They are also very responsive to calls and questions.
Describe your experience with University Hospitals Fertility Center.
Strengths: Usually organized and responsive to calls and questions. The team works well together. The waiting area is comfortable, parking is easy, although occasionally the main lot used for the clinic is full.
Weaknesses: Occasionally there are long waiting times, especially during weekend appointments. The responsibility to be in the loop about what's happening is on the patient.
Describe the costs associated with your care under James Goldfarb at University Hospitals Fertility Center.
Thankfully our insurance plans have covered most of the costs associated with our treatments so far...
What specific things went wrong at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
Provided conflicting information
Lost or damaged samples
Canceled a cycle due to clinic error
Describe the specific things that went wrong at University Hospitals Fertility Center.
I developed ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome after being switched to the wrong protocol. This change was made based upon one low test result. My spouse and I were then on tenterhooks about whether my egg retrieval would be cancelled, the physician team weren't completely on the same page about what should happen. The egg retrival was performed, but we could not proceed with a fresh transfer due to the OHSS.
Dr Weinerman has a very awkward personality, unless you know her she may come off as not very warm. Now being with her for a few years, I can see the determination with trying to find alternative ways with my secondary infertility issue...she had suggested doing several cycles of IUI with injectables. The egg counts were good but we weren’t successful after 3 attempts...
UH Fertility Center in Beachwood and Westlake Ohio have been great. They are always on time for the most part. The only thing that could be improved is the scheduling of ultrasounds as the receptionist told me to come as early as I needed to regardless of my appointment time, and that they would take me and the other patients in the order we arrived...All other nurses have been great over the years and we know each other by a first name basis
How was your experience with Rachel Weinerman at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
Dr Weinerman is my 4th fertility doctor in my 7 yrs of trying for a second child. Her personality is a little dry or comes off as not as heart warming however the time she takes to go through all my options has been really awesome. I’ll take dedication over heart warming. She has been welcoming to new treatments and other methods. She knew that my husband and I couldn’t afford IVF so over many years we’ve tried all options. Now we’re all out of options and Dr Weinerman is very confident that if we did IVF that our odds are super high considering all my tests are great, I have PCOS so I have eggs and my husband’s sorry count is good too. My husband and I are school teachers and don’t have the out of pocket funds for an IVF.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Rachel Weinerman at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
I would say be open to all possibilities and look past the stale personality because she is worth it.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Rachel Weinerman at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
Dr Weinerman has a very awkward personality, unless you know her she may come off as not very warm. Now being with her for a few years, I can see the determination with trying to find alternative ways with my secondary infertility issue. She takes the time to go through all the details, regardless how much there is to go through and my file with UH is very big considering we’ve been trying for a second child for 7 years now.
Describe the protocols Rachel Weinerman used in your cycles at University Hospitals Fertility Center and their degree of success.
With Dr Weinerman she had suggested doing several cycles of IUI with injectables. The egg counts were good but we weren’t successful after 3 attempts. From there we did a biopsy of my uterus and it came back with a marker for endometriosis. She put me in antibiotics to see if that would clear up any infection in my uterus. We had done a saline ultrasound and HSG and both looked good. She cannot find a logical reason for my secondary infertility. Since all things look good, if we tried IVF, Dr Weinerman is very confident we’d be successful.
Describe your experience with your nurse at University Hospitals Fertility Center. (Assigned nurse: Dr Ashley Brown)
Dr Brown is Dr Weinerman’s nurse practitioner. She performed the uterine biopsy as well as my HSG. She was kind and gentle. All other nurses have been great over the years and we know each other by a first name basis since they’ve been helping me for 7yrs.
Describe your experience with University Hospitals Fertility Center.
UH Fertility Center in Beachwood and Westlake Ohio have been great. They are always on time for the most part. The only thing that could be improved is the scheduling of ultrasounds as the receptionist told me to come as early as I needed to regardless of my appointment time, and that they would take me and the other patients in the order we arrived.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Rachel Weinerman at University Hospitals Fertility Center.
$1000 out of pocket per IUI and medication. The copays with visits, labs, and other meds that weren’t 100% covered.
Prior to seeing Dr. Flyckt, I always just felt as though I was another person who was following a “standard protocol”. She took the time to personally reach out to us after a failed IUI and squeeze us in for an appointment that same week. She made us feel confident in the choice to have surgery and I really felt as though she felt that was the best course of treatment because she wanted us to have a chance at a baby as much as we wanted one.
They staff [at University Hospitals Fertility Center] is very kind and understanding. They have a staff the is knowledgeable. Everyone there from the receptionist to the financial counselor is ready to help you. My only piece of advice is be ready to wait. Sometimes you wait a while in the waiting room before being called back...An IUI will cost approximately $1,000 and an IVF cycle will cost anywhere between $12,500-$15,000
How was your experience with Rebecca Flyckt at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
Dr. Flyckt made me feel confident that my husband and I will have a baby one day. I have a complicated medical history and she took the time to seek me out to help me come up with a plan that would help us achieve our dream of having a family. She even got me in within the same week of reaching out to me for my first appointment. I never felt like I was “just another patient”. She is the first doctor who has given us hope in this whole journey. In addition to her caring and compassionate demeanor, she is excellent at communicating. She always made sure we had a full understanding of the next steps. She took her time to answer any questions we had. She even drew my husband a diagram to show me after my surgery! She is very knowledgeable and makes you feel confident and hopeful in a time that it is easy not to.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Rebecca Flyckt at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
You need to plan ahead for upcoming appointments because she goes book out pretty far. However, she is worth the wait!
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Rebecca Flyckt at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
Prior to seeing Dr. Flyckt, I always just felt as though I was another person who was following a “standard protocol”. She took the time to personally reach out to us after a failed IUI and squeeze us in for an appointment that same week. She made us feel confident in the choice to have surgery and I really felt as though she felt that was the best course of treatment because she wanted us to have a chance at a baby as much as we wanted one.
Describe the protocols Rebecca Flyckt used in your cycles at University Hospitals Fertility Center and their degree of success.
Prior to seeing Dr. Flyckt, I had taken 6 months of letrozole with timed intercourse. During that time I had been diagnosed with PCOS and was told I had a hydrosalpinx in my left ovary. I was told that any IUI treatment or anything would need to be done when I ovulated from my right side. We attempted one IUI by going in for monitoring. However I could not have the procedure because I was ovulating from the left. Dr. Flyckt contacted me to come see her and we scheduled surgery. During surgery she actually had to remove my right tube and repair my left tube from endometriosis scaring. She told us prior to the surgery we had a 0% chance of getting pregnant and now we potentially have a 65% chance. My current course of treatment is to again take letrozole and have times intercourse for 3 months and then to potentially move to IVF. We were told it is important to try and get pregnant within one year of my surgery because of the endometriosis.
Describe your experience with your nurse at University Hospitals Fertility Center. (Assigned nurse: Debbie )
Debbie always got back to us quickly. We really love all of the nurses there. They really take their time to answer questions and make sure you feel comfortable.
Describe your experience with University Hospitals Fertility Center.
They staff is very kind and understanding. They have a staff the is knowledgeable. Everyone there from the receptionist to the financial counselor is ready to help you. My only piece of advice is be ready to wait. Sometimes you wait a while in the waiting room before being called back.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Rebecca Flyckt at University Hospitals Fertility Center.
Fortunately, my surgery and medications have so far been covered by insurance. However, if we need to proceed to IVF or other treatments, we will be paying their “package” pricing because my insurance will not cover it. An IUI will cost approximately $1,000 and an IVF cycle will cost anywhere between $12,500-$15,000
[Dr. Goldfarb has] made us feel hope again and has also been realistic...halfway through the first cycle, he wasn’t seeing the follicle growth he wanted, and recommended stopping part way through, then starting a new protocol the next month. He added a long Lupron protocol which worked really well. I got 9 eggs from that cycle!...Because of my age, he recommended a single embryo transfer. It’s also a safer route considering multiple pregnancies are high risk. We felt very comfortable with this and are glad we transferred a single.
The clinic [University Hospital Fertility Center] is wonderful. Everyone there is so caring and helpful. The only thing I would say at times is there can be some miscommunication between the front office and nurses/doctors. It has always been cleared up quickly though...Angela [nurse] is absolutely amazing, and a complete blessing to the office! I can’t say enough good things about her. She’s kind, understanding, knowledgeable and available when we need her. She always gets back to us if we have questions. More nurses should be like her! She has felt like family!
How was your experience with James Goldfarb at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
He is wonderful. Dr. G is so thorough and caring, and explains everything very well. Amazing bedside manner and treats you like family. He has made this process easier for us, just because we feel so comfortable with him. We love him!
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of James Goldfarb at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
I would say to understand that he is there to support you. Ultimately he is there to guide you in making the best choices, but he wants you to do what you’re most comfortable with. This is just one of the many things we love about him! When going over options, we called with questions and he called us back the same day, after hours, and spent 45 minutes explaining and talking with us. You don’t find that often! He’s made us feel hope again and has also been realistic. We know he has our best interests at heart. I would recommend him to anyone!
Describe the protocols James Goldfarb used in your cycles at University Hospitals Fertility Center and their degree of success.
I don’t remember complete specifics, but halfway through the first cycle, he wasn’t seeing the follicle growth he wanted, and recommended stopping part way through, then starting a new protocol the next month. He added a long Lupron protocol which worked really well. I got 9 eggs from that cycle!
Describe your experience with your nurse at University Hospitals Fertility Center. (Assigned nurse: Angela )
Angela is absolutely amazing, and a complete blessing to the office! I can’t say enough good things about her. She’s kind, understanding, knowledgeable and available when we need her. She always gets back to us if we have questions. More nurses should be like her! She has felt like family!
Describe your experience with University Hospitals Fertility Center.
