Gregory Starks
Midwest Health (HCA)
Available Lines of Communication
Medical SchoolThomas Jefferson
ResidencyCase Western
FellowshipCase Western
Kansas City
2340 East Meyer Boulevard
Kansas City, MO 64132
(816) 751-4884
7 assessments
10
Age
30 - 32
Treated
2016 - 2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
6 IUI
Diagnosis
Endometriosis, Other, Unexplained
10
Dr. Gregory Starks has been absolutely wonderful! He means business and is blunt - I like that! He wont waste your time with treatments that aren't going to work for you. When I had my miscarriage - he held me while I cried.... He has never tried to push me out or make me feel like my concerns aren't valid.... First 3 IUI - Letrozole, Dexamethasone, HCG trigger shot IUI 4-6 - 150 IU Stim shots, Dexamethasone, HCG trigger shot
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Age
30 - 32
Treated
2016 - 2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European
Income
$0 - $49K
Occupation
Consultant
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
6 IUI
Diagnosis
Endometriosis, Other, Unexplained
10
How was your experience with Gregory Starks at Midwest Health (HCA)?
Dr. Gregory Starks has been absolutely wonderful! He means business and is blunt - I like that! He wont waste your time with treatments that aren't going to work for you. When I had my miscarriage - he held me while I cried. I truly feel like he cares and wants to help me become a mom.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Gregory Starks at Midwest Health (HCA)?
Listen to him. Don't take offense to how honest and blunt he is. It is refreshing and I like it. He is the best of the best.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Gregory Starks at Midwest Health (HCA)?
I have absolutely loved working with Dr. Gregory Starks. From our very first consultation to our miscarriage - he has always taken the extra time with me. When we found out we didn't have a heartbeat - he held me and let me cry. He has never tried to push me out or make me feel like my concerns aren't valid. He has been amazing and always addresses my questions very honestly, and I like that. Not only that - he takes some extra time to get to know me and my husband. Who we are and where we come from. It is really refreshing to meet with him and I totally trust him with my care.
Describe the protocols Gregory Starks used in your cycles at Midwest Health (HCA) and their degree of success.
First 3 IUI - Letrozole, Dexamethasone, HCG trigger shot
IUI 4-6 - 150 IU Stim shots, Dexamethasone, HCG trigger shot
Attempted IUI 7 but too many cysts to proceed treatment.
I have unexplained infertility and Dr. Starks told me that normal/healthy couples that can get pregnant on their own should get pregnant with the oral med (letrozole) and IUI. We did not expect it not to work for me. IUI 4-6 - I responded really well to the stim shots and got pregnant on the 5th IUI but miscarried.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Midwest Health (HCA). (Assigned nurse: Brandy)
Brandy is absolutely awesome!!!! She really cares about her patients and loves each of them. She is awesome at returning messages and emails. She is also really great at explaining the procedure and what to expect from medication.
Describe your experience with Midwest Health (HCA).
The clinic is awesome! The front desk workers are really awesome. The phlebotomist has become my friend. They treat you like family. I have really enjoyed going to this clinic.
The only thing I would change is the location. It is in kind of a sketchy part of town and I get nervous when I go down by myself.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Gregory Starks at Midwest Health (HCA).
Consultation with Dr. Gregory Starks $300
IUI: $200 each
Ultrasound/sonogram: $250 each
Describe Gregory Starks's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Midwest Health (HCA).
I will have experience this summer. I have only done IUI
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7
Age
34
Treated
2017
Success with this Doc
No
Treatment
2 IUI
Diagnosis
Male Factor
7
Dr Starks, is a very blunt and to the point person. He wants to make sure that every test that could give him a clear picture is done, and if it was done before he wants to do it again to ensure that nothing was missed or nothing changed. While his bedside manner is a bit blunt, he is very knowledgeable and will try and figure out a solution to most every problem...Be prepared to be told the good, bad and the ugly, Dr Starks does not sugar coat if you are overweight and he feels you need to loose weight.
