Marie Menke

2018 - 2019, Unsuccessful

6

3

Age 30 - 31

2 IUI

Anovulation

Diminished Ovarian Reserve

Income $50K - $99K

Nurse or HC Services

Only Doc Seen

Doesn't Recommend

Unsuccessful

Review of

Marie Menke UPMC Magee

Dr. Menke is very warm yet honest. Although I feel like her patients get lost in the shuffle. I have dealt more with the nurses than with the doctor. At our consult she told us her goal was to get us pregnant ASAP and it’s two years later, no pregnancy.... Dr. Menke is honest about your expectations, but she’s not willing to go outside the box. I presented to her research of similar patients in my situation and requested injectables in addition to Clomid. Because my hormones were normal

Unfortunately this clinic [UPMC] is an example of having too many hands in the pot. I spoke to someone different every time, and I constantly got conflicting information on my cycle. We were doing unmonitored due to my terrible insurance, and I’d call and they would tell me I needed to come in when I didn’t need to. Trying to get a direct message and response from the doctor was borderline impossible.... I believe this facility has the most current healthcare trends at their disposal

How was your experience with Marie Menke at UPMC Magee?

Dr. Menke is honest about your expectations, but she’s not willing to go outside the box. I presented to her research of similar patients in my situation and requested injectables in addition to Clomid. Because my hormones were normal, she’s refused to add them.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Marie Menke at UPMC Magee?

Be prepared to see her and actually speak to her only a handful of times. I think she’s thorough when she gets the chance, however I feel that she’s overwhelmed with patients and they get lost in the shuffle.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Marie Menke at UPMC Magee?

Dr. Menke is very warm yet honest. Although I feel like her patients get lost in the shuffle. I have dealt more with the nurses than with the doctor. At our consult she told us her goal was to get us pregnant ASAP and it’s two years later, no pregnancy.

Describe the protocols Marie Menke used in your cycles at UPMC Magee and their degree of success.

We started at 50 mg of Clomid which didn’t result in ovulation so we stair-stepped immediately to 100 mg which resulted in a positive ovulation. I took Clomid with timed intercourse for three cycles and then after fighting with the nurses to try to move on to IUI, we did two IUI cycles that failed. I seemed to be the only one who knew my protocol because I constantly got misinformation from the office staff when I’d call on CD-1.

Describe your experience with the nursing staff at UPMC Magee.

Unfortunately this clinic is an example of having too many hands in the pot. I spoke to someone different every time, and I constantly got conflicting information on my cycle. We were doing unmonitored due to my terrible insurance, and I’d call and they would tell me I needed to come in when I didn’t need to. Trying to get a direct message and response from the doctor was borderline impossible. And forget about going over your test results - you had to make an appointment to come in. This clinic is not near my house by any means and I requested to do monitoring and blood work at a local hospital but they refused. Instead I spent 2 hours before work traveling to the city at 5 AM to do all the testing.

Describe your experience with UPMC Magee.

I believe this facility has the most current healthcare trends at their disposal however they don’t always think outside the box with protocols. You feel more like a number in the endless cycle that is infertility. I believe they do the best they can however the failure to communicate appropriately and in a timely manner is uncalled for.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Marie Menke at UPMC Magee.

My insurance only covers a $2,000 lifetime max for infertility. I’ve had several bills from blood work and ultrasounds that I still haven’t paid off yet.

What specific things went wrong at UPMC Magee?

Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
Failed to call with results
Failed to order appropriate test
Failed to inform you of changes in protocol
Provided conflicting information
Failed to convey critical information
Scheduled the wrong procedure

Describe the specific things that went wrong at UPMC Magee.

I’ve had the wrong dosage of Clomid called in to my pharmacy resulting in multiple calls and multiple trips to the pharmacy. I’ve had medications called in that I had no idea about or how to take until I called to ask about it. I was scheduled for an sonohysterogram/FEMVUE and all over my chart is noted that my menses was lasting 14+ days; when I came in still on my period I had to endure the testing that made me so sick to my stomach only to be told to come back since they don’t usually do it while you’re still on your period.

6

Doctor

Marie Menke

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

3

Clinic

UPMC Magee

Magee

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Marie Menke UPMC Magee

2019 - 2020, Successful

6

Age 31 - 32

Unexplained

European

Income $100K - $199K

1st of 2 Docs

Doesn't Recommend

Successful

Review of

Marie Menke UPMC Magee

Dr. Menke would follow up with the PAs under her regularly and give prompt feedback on results if clarification or more information was needed. I interacted with her PAs more than her, her PAs were quite wonderful though...She's a great physician and knows how to interpret results and adjust treatment, but due to the amount of patients UPMC RE sees, be prepared to be treated like a number and not a human.