The clinic is wonderful. Everyone there is so caring and helpful. The only thing I would say at times is there can be some miscommunication between the front office and nurses/doctors. It has always been cleared up quickly though.
Describe the costs associated with your care under James Goldfarb at University Hospitals Fertility Center.
I believe the total cost for medication and retrieval was about $35,000. The retrieval was about $20,000 of that number
Describe James Goldfarb's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at University Hospitals Fertility Center.
Because of my age, he recommended a single embryo transfer. It’s also a safer route considering multiple pregnancies are high risk. We felt very comfortable with this and are glad we transferred a single.
He [Dr. James Liu] was very informative and explained things to us in a way that we would be able to understand. He was very positive yet realistic when needed. We would recommend him to anyone!...He was so helpful and told us everything in an easy manner. He talked to us like we are humans and didn’t get overly technical. He answered our questions and was always available. He was welcoming and we never felt “in the dark.”
The clinic [University Hospital Fertility Center] was amazing. Dr. Goldfarb and Dr. Liu seemed to genuinely care about us and built great relationships. The nurses were outstanding. We felt so comfortable and at ease when we are there. It was like we had been patients for years after meeting them once or twice...We did 5 IUI’s. With the first four we did strictly Clomid. On the 5th IUI we used injectables (Follistim) and a trigger shot.
How was your experience with James Liu at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
He was so helpful and told us everything in an easy manner. He talked to us like we are humans and didn’t get overly technical. He answered our questions and was always available. He was welcoming and we never felt “in the dark.”
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of James Liu at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
He is wonderful. Dr. Goldfarb started the practice but Dr. Liu is just as qualified and has changed our life.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with James Liu at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
He was very informative and explained things to us in a way that we would be able to understand. He was very positive yet realistic when needed. We would recommend him to anyone!
Describe the protocols James Liu used in your cycles at University Hospitals Fertility Center and their degree of success.
We did 5 IUI’s. With the first four we did strictly Clomid. On the 5th IUI we used injectables (Follistim) and a trigger shot.
With all 5 IUI’s we also did consistent monitoring with bloodwork/ultrasounds. The practice is in Cleveland, Ohio but we live in Erie, PA (hour and a half away). We were able to do the monitoring in Erie.
Describe your experience with your nurse at University Hospitals Fertility Center. (Assigned nurse: Angela, Katie )
The nursing staff was beyond amazing. We called all the time and they usually returned calls within the hour. They had answers to all our questions. They didn’t mind answer silly questions or the same questions over and over. They put my mind at ease.
Describe your experience with University Hospitals Fertility Center.
The clinic was amazing. Dr. Goldfarb and Dr. Liu seemed to genuinely care about us and built great relationships. The nurses were outstanding. We felt so comfortable and at ease when we are there. It was like we had been patients for years after meeting them once or twice.
Describe the costs associated with your care under James Liu at University Hospitals Fertility Center.
IUI-420.00 per IUI
IVF cost-9,000
IVF medications-2,500(with discounts)
Follistim (IUI)-700.00 (approximately)
Clomid-covered under insurance
Highmark did not cover a majorly of our treatments.Most was paid out of pocket.
I have had only good experiences with Dr. Goldfarb he seems to know his stuff, really care, etc. I ... I had 5 failed cycles of IUI where I could not actually do the procedure which was a deficiency in my cycle and body not with the clinic. The last one I had a good experience but did not get pregnant and was advised ... there is no point in continuing with IUIs and I also have endometriosis which just progresses.
Clinic [Univ Hospitals] is great I don't think I can complain about anything honestly..They are so communicative, get back to you always very fast, the nurses always consult with the doctor, they are super compassionate, as flexible as canbe, understanding, always available! ... All of the nursing staff is so caring, individualized, clear, on top of things and amazing! I could not be happier. They really help you through every step of the way.
How was your experience with James Goldfarb at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
I have had only good experiences with Dr. Goldfarb he seems to know his stuff, really care, etc. I haven't seen him too many times but each time he was extremely thorough and compassionate. He has even suggested potential anecdotal items that might help.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of James Goldfarb at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
Trust him he is great!
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with James Goldfarb at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
I completely felt like a human, Dr Goldfarb and his entire clinic truly care and treat every patient as if they are the only one.
Describe the protocols James Goldfarb used in your cycles at University Hospitals Fertility Center and their degree of success.
I had 5 failed cycles of IUI where I could not actually do the procedure which was a deficiency in my cycle and body not with the clinic. The last one I had a good experience but did not get pregnant and was advised by an outside advisor because my husbands sperm is ok that there is no point in continuing with IUIs and I also have endometriosis which just progresses. I then proceeded to my first IVF with my transfer tomorrow! The protocol was progressive follistm and then ganirelix and hcg. My estrogen got pretty high so they reduced the folistim and gave me a Lupron trigger instead. This produced a lot of eggs but my own theory is that is why only 1 embryo survived until day 6 out of 36 mature eggs.
Describe your experience with your nurse at University Hospitals Fertility Center. (Assigned nurse: Angela )
All of the nursing staff is so caring, individualized, clear, on top of things and amazing! I could not be happier. They really help you through every step of the way.
Describe your experience with University Hospitals Fertility Center.
Clinic is great I don't think I can complain about anything honestly..They are so communicative, get back to you always very fast, the nurses always consult with the doctor, they are super compassionate, as flexible as canbe, understanding, always available!
Describe the costs associated with your care under James Goldfarb at University Hospitals Fertility Center.
I felt that Dr.James Liu was very passionate about his role in assisting couples to reach their goal of having a family and his personality was very great when making you feel comfortable before surgery...He has a great bedside manner and explains what he is doing thoroughly...he worked with Dr.Goldfarb together they came up with a plan for my case. I did 3 rounds of IUI'S and then moved on to IVF.
Everyone from the front desk to the nurses and ultrasound techs and lab techs [at University Hospitals Fertility Center - Beachwood] are amazing. They all made me feel as if they knew me personally and truly cared about my main goal of having a baby...I felt that Karin [nurse] was very compassionate with the patients undergoing treatment. She was always helpful with all of my questions and very patient with me.
How was your experience with James Liu at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
I felt that Dr.James Liu was very passionate about his role in assisting couples to reach their goal of having a family and his personality was very great when making you feel comfortable before surgery.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of James Liu at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
That he is very experienced and hos team will work together to help you achieve having a family.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with James Liu at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
I felt like he is passionate about helping couples achieve their dreams of having a family.
He has a great bedside manner and explains what he is doing thoroughly.
Describe the protocols James Liu used in your cycles at University Hospitals Fertility Center and their degree of success.
he worked with Dr.Goldfarb together they came up with a plan for my case.
I did 3 rounds of IUI'S and then moved on to IVF. 1st round I became pregnant with twins after a double transfer. Lost one of the babies at 12 weeks.
I used Lupron, then follistem, pregnant HCG trigger shot before retrieval.
Describe your experience with your nurse at University Hospitals Fertility Center. (Assigned nurse: Karin Kyle)
I felt that Karin was very compassionate with the patients undergoing treatment.
She was always helpful with all of my questions and very patient with me. She cried when I found out I was pregnant and I could feel how truly happy she was for my husband and I.
Describe your experience with University Hospitals Fertility Center.
Everyone from the front desk to the nurses and ultrasound techs and lab techs are amazing. They all made me feel as if they knew me personally and truly cared about my main goal of having a baby.
I have no complaints at this time.
Describe the costs associated with your care under James Liu at University Hospitals Fertility Center.
the first round of IVF was financed through ARC fertility loans and the 2nd round was $8500.00 with additional cost for labs and monitoring with ultrasounds and prescriptions. 2nd round was roughly 14k
Describe James Liu's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at University Hospitals Fertility Center.
I requested both times we did fresb transfers to place 2 embryos. He didn't discourage this decision.
Dr. Goldfarb prescribed Clomid 50mg for my unexplained infertility, which I am currently taking. He did not prescribe any additional treatment for my recurrent pregnancy loss...After suffering 4 miscarriages and then a year of unexplained infertility after our most recent loss, Dr. Goldfarb was the first doctor to look us in the eyes and say, "You have been through a lot. I am so, so sorry."...is the third RE we've seen in two years, and his bedside manner is unparalleled. He took the time to explain to us his suggested course of treatment, and most importantly, he seemed to understand how what we have been through to this point has affected the kind of treatment (both medical and personal) we need now. With the ever-frustrating dual diagnosis of unexplained infertility and recurrent pregnancy loss, it can feel like we are muddling down a road of uncertainty, but Dr. Goldfarb charted a clear path forward for us while still offering us choices for our treatment.
The nursing staff [at University Hospitals Fertility Center] was helpful and friendly...I had to call and have Dr. Goldfarb call in my prescriptions; they did not do this automatically...The clinic was easy to access, clean, and efficient. The office staff initially got my appointment time mixed up, and one of the women at the front desk told me that I would have to schedule another appointment (I didn't), but the situation was quickly rectified...
How was your experience with James Goldfarb at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
At our new patient consultation, Dr. Goldfarb made us feel secure and cared-for from the moment we walked into his office. He took 10 minutes to review our file before we met with him, and once we were sitting with him, his demeanor and calm candor assured us that we were in good hands. Dr. Goldfarb is the third RE we've seen in two years, and his bedside manner is unparalleled. He took the time to explain to us his suggested course of treatment, and most importantly, he seemed to understand how what we have been through to this point has affected the kind of treatment (both medical and personal) we need now. With the ever-frustrating dual diagnosis of unexplained infertility and recurrent pregnancy loss, it can feel like we are muddling down a road of uncertainty, but Dr. Goldfarb charted a clear path forward for us while still offering us choices for our treatment.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of James Goldfarb at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
Write down your questions ahead of time, and be sure to ask them.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with James Goldfarb at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
After suffering 4 miscarriages and then a year of unexplained infertility after our most recent loss, Dr. Goldfarb was the first doctor to look us in the eyes and say, "You have been through a lot. I am so, so sorry."
