How was your experience with Clemens Grosskinsky at Kaiser Permanente NorCal?
Dr. Grosskinsky is a good doctor. He's getting close to retirement so I don't think he has the same passion and drive that he used to, but he's still aggressive and obviously wants the best for his patients. I do feel like I had to be my own advocate at times and wish he had been a little more thorough in my treatment.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Clemens Grosskinsky at Kaiser Permanente NorCal?
Be your own advocate! Do your own research and suggest new things to try.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Clemens Grosskinsky at Kaiser Permanente NorCal?
Dr. Grosskinsky has very good bedside manner and he definitely remembers details about me, my fertility history, and my family which makes me feel like a human. However, there are times when I think he could be a little more thorough in my treatment.
Describe the protocols Clemens Grosskinsky used in your cycles at Kaiser Permanente NorCal and their degree of success.
I have done IUI's with donor sperm. Dr. Grosskinsky did not think a natural cycle would be beneficial but I did one back in 2015 that didn't work. We then did clomid and I produced a lot of follicles and that cycle worked. I have a 2 1/2 year old daughter. We're trying for number 2 and I've done 6 failed IUI's. We've tried natural, clomid, combo cycle (clomid + injectables), and injectables. We've added in ganirelix to help with the timing, and all negative. Most of my IUI's have been 36 hours post trigger shot, so I'm thinking about trying a back-to-back IUI next to help with timing.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
The nursing staff is excellent. They're on top of their stuff and get back to voicemails very quickly. They're helpful and informative!
Describe your experience with Kaiser Permanente NorCal.
I go to the Kaiser infertility clinic in San Ramon. It's a smaller office and there are only 3 doctor's. I think the doctor's are overworked, which is one of the clinic's weaknesses. I think things could be run more efficiently if there were a couple more doctor's. I also hate that you are either an IUI patient or IVF patient. You can convert an IUI cycle to IVF should there be too many follicles, and only one doctor does IVF. This clinic has a lot of strength's too though. The nurses keep the place organized and I feel like they really care. I believe they have a good success rate too.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Clemens Grosskinsky at Kaiser Permanente NorCal.
I have insurance through Kaiser where I only pay a $10 deductive for IUI's, ultrasound's, etc. Bloodwork is free. I only pay $25 for injectables, and $10 for trigger shot or oral drugs. My insurance is great until I move onto IVF, and then everything is out of pocket, including medications. IVF will be about 14k with only a fresh transfer, and another 4k for medications.
Describe Clemens Grosskinsky's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Kaiser Permanente NorCal.
I have not done IVF yet but I know Kaiser is very against multiples.