Be prepared to be treated like a number [at UPMC Magee clinic]. Scheduling around your cycle can be difficult depending on what they have open. It's frustrating because you already can't control your cycle, can't control their schedule, and can't really control your work schedule...availability at the clinic is limited. The PAs, nurses, and MAs are wonderful. If you're only in for blood work, you generally get in and out pretty quickly.

How was your experience with Marie Menke at UPMC Magee?

Dr. Menke would follow up with the PAs under her regularly and give prompt feedback on results if clarification or more information was needed. I interacted with her PAs more than her, her PAs were quite wonderful though.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Marie Menke at UPMC Magee?

She's a great physician and knows how to interpret results and adjust treatment, but due to the amount of patients UPMC RE sees, be prepared to be treated like a number and not a human.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Marie Menke at UPMC Magee?

I was primarily seen by one of Dr. Menke's PAs but Dr. Menke seemed to follow up with the PAs regularly. Dr. Menke did answer questions relating to some of my results and provide prompt follow up. I have been under the care of another doctor at this same clinic and prefer his care to Dr. Menke's. I do however feel like just a number in the UPMC system. I understand how the process works and there's must testing to be done, but when you meet with anyone, you're basically given instructions on a piece of paper and expected to have everything answered by that document vs. a human. Scheduling at UPMC RE has also proven to be a bit difficult. A lot of testing is dependent upon where you are in your cycle. You are also at the mercy of their schedule so it's quite devastating when your cycle and their schedule don't align.

Describe the protocols Marie Menke used in your cycles at UPMC Magee and their degree of success.

We were in the testing phase and I had to have surgery (performed by another physician). I feel like Dr. Menke has a standard, but conservative process. Start your testing, do IUI for 3 cycles and then see where it takes you.

Describe your experience with your nurse at UPMC Magee. (Assigned nurse: Lacie Rodman)

Lacie, the PA, was wonderful. She was very personable, took the time to listen, and answer all of my questions. It was like talking with a friend about all of this crappy stuff no one prepares you for in life.

Describe your experience with UPMC Magee.

Be prepared to be treated like a number. Scheduling around your cycle can be difficult depending on what they have open. It's frustrating because you already can't control your cycle, can't control their schedule, and can't really control your work schedule. That's a difficult thing to balance in general but it gets harder when availability at the clinic is limited. The PAs, nurses, and MAs are wonderful. If you're only in for blood work, you generally get in and out pretty quickly.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Marie Menke at UPMC Magee.

The majority of my care was covered by my insurance. This was all relating to testing with the exception of the follow up SHG after my hysteroscopy. That, I had to pay $100 towards my deductible for. If/when we move onto IUI, the cost will be roughly $400 for un-monitored, plus the cost of clomid, and roughly $1400 for monitored, plus the cost of clomid and the trigger shot.

What specific things went wrong at UPMC Magee?

Provided conflicting information

Describe the specific things that went wrong at UPMC Magee.

Sometimes, processes weren't clearly communicated. I had to have two SHGs, one with femvue and one without. Neither time was it explained that I would have blood work first and then have to wait two and a half hours before actually having the procedure. I understand the importance of doing the blood work, it just would have been helpful to know. For my second SHG, I was really worked up thinking I was going to experience the pain I did before. Up until I was mid-procedure with the CRNP, did I find out the worst part of the first one was the femvue and I didn't need to have it for the second one. It would have saved me a lot of anxiety and stress to know that before hand.

6

Doctor

Marie Menke

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

6

Clinic

UPMC Magee

Magee

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Marie Menke UPMC Magee

2019 - 2020, Unsuccessful

10

Age 32 - 33

3 IUI

PCOS

Income $0 - $49K

Only Doc Seen

Strongly Recommends

Unsuccessful

Review of

Marie Menke UPMC Magee

I felt like Dr. Menke was kind, compassionate and, really cared about helping her patients to the fullest of her ability. I always felt very welcome and, you could tell she was genuinely upset about your negative pregnancy test as you were...Make sure you book very far in advance cuz, getting an appointment with her can be hard...I felt like Dr Menke was very open to my thoughts and concerns... I feel she genuinely cares that her patients receive what they hope to accomplish during all this...

I thought they [UPMC Magee] were very upfront with you about costs of certain tests and procedures they wanted you to have done. On our first consult appointment we got a packet that had all the procedures and tests listed with the cost and the code to check with the insurance to see if certain things are covered or not...I always felt like everyone on the staff was very kind to me and, always made me feel like I was in the right place...

How was your experience with Marie Menke at UPMC Magee?