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Age
34
Treated
2017
Success with this Doc
No
Race
Prefer not to answer
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 3 Docs
Treatment
2 IUI
Diagnosis
Male Factor
7
How was your experience with Gregory Starks at Midwest Health (HCA)?
Dr Starks, is a very blunt and to the point person. He wants to make sure that every test that could give him a clear picture is done, and if it was done before he wants to do it again to ensure that nothing was missed or nothing changed. While his bedside manner is a bit blunt, he is very knowledgeable and will try and figure out a solution to most every problem.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Gregory Starks at Midwest Health (HCA)?
Be prepared to be told the good, bad and the ugly, Dr Starks does not sugar coat if you are overweight and he feels you need to loose weight.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Gregory Starks at Midwest Health (HCA)?
I felt like my situation was addressed as a one on one, what we were going through, with the suddenly added male factor was thought out by Dr Starks and he used several approaches when things didn't pan out as we hoped during the cycle.
Describe the protocols Gregory Starks used in your cycles at Midwest Health (HCA) and their degree of success.
I did two cycles, one with gonal f 175 for 5 days and femara 5mg for 5 resulting in an IUI which failed and a second iui with gonal f for 10 days and femara 7.5 for 5 days with an iui which failed.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Midwest Health (HCA). (Assigned nurse: Brandi Oude-Alink)
Brandi was amazing, she was always trying to tell me what to expect and prepare me in case we reached worst case scenario. She would call me as many times needed or email me to answer all of me questions, and would get back to me within a few hours. When we ran into an issue on one of my cycles she was honest, frank and caring about the possible miscarriage that I had experienced, she was there when I needed someone the most in this situation.
Describe your experience with Midwest Health (HCA).
The clinic is in the hospital so labs can be done fast, any procedure that needs to be done can be done on campus and there is ample parking. The only weakness is the fact that they do not have weekend hours, which made me feel like we were rushing one iui so we didn't miss my ovulation that would have likely taken place on Saturday or Sunday.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Gregory Starks at Midwest Health (HCA).
Iui was 350 for just the iui, which was not covered by my insurance. Everything else, including monitoring was covered by my insurance so I am unsure of the price of much else.
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10
Age
34 - 37
Treated
2014 - 2017
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
1 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Endometriosis
10
Dr. Starks is honest and to the point...he doesn't sugar coat anything and if it's not going to work he will tell you. He won't dance around tough subjects and always made me feel very hopeful. I feel lucky to have found him for our care... feel that Doctor Starks and I really bonded through the process and I feel like he cared about my family and our success. Sure, he sees a lot of patients and I'm not sure he remembered everything about my history every single time we spoke but he was always honest and kind in his approach.
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Age
34 - 37
Treated
2014 - 2017
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
Other
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Teacher
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
1 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Endometriosis
10
How was your experience with Gregory Starks at Midwest Health (HCA)?
Dr. Starks is honest and to the point. He was recommended to me by another patient of his who had twins through IVF. She warned me that he doesn't sugar coat anything and if it's not going to work he will tell you. He won't dance around tough subjects and always made me feel very hopeful. I feel lucky to have found him for our care.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Gregory Starks at Midwest Health (HCA)?
Ask questions, research and go in ready to get to work. The process is long because he only schedules IVF procedures every other month. This can make waiting very hard. Know this going in though to save some of the headache.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Gregory Starks at Midwest Health (HCA)?
Personally, I feel that Doctor Starks and I really bonded through the process and I feel like he cared about my family and our success. Sure, he sees a lot of patients and I'm not sure he remembered everything about my history every single time we spoke but he was always honest and kind in his approach.
Describe the protocols Gregory Starks used in your cycles at Midwest Health (HCA) and their degree of success.
I'm not 100% sure about everything we used for our initial round of IVF in 2014. I believe it was just a typical protocol. I did need a laparoscopy prior to my IVF cycle which held up the process.
For my current FET cycled we've added blood thinners and additional estrogen due to my previous loses.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Midwest Health (HCA). (Assigned nurse: Brandi)
Brandi is great and is very thorough. I believe she cares and is always very quick to answer any questions either by phone or email. The calendar she puts together for you is detailed which makes staying on top of all of the meds a little easier. She's an asset to the practice!