Describe the protocols James Goldfarb used in your cycles at University Hospitals Fertility Center and their degree of success.
Dr. Goldfarb prescribed Clomid 50mg for my unexplained infertility, which I am currently taking. He did not prescribe any additional treatment for my recurrent pregnancy loss.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at University Hospitals Fertility Center.
The nursing staff was helpful and friendly.
Describe your experience with University Hospitals Fertility Center.
The clinic was easy to access, clean, and efficient. The office staff initially got my appointment time mixed up, and one of the women at the front desk told me that I would have to schedule another appointment (I didn't), but the situation was quickly rectified.
Describe the costs associated with your care under James Goldfarb at University Hospitals Fertility Center.
I have not yet been billed for my appointment with Dr. Goldfarb. The out-of-pocket cost for one month of Clomid is about $17.
What specific things went wrong at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
Describe the specific things that went wrong at University Hospitals Fertility Center.
I had to call and have Dr. Goldfarb call in my prescriptions; they did not do this automatically.
He was a wonderful Dr. I wasn’t able to have a baby under his care, but he did a lot for me...He was very personable, and answered every question I had...I only saw dr Goldfarb 2-3 times over a 20 month period... I did one IUI and 18 other cycles on clomid, letrozol and injectables. He made me feel at ease during the IUI- which later resulted in another miscarriage. He did lots of testing on me to figure out what was going on, never could. He deemed us unexplained infertility, but I do feel he was adequate in his treatment.
They were always available when questions came up with medications. Calls were returned very swiftly. They made me feel like I had a say in my care and let me do different options as the months progressed...the cost greatly hindered our treatment options. The process sort of felt like a cattle call, but I don’t think there’s another way around that- it’s just how these clinics have to be managed...[nursing staff] They were wonderful. They never gave up on me and let me continue to try every single month.
How was your experience with James Goldfarb at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
He was a wonderful Dr. I wasn’t able to have a baby under his care, but he did a lot for me. I later had my miracle baby after moving cross country. He was very personable, and answered every question I had. I did one IUI and 18 other cycles on clomid, letrozol and injectables. He made me feel at ease during the IUI- which later resulted in another miscarriage. He did lots of testing on me to figure out what was going on, never could. He deemed us unexplained infertility, but I do feel he was adequate in his treatment.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of James Goldfarb at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
Don’t be afraid to ask questions! He is a wonderful and expert fertility dr!
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with James Goldfarb at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
He was wonderful as a dr and person.
Describe the protocols James Goldfarb used in your cycles at University Hospitals Fertility Center and their degree of success.
Clomid made me feel terrible. Most cycles I did 7.5 of letrozol which was very successful. It took a long time to get pregnant each time, and each one always resulted in miscarriage. I did several cycles of injectables which were no more successful than letrozol. I did one IUI which also resulted in miscarriage. I only saw dr Goldfarb 2-3 times over a 20 month period. Each month, I was seen by the nurses primarily, who were wonderful.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at University Hospitals Fertility Center.
They were wonderful. They never gave up on me and let me continue to try every single month.
Describe your experience with University Hospitals Fertility Center.
They were always available when questions came up with medications. Calls were returned very swiftly. They made me feel like I had a say in my care and let me do different options as the months progressed. It would have helped my family if they had grants or discounts for Active Duty Military- as the cost greatly hindered our treatment options. The process sort of felt like a cattle call, but I don’t think there’s another way around that- it’s just how these clinics have to be managed.
Describe the costs associated with your care under James Goldfarb at University Hospitals Fertility Center.
$500 for one IUI
Meds were about $50 a month
Describe James Goldfarb's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at University Hospitals Fertility Center.
However, she [Dr. Rossi] simply kept having me try again and again without truly identifying the issues that I had. As a result of her recommendations, I had multiple ectopic pregnancies, with the recommendation to keep on trying. I would not recommend her to someone in my situation. I do not know if I would recommend her to someone different fertility needs.
When I spoke with the nurses [University Hospitals Fertility Center], they often had no knowledge of my history and would state canned responses to my issues of spotting or cramping. They also would say things like “at least you know you can get pregnant,” which is not very sensitive to a person who has had many many losses. ... The doctors at this clinic are conservative in a good way. I believe that they take their time before they recommend invasive strategies.
How was your experience with Brooke Rossi at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
Dr. Rossi was kind but professional. I really trusted her throughout the time I was in her care. However, she simply kept having me try again and again without truly identifying the issues that I had. As a result of her recommendations, I had multiple ectopic pregnancies, with the recommendation to keep on trying. I would not recommend her to someone in my situation. I do not know if I would recommend her to someone different fertility needs.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Brooke Rossi at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
Ask a lot of questions and do your own research.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Brooke Rossi at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
When I met with Dr. Rossi or spoke with her by phone, I felt that she cared about me and my situation.
Describe the protocols Brooke Rossi used in your cycles at University Hospitals Fertility Center and their degree of success.
Time intercourse with the use of hormones. After having 3 ectopics (3 cornual), we began monitoring which side I was ovulating on with the preference of conception happening when I ovulated on the right side. My most recent pregnancy happened when I ovulated on the right side and resulted in a fourth ectopic pregnancy.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at University Hospitals Fertility Center.
For the most part, the nurses were kind and thorough. However, my situation was not necessarily the “typical” situation of other patients at the clinic. I have had repeated pregnancies, all of which ended in loss. When I spoke with the nurses, they often had no knowledge of my history and would state canned responses to my issues of spotting or cramping. They also would say things like “at least you know you can get pregnant,” which is not very sensitive to a person who has had many many losses. On at least one occasion, the nurse that called me did not know what medicines I was prescribed. I do think that the nurses cared a lot, I just don’t think they had the time they needed to prepare for their calls.
Describe your experience with University Hospitals Fertility Center.
The doctors at this clinic are conservative in a good way. I believe that they take their time before they recommend invasive strategies. However, I think that their conservative approach can sometimes get in the way of what is best for patients.
What specific things went wrong at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
Provided conflicting information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at University Hospitals Fertility Center.
The nurse that called me did not know which medication had been prescribed to me and answered my questions about it almost flippantly.
Dr. Goldfarb is an extremely experienced reproductive endocrinologist... He turned what was a very horrible situation for me, about himself and did nothing to validate my feelings or advocate for me...I found his approach to be unsympathetic, minimizing my experience...I found his approach to be unsympathetic, minimizing my experience....My protocol never changed under Dr. Goldfarb's care....All doses were the maximum that could be prescribed
the team [Univ Hospitals] was rather unorganized and didn't take the time to prepare or review my chart prior to meeting with me and as a result this led to a number of issues. Issues such as making assumptions about me that were not true, confusion about what treatments and procedures I was to have, or had already had, and many miscommunications as well as no communication...The ultrasound tech, Carmella is fantastic and I've no trouble with the phlebotomist either.
How was your experience with James Goldfarb at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
Dr. Goldfarb is an extremely experienced reproductive endocrinologist. I felt at times early in my treatment with him that he would talk as though I knew and understood everything related to fertility treatment, which was not the case. I wasn't overly troubled by this initially because I was freezing my eggs for fertility preservation and not actively trying to conceive. I'm also not afraid to speak up for myself so I was able to ask questions if need be. Then, about 5 years after my initial experience with him, there was a freezer malfunction in the lab where my eggs were stored and all of my eggs were destroyed. Following said disaster my interactions with Dr. Goldfarb changed. Given the sensitive nature of the fertility process, my assumption and expectation was that the treating physician would be sensitive and supportive. Then after the freezer malfunction, which made an already sensitive process exponentially more sensitive and emotional, I naively thought my doctor would bend over backwards for me, making sure to handle my case with kid gloves. Unfortunately, this did not happen. I felt I was offered empty apologies, conflicting information and to make matters worse, the doctor regularly told me stories about himself or his family members in an attempt to make me feel better. Clearly his attempts went terribly wrong. To give you an example, after losing my eggs I was told there was a waitlist to start another round of egg freezing. This didn't sit well with me because I felt I would lose more time having to wait. When I expressed my frustration to Dr. Goldfarb he said he completely understood and then proceeded to tell me he had been scheduled for a procedure once that had to be cancelled unexpectedly. This example was not helpful to me. He turned what was a very horrible situation for me, about himself and did nothing to validate my feelings or advocate for me. Furthermore, this happened on more than one occasion. I found his approach to be unsympathetic, minimizing my experience.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of James Goldfarb at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
Know what you need from your physician and be a strong advocate for yourself.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with James Goldfarb at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
My answer varies a bit depending on the situation. When I first met Dr. Goldfarb it seemed he saw me as a human. I initially underwent two rounds of egg freezing for fertility preservation. I saw him a few years later to attempt IUI, but I was interacting with the nurses more than the doctor. I began to feel more like a number because the team was rather unorganized and didn't take the time to prepare or review my chart prior to meeting with me and as a result this led to a number of issues. Issues such as making assumptions about me that were not true, confusion about what treatments and procedures I was to have, or had already had, and many miscommunications as well as no communication.
Describe the protocols James Goldfarb used in your cycles at University Hospitals Fertility Center and their degree of success.
My protocol never changed under Dr. Goldfarb's care. I was on Follistim, Menopur and Ganirelix, with the hcg trigger. All doses were the maximum that could be prescribed. Of note, I have not been diagnosed with fertility issues thus far. I have undergone fertility preservation and two non-medicated iui's. When I presented to re-do my egg freezing after the disaster, my protocol did not change despite being 5 years older. It's my understanding that this group of physicians prefers to keep the protocol the same if the patient has responded well previously.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at University Hospitals Fertility Center.