I felt like Dr. Menke was kind, compassionate and, really cared about helping her patients to the fullest of her ability. I always felt very welcome and, you could tell she was genuinely upset about your negative pregnancy test as you were.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Marie Menke at UPMC Magee?

Make sure you book very far in advance cuz, getting an appointment with her can be hard.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Marie Menke at UPMC Magee?

I felt like Dr Menke was very open to my thoughts and concerns... I feel she genuinely cares that her patients receive what they hope to accomplish during all this

Describe the protocols Marie Menke used in your cycles at UPMC Magee and their degree of success.

Dr. Menke put me on 2.5 milligrams of letrozole which I took on days 3-7 of my cycle. I was to start having timed intercourse on cd 9 and starting on cd 10 begin testing with ovulation tests. Once a positive test was confirmed I was scheduled for an IUI the following day. Sperm count was good and, I laid flat for 15 mins after the IUI. I then went home and, relaxed for the remainder of the day.

Describe your experience with the nursing staff at UPMC Magee.

I felt they were very kind and welcoming. I always felt like everyone on the staff was very kind to me and, always made me feel like I was in the right place. I could always tell as soon as you walked in , their goal was to make you feel at ease as much as possible. Infertility is a very personal, difficult situation and often makes me feel very depressed like I’m unworthy of being a mom but, when I’m there my mind is turned to positive and, it gives me hope when I’m there.

Describe your experience with UPMC Magee.

I think their strengths certainly outweigh any weaknesses that they have. Honestly, I don’t really know what they could work on. They really met and exceed my expectations every time I go. I’m sure there’s something that could use improvement but, honestly I’m having a hard time thinking of anything. I would say maybe playing phone tag since they can’t leave info on your voicemail unless you give your name cuz of HIPPA but, that’s a law so, that’s my own fault that my voicemail doesn’t state who I am. I honestly have nothing but great things to say about that practice, they’re truly wonderful

Describe the costs associated with your care under Marie Menke at UPMC Magee.

I thought they were very upfront with you about costs of certain tests and procedures they wanted you to have done. On our first consult appointment we got a packet that had all the procedures and tests listed with the cost and the code to check with the insurance to see if certain things are covered or not.

10

Doctor

Marie Menke

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

10

Clinic

UPMC Magee

Magee

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Marie Menke UPMC Magee

2018, Unknown Success

10

Age 32

3 IUI

European

South Asian

Income $0 - $49K

Only Doc Seen

Strongly Recommends

Success w/ Doc Too early to know

Review of

Marie Menke UPMC Magee

From our very first visit she [Dr. Menke] was very down to earth. It was like sitting there talking to a friend. She was very warm and answered all of our questions. We told her to be as blunt and up front as she can and she did exactly that. She throughly explained the testing process for me, she even came in unexpectedly when one of the tests they were doing were not going well with two of the other PA’s. She made sure I was ok and asked if I was ok to get home/back to work. She’s very considerate and very through and she makes sure you understand the process before leaving her office.

Strengths would be how through they [UPMC] are and how they explain the journey you will go on. A weakness would be how long it actually takes to get an appointment (months). But it was so worth the wait. They make you feel so comfortable in very uncomfortable situations.... Each cycle was about 1,300. A visit with her was only 40.00 (my copay) And my preliminary testing was not covered by my insurance, which I had to pay my deductible (1,200)

How was your experience with Marie Menke at UPMC Magee?

From our very first visit she was very down to earth. It was like sitting there talking to a friend. She was very warm and answered all of our questions. We told her to be as blunt and up front as she can and she did exactly that. She throughly explained the testing process for me, she even came in unexpectedly when one of the tests they were doing were not going well with two of the other PA’s. She made sure I was ok and asked if I was ok to get home/back to work. She’s very considerate and very through and she makes sure you understand the process before leaving her office.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Marie Menke at UPMC Magee?

Go with an open mind and heart. She can either beat around the bush and be soft but we asked her to be brutally honest and she was- as an RE should be in my opinion.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Marie Menke at UPMC Magee?

The entire staff was very kind and considerate of my feelings. Speaking with Dr.Menke was like sitting down talking to a friend. I wasn’t just another number.

Describe the protocols Marie Menke used in your cycles at UPMC Magee and their degree of success.

I used clomid 100mg from cycle days 3-7. Ovulation kits starting day 9. They had me come in for an ultrasound on day 12 to see how my follicles were. If I had a surge when I tested on day 12 or before I was to come in for bloodwork. Unfortunately I didn’t have a surge the first 2 times so they did Ovidrel on day 12 or 13 and did the IUI 48 hours after that and used progesterone 100mg suppositories until my next period. My 3rd IUI they waited until cycle day 17 ( I surged later in my cycle than most women) but I still had a negative pregnancy test.