Describe your experience with Midwest Health (HCA).
Strengths: I believe Dr. Starks is the best in the area! Brandi is also amazing and I believe the two of them are the reason that we had success back in 2014.
Weaknesses: The waiting room. This has always been a struggle for me since they share a waiting room with a regular OB. This means a lot of pregnant women and teens (on several occasions complaining loudly about being pregnant), sometimes kids/babies present, and an office staff that isn't always as understanding of the delicate needs of an IUI/IVF/FET patient. It would be a much more pleasant experience if they had their own private waiting room with resources dedicated just to their patients.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Gregory Starks at Midwest Health (HCA).
Total for IVF we spent a bit over $15,000 and that includes that laparoscopy that I needed. For our FET's they were around $5,000 each.
Describe Gregory Starks's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Midwest Health (HCA).
Initially, I was encouraged to do two embryos because of my age. We put in two and only one took. We currently have a perfect 2 year old. For our next FET cycle I was encouraged to only put in one due to risk of twins. We listened and it took but sadly we lost that baby pretty early. I'm currently in the middle of an FET with our last remaining embryo.
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10
Age
34 - 35
Treated
2016 - 2017
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
7 IUI, 1 IVF, 1 Egg Freezing
Diagnosis
Endometriosis, PCOS
10
Dr Starks was excellent at explaining in details why something did or didn't work. He also clearly covered nextbsteps so that they could be understood.He made every visit comfortable and gave hope when it was needed most.... We started with surgery to remove my endometriosis and cysts on my ovaries.. also to make sure my tubes were open. I was diagnosed with stage 4 endometriosis. We started with 3 rounds of IUI and they were unsuccessful.
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Age
34 - 35
Treated
2016 - 2017
Success with this Doc
?
Race
Other
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Operations
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
7 IUI, 1 IVF, 1 Egg Freezing
Diagnosis
Endometriosis, PCOS
10
How was your experience with Gregory Starks at Midwest Health (HCA)?
Dr Starks was excellent at explaining in details why something did or didn't work. He also clearly covered nextbsteps so that they could be understood.He made every visit comfortable and gave hope when it was needed most.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Gregory Starks at Midwest Health (HCA)?
Go to his clinic first.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Gregory Starks at Midwest Health (HCA)?
If ever I had concerns or questions I could rely on all back office staff members.
Describe the protocols Gregory Starks used in your cycles at Midwest Health (HCA) and their degree of success.
We started with surgery to remove my endometriosis and cysts on my ovaries.. also to make sure my tubes were open. I was diagnosed with stage 4 endometriosis. We started with 3 rounds of IUI and they were unsuccessful. Eggs were produced but the damage from the endo prevented them from connecting with sperm. From this point we moved on to IVF.. upon pre-testing found a polyp in my uterus and chose to go ahead and start meds and retrieve eggs.. freeze them.. and have polyp removed before implanting. We agreed frozen eggs would give us the best chance versus surgery, meds, retrieval and implant. Implant of 2 embryos was successfull and we welcomed twins 9 months later.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
Brandi, the NP, was amazing. Always very quick to respond and help with everything. Karen was awesome.. always honest and super caring. Kristi, sonographer, was always very caring and spent the time needed.
Describe your experience with Midwest Health (HCA).
The front desk staff was helpful for the most part. The location of the office wasn't always convenient but well worth it. The back office staff was amazing and always helpful as mentioned previously. I can't say enough positive things about the NP, Brandi.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Gregory Starks at Midwest Health (HCA).
It was very reasonable compared to other clinics.
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10
Age
32 - 33
Treated
2016 - 2017
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
3 Fertility Medications
Diagnosis
Endometriosis
10
[Dr. Gregory Starks] Tested hormones and ca-125 after looking at a very in depth medical history questionnaire. He suspected endometriosis right away just looking at my medical history, though. Laperoscopy (dx and cleaning of Endo)and Lupron-depot(hormone suppression) for a clean slate to start fertility procedures. Laperoscopy confirmed stage 4 endometriosis...Dr Starks is a straight shooter and I believe, honest. He definitely has a plan which is comforting and doesn't waste time. He only does what is necessary. So far everything he's done has been on point and has made sense.