Nurses in this practice change like the weather. They are not always organized and often communicated differing information. I ended up requesting that I be assigned a primary nurse, which worked for a little while. This is challenging because most of the nurses are not there every day so you're bound to see a few nurses. You also have to stay on top of them because as I mentioned, the primary nurse assignment worked for a bit, but then it reverted to the multiple different nurses again. I often wonder if the caseload is not manageable for the staff they have and perhaps that is why there is disorganization and a lack of, or poor communication. Given these items, I felt more like a number as the nurses often struggled to remember things about me or my cycle between appointments.
Describe your experience with University Hospitals Fertility Center.
On paper, this clinic is highly reputable. The facility is clean. They struggle with organization, and communication is not their strong suit consistently. I would argue communication with patients and communication amongst the medical team is lacking. I also would've thought that in the aftermath of the freezer malfunction they would try to quickly improve their service delivery from all angles, but this hasn't happened. Again, I strongly encourage you to be an advocate for yourself from day one and keep good notes.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at University Hospitals Fertility Center.
This clinic has monitoring hours, but the nurse will ask you what time you want to come in. Even though you select a time, they still take you first come first serve. It is my understanding that they are starting to give actual appointments now. During one of my recent cycles I arrived for monitoring on two occasions and was told I didn't have an appointment. The ultrasound tech, Carmella is fantastic and I've no trouble with the phlebotomist either.
Describe the costs associated with your care under James Goldfarb at University Hospitals Fertility Center.
The medications were expensive. If I remember correctly, around $5,000 or so. I do have a fertility benefit under my insurance although it is limited. Nevertheless it has been an expensive endeavor. Sorry I don't have more specifics on cost. Storage fees were $400/yr.
What specific things went wrong at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
Lost appointments
Provided conflicting information
Failed to convey critical information
Lost or damaged samples
Describe the specific things that went wrong at University Hospitals Fertility Center.
I would like to think that had it not been for the freezer malfunction, perhaps my experience would be very different.
Dr. Weinerman entered the picture when I really needed someone who was going to advocate on my behalf....Dr. Weinerman didn't sugarcoat anything, but she still maintained a warm demeanor... From the first time I spoke to her via phone, she said what I needed to hear and genuinely expressed her apologies for the loss of all of my eggs... I felt that I could be myself, honest and vulnerable with her and that I wouldn't be judged.
The clinic [Univ Hospitals] is clean. The clinic needs to improve upon organization, and communication in all areas from administrative to nursing and at the physician level... they [nurses] don't seem to prepare or review your chart before meeting with you. I would argue that I felt more like a number when working with the nurses than a human. The nurses who I worked with during my retrievals on the other hand were great.
How was your experience with Rachel Weinerman at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
I decided to change physicians to Dr. Weinerman from another doc in the group. Dr. Weinerman entered the picture when I really needed someone who was going to advocate on my behalf. From the first time I spoke to her via phone, she said what I needed to hear and genuinely expressed her apologies for the loss of all of my eggs. She took the time to speak with me and answer my questions at length. I felt that I could be myself, honest and vulnerable with her and that I wouldn't be judged. Dr. Weinerman didn't sugarcoat anything, but she still maintained a warm demeanor, which I also really needed. After talking via phone, she made it a point to meet me during one of my monitoring visits and again spent a substantial amount of time talking with me.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Rachel Weinerman at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
I decided to change physicians and chose Dr. Weinerman. Dr. Weinerman entered the picture when I really needed someone who was going to advocate on my behalf. From the first time I spoke to her via phone, she said what I needed to hear and I could tell she was genuine. She took the time to speak with me and answer my questions at length. Dr. Weinerman didn't sugarcoat anything, but she still maintained a warm demeanor, which I really needed. After talking via phone, she made it a point to meet me during one of my monitoring visits and again spent a substantial amount of time talking with me. Consequently I felt that she viewed me as an individual and a human, not just a number.
Describe the protocols Rachel Weinerman used in your cycles at University Hospitals Fertility Center and their degree of success.
My protocol didn't change with Dr. Weinerman at first. I used follistim, menopur and ganirelix as well as the hcg trigger. I was taking the highest doses and got 8 eggs. For my second cycle with her I asked to alter things and used lupron instead of ganirelix. I got 10 eggs with that cycle.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at University Hospitals Fertility Center.
The nursing staff was a bit more consistent during my third cycle. I had the same nurse for most days. The one con is that she was orienting a new nurse and I wasn't asked if I was ok with that. There was one instance on my second day of monitoring where the nurse said things weren't looking good. She said she would have thought that I would have responded more. She then flipped through my chart to look at a previous cycle and noticed that I was slower to respond during the previous cycle too. Because of this she was not as concerned about the lack of progress noted at that visit. This upset me because had she not jumped to the conclusion that I wasn't responding and instead taken the time to look back at previous cycles she would've known that this finding was not abnormal. This goes back to my previous review of the nurses and how they don't seem to prepare or review your chart before meeting with you. I would argue that I felt more like a number when working with the nurses than a human. The nurses who I worked with during my retrievals on the other hand were great.
Describe your experience with University Hospitals Fertility Center.
This clinic has a good reputation for the most part. The clinic is clean. The clinic needs to improve upon organization, and communication in all areas from administrative to nursing and at the physician level.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at University Hospitals Fertility Center.
Monitoring was fine.
What specific things went wrong at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
Lost appointments
Provided conflicting information
Lost or damaged samples
Describe the specific things that went wrong at University Hospitals Fertility Center.
Again, these things are related to organization and communication.
Very good credentials and history of infertility treatments. However, I barely saw my RE through both cycles and I did not communicate with him a lot. He [Dr. Goldfarb] did not go over any thoughts or suggestions for the next cycle. It seemed like he thought our success would be easy with IVF dealing with male factor, but we have not been able to produce strong embryos. The 2nd cycle suggestion was to create more eggs than the first and we ended up getting way less the 2nd time.
The clinic [University Hospitals Fertility Ctr] has a terrible billing system. The clinic does not encourage PGS testing on embryos. They also do not grade embryos the way you may see online through other clinics with an “ABC” rating. They do not give you details of the embryo quality.... Helpful nursing staff. No complaints.... IVF costs $9800 out of pocket for the first cycle. Drugs and follicle monitoring are not included.
How was your experience with James Goldfarb at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
Very good credentials and history of infertility treatments. However, I barely saw my RE through both cycles and I did not communicate with him a lot. He did not go over any thoughts or suggestions for the next cycle. It seemed like he thought our success would be easy with IVF dealing with male factor, but we have not been able to produce strong embryos. The 2nd cycle suggestion was to create more eggs than the first and we ended up getting way less the 2nd time. He still wanted to proceed and I was uneasy about it. Of course the 2nd cycle as a fail and only 1 embryo made it. We are very disappointed. No explanation whatsoever from the clinic.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of James Goldfarb at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
Make him more involved in your treatment.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with James Goldfarb at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
In the beginning I felt like a human and my tests came out with great results so everyone was optimistic. Then when I had the 2nd retrieval, I barely saw my RE and after the failed transfer, I haven’t heard from him since.
Describe the protocols James Goldfarb used in your cycles at University Hospitals Fertility Center and their degree of success.
The first was long Lupron with Follistim. Lupron seemed to have made my ovaries not produce so the Follistim dosage kept increasing and my estrogen level was sky high. It produced around 16 eggs. 12 mature.
The 2nd cycle was Menopur, Follistim and Ganirelix to try to get more eggs due to my high AMH than the first try. Since they kept my Follistim dosage low at 175 IU and 175 menopur, I only yielded 10 eggs. 1 was transferred and the rest stopped growing. It seemed my estrogen level was more important than number of eggs.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at University Hospitals Fertility Center.
Helpful nursing staff. No complaints.
Describe your experience with University Hospitals Fertility Center.
The clinic has a terrible billing system. The clinic does not encourage PGS testing on embryos. They also do not grade embryos the way you may see online through other clinics with an “ABC” rating. They do not give you details of the embryo quality.
Describe the costs associated with your care under James Goldfarb at University Hospitals Fertility Center.
IVF costs $9800 out of pocket for the first cycle. Drugs and follicle monitoring are not included.
Describe James Goldfarb's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at University Hospitals Fertility Center.
No preference. Max 2 depending on what the embryos looked like.
Dr. Goldfarb agreed that we should jump right to IVF. I started the injections ganarelix, follistem, HCG. I had 1 follicle that was way too big for IVF, so we opted for an IUI. Dr. Goldfarb put me on Lupron right away just in case our IUI didn’t work so we could jump right back the next month. Our IUI WAS unsuccessful, so I continued Lupron and added follistem and menopur. We are in the process of seeing if this protocol will work.
Everyone is very sweet in the office [University Hospitals Fertility Center]. The waiting room is comfortable. The office is located in the University Hospital in Beachwood and is very nice. When entering the hospital, I’m always greeted by the valet staff.... Every nurse that I’ve worked with has been very knowledgeable. I’ve had a few conversations that were rough for me, but they were kind and offered support.
How was your experience with James Goldfarb at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
Dr. Goldfarb is very thorough when discussing treatments. He has a gentle demeanor and is very kind and caring. He doesn’t hesitate to get on the phone and discuss the situation and go over all of the options. I could tell that he really loves his job and enjoys meeting new patients and getting to know them!
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of James Goldfarb at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
I don’t really have any advice. I feel like they cover everything very well during your first couple of visits.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with James Goldfarb at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
The whole staff is very friendly.
Describe the protocols James Goldfarb used in your cycles at University Hospitals Fertility Center and their degree of success.
I had already had 3 unsuccessful IUIs with another dr. in another state and 10 years of trying to conceive. Dr. Goldfarb agreed that we should jump right to IVF. I started the injections ganarelix, follistem, HCG. I had 1 follicle that was way too big for IVF, so we opted for an IUI. Dr. Goldfarb put me on Lupron right away just in case our IUI didn’t work so we could jump right back the next month. Our IUI WAS unsuccessful, so I continued Lupron and added follistem and menopur. We are in the process of seeing if this protocol will work.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at University Hospitals Fertility Center.
Every nurse that I’ve worked with has been very knowledgeable. I’ve had a few conversations that were rough for me, but they were kind and offered support.
Describe your experience with University Hospitals Fertility Center.
Everyone is very sweet in the office. The waiting room is comfortable. The office is located in the University Hospital in Beachwood and is very nice. When entering the hospital, I’m always greeted by the valet staff.
Describe the costs associated with your care under James Goldfarb at University Hospitals Fertility Center.
I am self pay. Each ultrasound and blood draw is $200. The retrieval and transfer is $10,000. My first round of meds was $1500 and my second round was $1260.
Describe James Goldfarb's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at University Hospitals Fertility Center.
Dr. Rossi makes me feel comfortable....I'm single ttc, so all of my procedures have been with donor sperm...She provides all options, and you decide what treatment you are comfortable with at the time. She is also comfortably conservative, meaning she doesn't rush to invasive surgeries without trying less invasive treatments or procedures first...She has also done both of my surgeries (lap. cystectomy and open myomectomy) with good results. I look forward to my 2nd IVF attempt in the summer 2018, once my uterus is completely healed from the myomectomy.
You can make some appointments at the Westlake office...Some procedures have to be done at the Beachwood location (Ahuja Medical Center). Everyone is so nice at both locations...Nurse Diane and Nurse Carol are the primary nurses you see at UH Fertility's Westlake office. They are the best!...IUI with donor sperm was $300 (not including the cost of sperm). IVF is $10,000 for egg retrieval and embryo transfer...I'm single ttc, so all of my procedures have been with donor sperm.
How was your experience with Brooke Rossi at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
Dr. Rossi makes me feel comfortable. She provides all options, and you decide what treatment you are comfortable with at the time. She is also comfortably conservative, meaning she doesn't rush to invasive surgeries without trying less invasive treatments or procedures first. When I achieved my pregnancy via IVF, I sadly miscarried. She discussed the potential "why's" to the situation, but then gave me a sincere hug and said "I'm so sorry; we will keep working..." I felt so comforted and understood in that moment, which is why I continue to see her. She has also done both of my surgeries (lap. cystectomy and open myomectomy) with good results. I look forward to my 2nd IVF attempt in the summer 2018, once my uterus is completely healed from the myomectomy.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Brooke Rossi at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
Prepare a list of questions before your appointment. It's so easy to forget something you wanted to discuss with her.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Brooke Rossi at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
Dr. Rossi is both objective/clinical, while still being empathetic.
Describe the protocols Brooke Rossi used in your cycles at University Hospitals Fertility Center and their degree of success.
I'm single ttc, so all of my procedures have been with donor sperm. My first IUI was a natural cycle. Then I used clomid for the next few IUI's. My 5th IUI was a canceled IVF cycle due to lack of response (didn't have enough follicles to warrant an IVF cycle), so I did IUI. All 5 IUI's were negative. My 1st and only IVF resulted in a pregnancy in Oct. 2017, but I miscarried at 7 weeks. I had transferred two day 3 embryos, and was pregnant with a singleton. Since I had a miscarriage, we decided to move forward with an open myomectomy in Jan. 2018 to remove 6 fibroids, as well as endometriosis (which we already knew I had from the cystectomy I had in April 2017). I've done two egg retrievals. One before the 1st IVF cycle and a second cycle before the myomectomy. So now I have two day 3 embryos and two day 6 embryos. Once my uterus heals in 6 months (July 2018), I will transfer another embryo(s).
Describe your experience with your nurse at University Hospitals Fertility Center. (Assigned nurse: Diane and Carol)
Nurse Diane and Nurse Carol are the primary nurses you see at UH Fertility's Westlake office. They are the best!
Describe your experience with University Hospitals Fertility Center.
You can make some appointments at the Westlake office (across from Crocker Park). This is more convenient for some rather than driving to Beachwood. Some procedures have to be done at the Beachwood location (Ahuja Medical Center). Everyone is so nice at both locations.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Brooke Rossi at University Hospitals Fertility Center.
IUI with donor sperm was $300 (not including the cost of sperm). IVF is $10,000 for egg retrieval and embryo transfer, plus another $2,000 or so for meds from a local pharmacy (depends on your specific protocol).
Describe Brooke Rossi's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at University Hospitals Fertility Center.
Yes, my Dr. and the UH practice follows the guidelines; however, it depends on your age, health issues, etc. As well as the determined quality of your embryos, etc. The entire team discusses which embryos and how many you should transfer beforehand, but it's ultimately up to you and what you are comfortable with the day of transfer.
The only time you see the doctor [Dr. Brooke Rossi] is for consultations or surgeries. They don’t even perform the IUIs...When Dr. Rossi worked at the Cleveland office, I received no notification that she was leaving until another doctor walked into my procedure and introduced herself... I didn’t have much of an opportunity to get to know her other than in our initial consultation...On to IVF with no other options other than timed intercourse or another IUI.
If a single embryo transfer does not take [at University Hospitals Fertility Center], the next transfer is half off. If you elect to transfer multiples and none of them take, there is no discount for the next transfer...Office workers sometimes fail to check you in. Call center works great, nurses are relayed information quickly. NEVER willingly book an appointment on a Friday, they are often short staffed and you wait much longer...The only time you see the doctor is for consultations or surgeries. They don’t even perform the IUIs.
How was your experience with Brooke Rossi at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
When Dr. Rossi worked at the Cleveland office, I received no notification that she was leaving until another doctor walked into my procedure and introduced herself. None of the doctors in this office have a relationship with their patients. The nurses also switch every time I am in the office. Strictly a number.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Brooke Rossi at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
Unfortunately, I didn’t have much of an opportunity to get to know her other than in our initial consultation.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Brooke Rossi at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
The only time you see the doctor is for consultations or surgeries. They don’t even perform the IUIs.
Describe the protocols Brooke Rossi used in your cycles at University Hospitals Fertility Center and their degree of success.
PCOS- 2.5 mg Letrozole up to 5 mg of Leteozole. Follicles were growing, but fertilization/implantation never happened. Switched to IUI with trigger shot. 3x, no baby. On to IVF with no other options other than timed intercourse or another IUI.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at University Hospitals Fertility Center.
The nursing staff is phenomenal. They are more my doctor than the actual doctor. I just wished I would have one nurse assigned to me so I felt someone actually knew my background/case and was able to lobby for me more appropriately.
Describe your experience with University Hospitals Fertility Center.
Office workers sometimes fail to check you in. Call center works great, nurses are relayed information quickly. NEVER willingly book an appointment on a Friday, they are often short staffed and you wait much longer.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Brooke Rossi at University Hospitals Fertility Center.
Many appointments were covered for monitoring. Met deductible of $600 early on. IUI was $420 for each round. IVF is approximately $12000 depending on the package and that does not include meds.
Describe Brooke Rossi's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at University Hospitals Fertility Center.
I completely disagree with my clinic’s policy on only implanting one unless you’re 35+. Again, it’s about money -not success. If a single embryo transfer does not take, the next transfer is half off. If you elect to transfer multiples and none of them take, there is no discount for the next transfer.
What specific things went wrong at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
Failed to order appropriate test
Describe the specific things that went wrong at University Hospitals Fertility Center.
A genetic test was ordered for my husband when it was unnecessary.
Dr Goldfarb has always been very caring and compassionate towards our individual situation. He met with us in his office rather than an exam room and spoke to us face to face. He explained everything in detail and answered every question we had with no feeling of being rushed. He called to check in on me several times and never made me feel like a bother with all of my questions...Each visit I felt like a priority. It was never an "ok we have 15 minutes scheduled so let's get going". He made sure I was comfortable with every procedure and decision before moving forward. I felt like I was a part of every part of the process, not just an observer. He has the best bedside manner.
The nurses [at University Hospitals Fertility Center] answer every question and return caslls in a timely manner...Just recently university hospitals had a temperature error in a tank holding frozen eggs, embryos and sperm. Unfortunately 2000 samples were compromised. Our 9 frozen embryos are no longer viable due to this...The weaknesses are that sometimes there is a wait for your appointment or they may be running behind a bit, however that is because they take their time with their patients and I appreciate that. They are caring and informative. They even have me options for financing through ARC. They make you feel important and like you matter to them.
How was your experience with James Goldfarb at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
Each visit I felt like a priority. It was never an "ok we have 15 minutes scheduled so let's get going". He made sure I was comfortable with every procedure and decision before moving forward. I felt like I was a part of every part of the process, not just an observer. He has the best bedside manner.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of James Goldfarb at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
Ask a lot of questions and trust him. He's one of the best in the business and he's been doing this for 35 years!
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with James Goldfarb at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
Dr Goldfarb has always been very caring and compassionate towards our individual situation. He met with us in his office rather than an exam room and spoke to us face to face. He explained everything in detail and answered every question we had with no feeling of being rushed. He called to check in on me several times and never made me feel like a bother with all of my questions.
Describe the protocols James Goldfarb used in your cycles at University Hospitals Fertility Center and their degree of success.
We had to use n egg donor and fortunately we already knew who we were using. He set us up with his secretary nurse who scheduled everything perfectly for us. We had another Dr perform the embryo transfer who was also wonderful. We had great phone and email communication during the entire process. Our donor had the eggs retrieved and they called each day to tell us how they were progressing. When we had the transfer the Dr was very thorough in explaining what to expect and answered all questions.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at University Hospitals Fertility Center.
The nurses also answer every question and return caslls in a timely manner.