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Age
32 - 33
Treated
2016 - 2017
Success with this Doc
?
Race
Latino
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Teacher
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
3 Fertility Medications
Diagnosis
Endometriosis
10
How was your experience with Gregory Starks at Midwest Health (HCA)?
Dr Starks is a straight shooter and I believe, honest. He definitely has a plan which is comforting and doesn't waste time. He only does what is necessary. So far everything he's done has been on point and has made sense. But that's what we wanted. We wanted a Dr. with a plan and explanation for it. We have done 3 IUIprocedures and hoping for a positive this last round as I had 3 mature follicles on letrozole, but thankful we have a diagnosis from The previous "unexplained infertility" by a previous R.E. Worth that second opinion and enhanced quality of life since my Laperoscopy and Lupron-depot for stage 4 endometriosis
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Gregory Starks at Midwest Health (HCA)?
If you're looking to have a counseling session or be babied, he's probably not going to do that. When you go see him, be ready to hear the truth. He's there to get the job done, not drag things out, and knows his stuff. His nurses and staff are great, too! They have always promptly returned calls. They are all very genuine people.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Gregory Starks at Midwest Health (HCA)?
He met with us and went over my medical history. He listened and found a reason before just jumping into treatment. He had a plan!
Describe the protocols Gregory Starks used in your cycles at Midwest Health (HCA) and their degree of success.
Tested hormones and ca-125 after looking at a very in depth medical history questionnaire. He suspected endometriosis right away just looking at my medical history, though.
Laperoscopy (dx and cleaning of Endo)and Lupron-depot(hormone suppression) for a clean slate to start fertility procedures. Laperoscopy confirmed stage 4 endometriosis.
My body restarted from hormone suppression with "the pill", slowly but surely.(3 months)
Birth control pill to build lining, have a "period" and then I started IUI with letrozole. I was happy he doesn't just offer every patient clomid as I've learned it's not the best for my smaller frame.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Midwest Health (HCA). (Assigned nurse: Brandi )
So wonderful! After IUI she gives a good luck ritual tummy air rub and she is honest and upfront if she has concerns or needs to deliver advice. She quickly answers calls even though she is busy and once she looked up if supplements I was on were safe, even though she didn't have to and called me after she found the answers.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Gregory Starks at Midwest Health (HCA).
This office just charges what is necessary. Our iui's were way cheaper than the last RE quoated us.
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10
Age
30 - 32
Treated
2014 - 2016
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
5 IUI
Diagnosis
Recurrent Pregnancy Loss, Endometriosis, Tubal Blockage
10
Dr. Starks is very knowledgeable about all things infertility, but he sees a lot of patients so it's not as "personalized" as I would have liked. He's VERY compassionate and easy to talk to but you have to be ready to ask questions and take notes or he'll breeze right through what he's telling you...Dr. Starks will always start you on a medicated cycle without treatment (clomid/letrozole without an IUI) first. He only let me go 3 rounds since I have stage 4 endometriosis and didn't want to risk the stuff he cleared out building back up. He cleared me out with surgery first. Then, we went on to injectable cycles with IUIs. I much preferred this because it generally produces more follicles and is more controlled. When you go in to check how large your follicles are, if they are any where above 30mm he'll cancel your cycle because it puts you at risk. I had to cancel an IUI once which was frustrating but I was glad he was keeping my safety a priority.
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Age
30 - 32
Treated
2014 - 2016
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
Operations
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
5 IUI
Diagnosis
Recurrent Pregnancy Loss, Endometriosis, Tubal Blockage
10
How was your experience with Gregory Starks at Midwest Health (HCA)?