Describe your experience with University Hospitals Fertility Center.
The weaknesses are that sometimes there is a wait for your appointment or they may be running behind a bit, however that is because they take their time with their patients and I appreciate that. They are caring and informative. They even have me options for financing through ARC. They make you feel important and like you matter to them.
Describe the costs associated with your care under James Goldfarb at University Hospitals Fertility Center.
It was around $18,000.00. We financed through ARC
Describe James Goldfarb's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at University Hospitals Fertility Center.
He recommended singhle transfer for less risk, however we chose to transfer multiple.
What specific things went wrong at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
Lost or damaged samples
Describe the specific things that went wrong at University Hospitals Fertility Center.
Just recently university hospitals had a temperature error in a tank holding frozen eggs, embryos and sperm. Unfortunately 2000 samples were compromised. Our 9 frozen embryos are no longer viable due to this.
Dr Goldfarb was always very positive despite our negative outcomes. After multiple miscarriages and failed cycles, my thyroid was found to be deficient. We would need to invest in a third round of IVF to see if that has caused our unexplained infertility...we feel like he overlooked my thyroid...My amh is high so I over responded and the cycle was cancelled. Then, I did two cycles with the same protocol of Follistim, hcg, and ganirelix. I overstimulated the first cycle and did a freeze all. The second cycle I only had 8 eggs compared to 20 in the first cycle.
The nursing staff [at University Hospitals] was generally helpful and supportive...I made an appointment for a saline sonogram following an incomplete miscarriage. After driving 2 hours to the appointment, the front office staff was surprised to have a patient and I overheard the receptionist tell a nurse that I said I had an appointment and nothing was in the book... Some mornings there was little wait, other mornings it would be an hour.
How was your experience with James Goldfarb at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
Dr Goldfarb was always very positive despite our negative outcomes. After multiple miscarriages and failed cycles, my thyroid was found to be deficient. We would need to invest in a third round of IVF to see if that has caused our unexplained infertility.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of James Goldfarb at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
He's been helpful to some friends, but we feel like he overlooked my thyroid.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with James Goldfarb at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
Dr Goldfarb personally called me after my miscarriages and also remembered little things that we discussed.
Describe the protocols James Goldfarb used in your cycles at University Hospitals Fertility Center and their degree of success.
Due to my age, I started a lupron cycle. My amh is high so I over responded and the cycle was cancelled. Then, I did two cycles with the same protocol of Follistim, hcg, and ganirelix. I overstimulated the first cycle and did a freeze all. The second cycle I only had 8 eggs compared to 20 in the first cycle. My cycles were 8 months apart.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at University Hospitals Fertility Center.
The nursing staff was generally helpful and supportive. One nurse. Ashley, tended to be distressing. She would answer questions with i don't know not I'll check with the doctor and let you know. I had a horrible experience with the sonogram tech, Carmela. She tols me my baby had no heartbeat. I miscarried but it was incomplete. When I returned for a saline sonogram with no embryos left, she asked if I was there to prepare for an embryo transfer. There should have been a flag on my file or something to prevent sitting in the same room and getting sucker punched emotionally.
Describe your experience with University Hospitals Fertility Center.
At this point, they've had a cyro tank malfunction and lost everything. I don't think I would recommend anyone to them. The rotation of doctors to a very pushy, uncaring doctor besides Dr Goldfarb also made the process stressful
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at University Hospitals Fertility Center.
I have to drive 2 hours to Beachwood. I was never told that monitoring wax from 7 to 10 am. They just made me 8 or 8:30 appointments and I was called on a first come first served basis. Some mornings there was little wait, other mornings it would be an hour.
Describe the costs associated with your care under James Goldfarb at University Hospitals Fertility Center.
We had two grants for IVF. One wax through university hospitals. We still spent $13,000 for meds, IUI's, and transfers.
Describe James Goldfarb's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at University Hospitals Fertility Center.
My doctor let us transfer two embryos if we wanted to.
What specific things went wrong at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
Lost appointments
Lost or damaged samples
Describe the specific things that went wrong at University Hospitals Fertility Center.
I made an appointment for a saline sonogram following an incomplete miscarriage. After driving 2 hours to the appointment, the front office staff was surprised to have a patient and I overheard the receptionist tell a nurse that I said I had an appointment and nothing was in the book.
Dr. Rossi was in no way mean or dismissive of me, but the lack of truly looking for what is wrong with me seemed unnecessary. I was made to feel that recurrent pregnancy loss is simply a condition that you have, and we will not have any answers as to why you have it or what has caused it, or what you can do to fix it. There were not answers, just thoughts on what could be tried. ... I essentially wasted 5 years knowing something was wrong with me but getting no assistance.
The clinic staff [University Hospitals Fertility Center] was nice and I always felt comfortable. ... They failed to order tests that should have been ordered which years later have diagnosed me with pcos ...The clinic staff was nice and I always felt comfortable. ... do your research, research blood tests that are out there such as AMH, FSH, etc., I was not given these tests. ... I essentially wasted 5 years knowing something was wrong with me but getting no assistance.
How was your experience with Brooke Rossi at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
My diagnosis with UH after seeing Dr. Rossi was that I plain and simply had recurrent pregnancy loss. I had two miscarriages prior to my care with UH and one under Dr. Rossi's care and 1 under Dr. Goldfarb's care. My largest frustration is I was never told what was wrong with me. There were no answers to what I could try and do to change my body, my health, etc., if there was something related to the recurrent pregnancy loss. I was not told to take my basal body temperature and chart it, I was not told to get various blood tests. I essentially wasted 5 years knowing something was wrong with me but getting no assistance. I largely felt because I could get pregnant and did not need IVF they would throw some drugs into me, and see if it works type of mentality. I do not like taking medications unless I absolutely have to and I felt as if drugs were the solution.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Brooke Rossi at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
do your research, research blood tests that are out there such as AMH, FSH, etc., I was not given these tests. I had no idea what my levels were. When I finally had the tests performed on the recommendation of my acupuncturist, I was off the charts with some of my levels. Be your own advocate and if you are in the area see Anne Kinchen for acupuncture. She is brilliant and more versed in fertility, drugs, tests that are needed.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Brooke Rossi at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
Dr. Rossi was in no way mean or dismissive of me, but the lack of truly looking for what is wrong with me seemed unnecessary. I was made to feel that recurrent pregnancy loss is simply a condition that you have, and we will not have any answers as to why you have it or what has caused it, or what you can do to fix it. There were not answers, just thoughts on what could be tried.
Describe your experience with University Hospitals Fertility Center.
The clinic staff was nice and I always felt comfortable.
Again, I would recommend being your own advocate. Do your own research get blood tests for pcos, look into the brand new testing that is out there for endo, beta integrine. These will never ever be mentioned to you at this clinic.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Brooke Rossi at University Hospitals Fertility Center.
95% of the costs associated with Dr. Rossi were covered by my insurance because I was not pursuing IVF. The IUI had to be paid out of pocket, and was not covered by insurance.
What specific things went wrong at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
Failed to call with results
Failed to order appropriate test
Describe the specific things that went wrong at University Hospitals Fertility Center.
They failed to order tests that should have been ordered which years later have diagnosed me with pcos
He [Dr. James Goldfarb] is very knowledgeable and I could tell from the very 1st appointment with him. My husband and myself felt very comfortable and trusted that he had our best interest at heart. He was not pushy and wanted to be more conservative 1st.... I am almost 38 years old and never been pregnant so if the 3rd IUI does not work he recommends laparoscopic surgery to check for scar tissue. I have had one ovary removed and several cysts rupture since I was a young teenager. He would like to do the surgery before moving on to IVF, with hopes that I could possibly become pregnant on my own.
The nurses and the ultrasound technician [at University Hospitals-Beachwood] were very compassionate and willing to help answer any questions they could. Carmella the ultrasound technician is wonderful... I feel that this facility is a great place for woman, families, and couple to come to for assistance. I don't feel that they judge or are pushy about treatment and your personal situation.
How was your experience with James Goldfarb at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
I was referred to see Dr.Goldfarb by a close friend who highly recommended him. He is very knowledgeable and I could tell from the very 1st appointment with him.
My husband and myself felt very comfortable and trusted that he had our best interest at heart. He was not pushy and wanted to be more conservative 1st. I was happy with that because financially we can not afford IVF and my insurance does not cover any fertility treatment. I am very hopeful that we will have success, I have had 2 IUI's that have not been successful. I am almost 38 years old and never been pregnant so if the 3rd IUI does not work he recommends laparoscopic surgery to check for scar tissue. I have had one ovary removed and several cysts rupture since I was a young teenager. He would like to do the surgery before moving on to IVF, with hopes that I could possibly become pregnant on my own. My time is limited so I pray God blesses us with out miracle baby soon.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of James Goldfarb at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
He is very knowledgeable and compassionate.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with James Goldfarb at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
I was referred to Dr.Goldfarb by a close friend and was told he was the best! He was very compassionate and listened to our concerns, I feel like he is very knowledgeable and he wants to be conservative 1st and then move on to more aggressive treatments. I am glad he is not pushing us to do IVF right away and is trying more affordable avenues. Although i am almost 38 years old and dont have much more time to concieve and have a successful pregnancy. I am very hopeful under his care. I have never been pregnant and want a child of my own, I'm trusting that his expertise will assist in that to one-day soon happening. I can't afford IVF so hoping that my 3rd which is my last IUI he said I can have is successful. If not he recommended having laparoscopic surgery to check for scar tissue and hopefully clear the pathway for a natural pregnancy to occur.
I feel if I were just a number or dollar amount to him he would just aim right for the expensive treatment from the start.
Describe the protocols James Goldfarb used in your cycles at University Hospitals Fertility Center and their degree of success.
3 IUI's with Clomid or letrozole.
Laparoscopic surgery to check for and remove scar tissue.
IVF final
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at University Hospitals Fertility Center.
The nurses and the ultrasound technician were very compassionate and willing to help answer any questions they could.
Carmella the ultrasound technician is wonderful.
Describe your experience with University Hospitals Fertility Center.
I feel that this facility is a great place for woman, families, and couple to come to for assistance. I don't feel that they judge or are pushy about treatment and your personal situation.
Describe the costs associated with your care under James Goldfarb at University Hospitals Fertility Center.
The initial consultation appointment was about $300.
IUI $420 each procedure
Dr. Weinerman met with me for over two hours so she could thoroughly understand my medical history. She asked my opinion and feelings on her treatment plans. She has also called me personally multiple times over the course of my treatment with her, just to check to see how I am doing...Dr. Weinerman has provided reassurance and guidance during a stressful time. While my treatment has so far been unsuccessful, Dr. Weinerman has taken time each month to personally call me to talk through our next steps and options. I feel that she is using her best judgement and trust the choices she is making during our fertility journey.
The clinic [University Hospitals Fert Center] is clean and in a new hospital, though the waiting room is a bit small. The staff all seem to work well together so the clinic has an inviting feel...I was able to meet with my primary nurse the first day I visited the clinic. She has been my primary contact during my monitoring and has called me most often with results. When she is not available, I have felt comfortable with the rest of the nursing staff. There are two ultrasound techs, both of whom are friendly and knowledgeable. The lab tech who draws blood is quiet but has always been efficient. The waiting time during the monitoring process has been longer than expected.
How was your experience with Rachel Weinerman at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
I transferred to Dr. Weinerman after struggling with my former clinic because I felt like just a number to them. Dr. Weinerman has provided reassurance and guidance during a stressful time. While my treatment has so far been unsuccessful, Dr. Weinerman has taken time each month to personally call me to talk through our next steps and options. I feel that she is using her best judgement and trust the choices she is making during our fertility journey.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Rachel Weinerman at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
Make sure that you have time set aside to meet with Dr. Rachel Weinerman. My appointments have been longer than expected each time I've seen her because she takes the time to talk through each step of the process.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Rachel Weinerman at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
During my initial visit, Dr. Weinerman met with me for over two hours so she could thoroughly understand my medical history. She asked my opinion and feelings on her treatment plans. She has also called me personally multiple times over the course of my treatment with her, just to check to see how I am doing.
Describe the protocols Rachel Weinerman used in your cycles at University Hospitals Fertility Center and their degree of success.
I saw Dr. Weinerman after I already had one frozen embryo. I had 2 transfers cancelled with a prior doctor because of thin uterine lining and fluid in my lining. Dr. Weinerman prescribed a hormone patch protocol for 2 months to increase my estrogen and thicken my lining. She also suggested a book, The Fertility Diet, and made personal diet suggestions to naturally increase my hormone levels and improve my fertility chances. When the patch protocol did not adequately thicken my lining, Dr. Weinerman prescribed an oral birth control. When again my lining was too thin, Dr. Weinerman suggested a simulated retrieval cycle before my transfer. I am on 150 IU of Menopur nightly and will trigger with HCG. She prescribed Menopur so that I could have a follicle large enough to trigger ovulation and try to trick my uterus into preparing for implantation.
Describe your experience with your nurse at University Hospitals Fertility Center. (Assigned nurse: Madeline )
I was able to meet with my primary nurse the first day I visited the clinic. She has been my primary contact during my monitoring and has called me most often with results. When she is not available, I have felt comfortable with the rest of the nursing staff. There are two ultrasound techs, both of whom are friendly and knowledgeable. The lab tech who draws blood is quiet but has always been efficient. The waiting time during the monitoring process has been longer than expected. There are a limited number of ultrasound wands and each takes 15 minutes to clean between patients. For daily follicle and estrogen monitoring, I have averaged roughly 45 minutes to an hour in the clinic. The nursing staff does take time to go over the ultrasound results in person and calls promptly every afternoon to report estrogen levels.
Describe your experience with University Hospitals Fertility Center.
The clinic is clean and in a new hospital, though the waiting room is a bit small. The staff all seem to work well together so the clinic has an inviting feel.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Rachel Weinerman at University Hospitals Fertility Center.
If I had chosen to do a full IVF cycle including retrieval and transfer, the total cost would have been roughly $5000 without medication. The out of pocket cost of an embryo transfer without medication is $2250. Each time I have follicle monitoring and labs, I pay roughly $200 out of pocket.
Describe Rachel Weinerman's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at University Hospitals Fertility Center.
For my current age of 30, Dr. Weinerman suggested transferring only 1 embryo, though if I did have 2 to transfer, she would be open to discussion.
Dr. Rossi took time to talk with us and was very detailed in her explanations...I had to be my own advocate for testing. It turned out that I was Vitamin D deficient and my tsh level was elevated during my second pregnancy. I wish that I had been monitored better as I was already a known hypo patient and later found out that I have Hashimoto's disease.... I dealt with the nurses on most of my visits and not Dr. Rossi.
The one nurse [Univ Hospitals - Beachwood] I worked with was very compassionate and wonderful. Sadly, half the time, I had another nurse who seemed to be less than knowledgeable and actually told me based on my hcg levels, I likely "just had a chemical pregnancy." It was actually an ectopic and either way, the loss is still felt the same...I dealt with the nurses on most of my visits and not Dr. Rossi...
How was your experience with Brooke Rossi at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
Dr. Rossi always took the time to explain things to us and made us feel comfortable enough to ask questions. She has exceptional bedside manner. I do feel that some things were overlooked that could have affected my fertility. I had to be my own advocate for testing. It turned out that I was Vitamin D deficient and my tsh level was elevated during my second pregnancy. I wish that I had been monitored better as I was already a known hypo patient and later found out that I have Hashimoto's disease. They only tested my TSH and never ran a full panel on my thyroid. This may have helped to prevent my first miscarriage. However, I dealt with the nurses on most of my visits and not Dr. Rossi.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Brooke Rossi at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
Make sure that you request any blood work that you feel is necessary. You have to be your own advocate and become knowledgeable enough to know what to request. Otherwise, you may spend thousands of dollars on unsuccesful treatments only to find out, you just needed thyroid meds or Vitamin D supplements to restore fertility.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Brooke Rossi at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
Dr. Rossi took time to talk with us and was very detailed in her explanations. She was compassionate during both of my miscarriages.
Describe the protocols Brooke Rossi used in your cycles at University Hospitals Fertility Center and their degree of success.
At 39, I conceived easily after two months of trying naturally. At 8 weeks we found that the heartbeat stopped. We tried again naturally for 3 months after the first loss and then started clomid with no other intervention. After 3 more months of not conceiving, we did an IUI on Clomid. I conceived with the first IUI and it turned out to be an ectopic pregnancy. Dr. Rossi suggested we try IUI again and did not feel I needed intervention as aggressive as IVF, considering I had two pregnancies in less than a year. Our focus is now more on maintaining once I conceive again, rather than just the conception. I decided to see an acupuncturist and see if we can conceive without medical intervention.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at University Hospitals Fertility Center.
The one nurse I worked with was very compassionate and wonderful. Sadly, half the time, I had another nurse who seemed to be less than knowledgeable and actually told me based on my hcg levels, I likely "just had a chemical pregnancy." It was actually an ectopic and either way, the loss is still felt the samem
Describe Brooke Rossi's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at University Hospitals Fertility Center.
Dr. Goldfarb is caring and helpful. He genuinely cares to see each of his patients succeed in their goals. He devotes his life to his work and it shows...he cared and when we saw him with after a negative cycle, he seemed just as disappointed as us. he also let us be incharge of our treatment. he helped us decide which route to go and gave us the information to make a decision with him...So we cancelled IUI #4 and my husband and I decided to stop IUIs. at Dr Goldfarbs recommendation, we are doing every other cycle a medicated cycle (with 7.5mg letrozole) and natural cycles between.
One of the nurses [at University Hospitals Fertility Center], that I know of, is also battling infertility. She can relate to us patients on a personal level that some of the other nurses may not be able to....I love that the clinic doesn't have ultrasounds for pregnancy IN the office. They take you across the hall to the ultrasound lab...So we cancelled IUI #4 and my husband and I decided to stop IUIs. at Dr Goldfarbs recommendation, we are doing every other cycle a medicated cycle (with 7.5mg letrozole) and natural cycles between.
How was your experience with James Goldfarb at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
Dr. Goldfarb is caring and helpful. He genuinely cares to see each of his patients succeed in their goals. He devotes his life to his work and it shows. One time I called to speak with him after a failed cycle and wanting to talk about which direction to go next and he had actually, FINALLY, taken time to spend with his family. He is an amazing doctor.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of James Goldfarb at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
be honest with him. let him know if you are comfortable or not comfortable with something he suggests. Dr Goldfarb wants you to be in control of your treatment, so take control.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with James Goldfarb at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
he cared and when we saw him with after a negative cycle, he seemed just as disappointed as us. he also let us be incharge of our treatment. he helped us decide which route to go and gave us the information to make a decision with him.
Describe the protocols James Goldfarb used in your cycles at University Hospitals Fertility Center and their degree of success.