Dr. Starks is very knowledgeable about all things infertility, but he sees a lot of patients so it's not as "personalized" as I would have liked. He's VERY compassionate and easy to talk to but you have to be ready to ask questions and take notes or he'll breeze right through what he's telling you (probably because he talks about it all day long). I wasn't very knowledgeable going in to a lot of the appointments so in hindsight I wish I would have researched a bit more so I knew exactly what he was talking about. His nurse Brandi is literally the best - you can call or email her and she'll respond the same day almost always. That was a relief when you're in the middle of a cycle freaking out over something. You'll usually see her for most appointments, so it's great she's so personal.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Gregory Starks at Midwest Health (HCA)?
Research a bit before coming so you understand terms he uses.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Gregory Starks at Midwest Health (HCA)?
There are a TON of patients that come through that clinic, so I know Dr. Starks doesn't remember me personally. His nurse, Brandi, however definitely knows her patients and treats every one special.
Describe the protocols Gregory Starks used in your cycles at Midwest Health (HCA) and their degree of success.
Dr. Starks will always start you on a medicated cycle without treatment (clomid/letrozole without an IUI) first. He only let me go 3 rounds since I have stage 4 endometriosis and didn't want to risk the stuff he cleared out building back up. He cleared me out with surgery first.
Then, we went on to injectable cycles with IUIs. I much preferred this because it generally produces more follicles and is more controlled. When you go in to check how large your follicles are, if they are any where above 30mm he'll cancel your cycle because it puts you at risk. I had to cancel an IUI once which was frustrating but I was glad he was keeping my safety a priority.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Midwest Health (HCA). (Assigned nurse: Brandi)
Brandi and Karen (Dr. Starks' nurses) were the best part of that clinic. They are generally very kind and compassionate and always answer your crazy questions with grace.
Describe your experience with Midwest Health (HCA).
The clinic is a general woman's clinic, not an infertility clinic so you'll constantly see pregnant women going in and out for appointments. That's pretty rough when you're in there going through cycle after cycle. They are always pretty nice here.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Gregory Starks at Midwest Health (HCA).
IUI medications cost around $500
IUI procedure cost $205
Meeting with Dr. Starks cost around $300 (each consult)
What specific things went wrong at Midwest Health (HCA)?
- Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
- Failed to call with results
- Failed to order appropriate test
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10
Age
28
Treated
2012
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
Fertility Medications
Diagnosis
Recurrent Pregnancy Loss, Endometriosis, Tubal Blockage, Uterine Fibroids
10
When we went for our initial consult, Dr. Starks at with us an be talked to us, not at us. He used graphs, charts and pictures to help depict what was going on and what needed to happen. His verbiage was not overly excessive to where we couldn't understand him either....Dr. Starks is a fantastic doctor with a great bedside manner. He listed to our concerns and made us feel comfortable with what the next steps were. We never felt rushed or like another dollar to him. He was personable and down to earth.
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Age
28
Treated
2012
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
Other
Income
$0 - $49K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
Fertility Medications
Diagnosis
Recurrent Pregnancy Loss, Endometriosis, Tubal Blockage, Uterine Fibroids
10
How was your experience with Gregory Starks at Midwest Health (HCA)?
Dr. Starks is a fantastic doctor with a great bedside manner. He listed to our concerns and made us feel comfortable with what the next steps were. We never felt rushed or like another dollar to him. He was personable and down to earth. Would definitely return if further treatment was ever needed!
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Gregory Starks at Midwest Health (HCA)?
When we went for our initial consult, Dr. Starks at with us an be talked to us, not at us. He used graphs, charts and pictures to help depict what was going on and what needed to happen. His verbiage was not overly excessive to where we couldn't understand him either.
Describe the protocols Gregory Starks used in your cycles at Midwest Health (HCA) and their degree of success.
My treatment was fairly simple. I had a clubbed tube with the other tube being partially blocked. He performed a laparoscopic, out patient, procedure to remove the clubbed tube and clean out the remaining tube. That was the end of October and after 6 years of infertility and miscarriages, we delivered a full term, healthy baby girl the following December!
Describe your experience with Midwest Health (HCA).
Very responsive.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Gregory Starks at Midwest Health (HCA).
Around $10,000
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