Our first IUI we used 5mg of letrozole and 250 Ovidrel. I had 2 nice big follicles. we went ahead and did IUI. It failed. Our second cycle, we kept the same protocol. Went in for my day 12 monitoring appointment and realized I had already ovulated. So the cycle was cancelled. The third attempt, we kept the same protocol but I came in on day 9 for monitoring. I had one follicle. We went ahead with our second IUI. It failed. Our fourth cycle, we kept the same exact protocol. I had one follicle on day 9, we triggered and went ahead with IUI #3 on day 11. It failed. Our fifth cycle, Dr Goldfarb discussed IVF with us. Not being able to afford it, we decided - with Dr Goldfarb - to continue with IUI until we can afford IVF. He suggested we up the letrozole to create more follicles. So I took 7.5mg and went in for my day 9 monitoring. Dr Goldfarb was out of the office and the doc on call decided to trigger the next day and IUI #4 36 hours after. I had ovulated on my own before trigger was due. So we cancelled IUI #4 and my husband and I decided to stop IUIs. at Dr Goldfarbs recommendation, we are doing every other cycle a medicated cycle (with 7.5mg letrozole) and natural cycles between.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at University Hospitals Fertility Center.
One of the nurses, that I know of, is also battling infertility. She can relate to us patients on a personal level that some of the other nurses may not be able to. I really enjoy encountering her. The rest of the staff is friendly and caring as well.
Describe your experience with University Hospitals Fertility Center.
I love that the clinic doesn't have ultrasounds for pregnancy IN the office. They take you across the hall to the ultrasound lab. I think their billing is a little off and their pricing is extreme, but I do love the staff so i can put all that aside.
Describe the costs associated with your care under James Goldfarb at University Hospitals Fertility Center.
They were exuberant. I had lost my insurance and had to pay for bloodwork out of pocket for my monitoring. They have self pay packaging, but it doesn't include the LH and that alone was almost $300. So I opted not to have it done. And we missed my surge. However, Dr. Goldfarb was receptive of this and asked me to email him a statement of why I was opting not to have the LH drawn. He said he was taking my email along with others to the board to get it into package pricing.
I did not feel like we were pushed by Dr. Rossi to go in any direction, but I did trust her opinion and ended up taking her recommendation. We started the first cycle with a lupron protocol, but when my body ovulated through the lupron we cancelled the stimulation and egg retrieval and started over the next month with an antagonistic protocol. Dr. Rossi was very conservative with the stimulation and it ended up being a good thing since I did respond quickly and strongly and we ended up having to back off the stimulation toward the end. After egg retrieval I did end up overstimulating a little so we decided to freeze all the day 5 embryos and give my body the month off.
Dr. Rossi [at University Hospitals Fertility Center] was a wonderful and compassionate doctor. If I called and specifically requested to talk to her, she would return my call as soon as she could (though the nurses were usually able to give me the answers I needed)...All of the nurses were wonderful. They would get you in and out of the office quickly in the morning and called promptly in the afternoon after the results came in and a plan was made. They were able to answer my questions thoroughly or would get the answers I needed as quickly as possible.
How was your experience with Brooke Rossi at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
Dr. Rossi was a wonderful and compassionate doctor. If I called and specifically requested to talk to her, she would return my call as soon as she could (though the nurses were usually able to give me the answers I needed). She explained the IVF process thoroughly and in a way we could understand it. We discussed our odds and risks and made a plan with her that suited our situation and desired outcome.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Brooke Rossi at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
You probably will not see Dr. Rossi at every visit. All of my morning monitoring visits were handled by the nursing staff and techs. If she was in the office she would pop in to say hello. The procedures will also be handled by the doctor on the schedule that day, but all are wonderful and well informed.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Brooke Rossi at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
Dr. Rossi and the nursing staff always remembered who I was and what our current status was despite the large number of patients. I always felt like my questions were valid and felt things were sufficiently explained throughout the process.
Describe the protocols Brooke Rossi used in your cycles at University Hospitals Fertility Center and their degree of success.
We did start by doing a few more rounds of oral medication with IUI. This was mostly diagnostic, to monitor my cycles more closely than my OBGYN did and get an idea of what my body was/was not doing. The result of these was simply unexplained infertility. We did have one chemical pregnancy from these cycles. Dr. Rossi discussed with us that our options going forward were injectable stimulation with IUI or IVF. We discussed the potential risk of large numbers of multiples or cancelled cycles since I was a high responder to stimulation and opted to go directly to IVF to have more control over how many embryos were given a chance to implant. I did not feel like we were pushed by Dr. Rossi to go in any direction, but I did trust her opinion and ended up taking her recommendation. We started the first cycle with a lupron protocol, but when my body ovulated through the lupron we cancelled the stimulation and egg retrieval and started over the next month with an antagonistic protocol. Dr. Rossi was very conservative with the stimulation and it ended up being a good thing since I did respond quickly and strongly and we ended up having to back off the stimulation toward the end. After egg retrieval I did end up overstimulating a little so we decided to freeze all the day 5 embryos and give my body the month off. My first transfer the next month ended up being successful and resulted in a pregnancy that is currently in the third trimester.
Describe your experience with your nurse at University Hospitals Fertility Center. (Assigned nurse: Katie)
All of the nurses were wonderful. They would get you in and out of the office quickly in the morning and called promptly in the afternoon after the results came in and a plan was made. They were able to answer my questions thoroughly or would get the answers I needed as quickly as possible. They were always warm and kind as well.
Describe your experience with University Hospitals Fertility Center.
The clinic runs like a well oiled machine in the morning during monitoring appointments. They get to blood and ultrasounds done quickly and you always meet with a nurse to make sure you are on the same page about the status of your current cycle. I was usually in and out of the office for those appointments in less than 30 minutes. Appointments are as early as 7:00 AM. The waiting area never had children in it for morning appointments and rarely if you had to come in later in the day. You will deal with RN's 90% of the time and you may to have "your" doctor on the day of your procedures since it's a practice.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Brooke Rossi at University Hospitals Fertility Center.
IVF was not covered by my insurance. The "package price" for egg retrieval, fertilization with or without ICSI and one transfer was about 9k. Medications were not included. Monitoring appointments were not covered by my insurance but were $200 per appointment.
He [Dr. Goldfarb] was honest with me about how low my chances were of getting pregnant with IVF with my own eggs and, though he said it was totally up to me and he would absolutely follow my wishes, he worried I would be throwing money away for really abysmal chances of having a baby...He also made himself 100% available, though I didn't realize it at first as his nurses don't make that clear. At one point I told a nurse who was resistant that I needed to talk to him and she needed to make that happen. Finally, she agreed to let him know. He contacted me immediately.
[University Hospitals] Feels a bit like an assembly line...Never once saw a pregnant woman in any place at the building and that was emotionally a huge relief. Wish the nurses didn't change with every single appointment until we started the IVF process. Once we started IVF we got consistency and they actually knew something about us... it ended up being $23,000 with donor fee, agency fee for donor, and medications for me and for donor.
How was your experience with James Goldfarb at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
As I said earlier, he was honest with me about likely outcomes but willing to do whatever I chose. I feel so fortunate that he told me the truth about my chances with IVF using my own eggs so we could decide ourselves whether it made sense financially. We did a round of IVF drugs with abysmal results and, ultimately, chose to go with a donor. I have friends who went in significant debt only to end up with no child through IVF. it was one of the hardest things I have ever had to hear and he couldn't have handled it better. There was never a bit of pressure to choose a donor egg cycle over trying another cycle with my own eggs. If I'd wanted to proceed with my own eggs, he was willing as long as I understood the probability that we would not end up pregnant. He also made himself 100% available, though I didn't realize it at first as his nurses don't make that clear. At one point I told a nurse who was resistant that I needed to talk to him and she needed to make that happen. Finally, she agreed to let him know. He contacted me immediately. He told me that I could contact him anytime, including by email him. I have incredible respect for him and an unspeakable. I am most grateful for him helping me have this amazing, beautiful child who couldn't be more mine, but also relieved that he handled the message so well that we moved on to using a donor egg rather than emptying our savings trying to use my own eggs in IVF.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of James Goldfarb at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
Ask for amh and fsh to be tested immediately if you are 36 or above. Tell them you don't want to wait until it's time for IVF because clomid and IUI didn't work. Also, insist with the nurses that you speak to him. In fact, during your first appointment ask how you can reach him if the nurses won't let you talk directly to him about your concerns. Don't get me wrong, the nurses are wonderful in many ways. Also, Dr. Rossi is also wonderful. I wouldn't hesitate for a second to see her instead. They are both wonderful. I give them both credit for this amazing three year old sleeping on my lap.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with James Goldfarb at University Hospitals Fertility Center?
He had incredible bedside manner. He was honest with me about how low my chances were of getting pregnant with IVF with my own eggs and, though he said it was totally up to me and he would absolutely follow my wishes, he worried I would be throwing money away for really abysmal chances of having a baby. This was so difficult to hear, but I now have the most wonderful, beautiful baby who was undoubtedly meant to be my child through donor eggs and I am so grateful he was honest and we didn't spend our savings plus with own egg ivf to end up doing a donor egg ivf. I also saw Brooke Rossi who performed my surgery and she was just as wonderful.
Describe the protocols James Goldfarb used in your cycles at University Hospitals Fertility Center and their degree of success.
Don't remember but he was very detailed and willing to give us as much time as we needed to talk through things.
Describe your experience with your nurse at University Hospitals Fertility Center. (Assigned nurse: Peggy)
There were a number of amazing nurses there. I felt like the donor coordinator nurse could have been a little more organized and a little more on top of our cycle. At the same time, things worked better than I could have ever imagined because I have the most amazing daughter thanks everyone at the office.
Describe your experience with University Hospitals Fertility Center.
Feels a bit like an assembly line, but I've gathered that is how fertility clinics generally feel. Never once saw a pregnant woman in any place at the building and that was emotionally a huge relief. Wish the nurses didn't change with every single appointment until we started the IVF process. Once we started IVF we got consistency and they actually knew something about us.
Describe the costs associated with your care under James Goldfarb at University Hospitals Fertility Center.
I believe the ivf cycle was around $13K. I don't remember the total but I think it ended up being $23,000 with donor fee, agency fee for donor, and medications for me and for donor. I think the medications were around $2500, I just can't remember if our total was $23,000 with or without the medications.