Describe your experience with the nursing staff at UPMC Magee.

Very compassionate and kind. They know you are going through something so hard and are mindful of that.

Describe your experience with UPMC Magee.

Strengths would be how through they are and how they explain the journey you will go on. A weakness would be how long it actually takes to get an appointment (months). But it was so worth the wait. They make you feel so comfortable in very uncomfortable situations.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Marie Menke at UPMC Magee.

Each cycle was about 1,300. A visit with her was only 40.00 (my copay) And my preliminary testing was not covered by my insurance, which I had to pay my deductible (1,200)

10

Doctor

Marie Menke

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

10

Clinic

UPMC Magee

Magee

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Marie Menke UPMC Magee

2017 - 2018, Unsuccessful

5

Age 30 - 31

4 IUI

Unexplained

European

Income $100K - $199K

1st of 2 Docs

Doesn't Recommend

Unsuccessful

Review of

Marie Menke UPMC Magee

Dr. Marie Menke was caring and compassionate. She was also professional, she offered hope but didn't offer false hope. She always remained professional. Dr. Menke was easy to talk to and have difficult conversations with....Dr. Menke doesn't sugar coat odds, however she does give you hope.... I had various blood work and ultrasounds, including a sonohystergram in January 2018. All bloodwork and US's came back normal, providing no answers to why we are not able to conceive on our own. We decided to move forward with IUI/Clomid cycles.

Strength- small flexibility with scheduling. Weakness- answering services. When calling [UPMC] to schedule and appointment you never get ahold of a human. You get a voicemail for the nurse line. They do call you back in a timely manner. However, you have to leave a detailed message (which isn't easy to call and say "I'm calling because I got my period and this round of IUI didn't work so I need to do this all over again". When they call you back, you have to restate everything you just said on the voicemail in more detail.

How was your experience with Marie Menke at UPMC Magee?

Dr. Marie Menke was caring and compassionate. She was also professional, she offered hope but didn't offer false hope. She always remained professional. Dr. Menke was easy to talk to and have difficult conversations with.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Marie Menke at UPMC Magee?

I would advise them to go in with an open mind. Dr. Menke doesn't sugar coat odds, however she does give you hope.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Marie Menke at UPMC Magee?

There were times I felt treated like a number and times I felt treated like a human. When being taken back for the IUI, the nurses would ask (all four times I did IUI), "this is your first IUI, right?". Talk about rubbing salt in a wound. The staff for the most part was amazing with the exception of being asked questions that should be avoided when they have access to your medical charts.

Describe the protocols Marie Menke used in your cycles at UPMC Magee and their degree of success.

I had various blood work and ultrasounds, including a sonohystergram in January 2018. All bloodwork and US's came back normal, providing no answers to why we are not able to conceive on our own. We decided to move forward with IUI/Clomid cycles. After each IUI I also used vaginal progesterone. During my second round of IUI I got severe headaches from the Clomid, the headaches were solid all day for over a month. For the third and fourth cycles I was switched to letrozole. After 4 failed IUI cycles, we re-evaluated and decided to move forward with IVF. After deciding to move forward with IVF we switched Dr's.

Describe your experience with the nursing staff at UPMC Magee.

The nursing staff asked me each time I went in for an IUI if this was my first IUI. I never understood why they asked that. There was a moment of awkward silence and then a no from me. Questions like that really rub salt in the wound, certainly they could check medical charts before asking questions like at about such a sensitive subject. The nursing staff however was always compassionate and caring.

Describe your experience with UPMC Magee.

Strength- small flexibility with scheduling. Weakness- answering services. When calling to schedule and appointment you never get ahold of a human. You get a voicemail for the nurse line. They do call you back in a timely manner. However, you have to leave a detailed message (which isn't easy to call and say "I'm calling because I got my period and this round of IUI didn't work so I need to do this all over again". When they call you back, you have to restate everything you just said on the voicemail in more detail. IUI failures are hard enough to talk about, much less have to leave a voicemail about them.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Marie Menke at UPMC Magee.

My insurance covered office appointments and some testing/diagnostics. It did not cover the IUI rounds themselves, which were $485 each.

Describe Marie Menke's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at UPMC Magee.

Although we discussed moving forward with IVF with Dr. Menke, we did not discuss in details the IVF procedure.

What specific things went wrong at UPMC Magee?

Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy

Describe the specific things that went wrong at UPMC Magee.

On my last round of IUI I called on CD1 to get my prescriptions ordered. I left a voicemail. When they called back they left me a voicemail saying the prescriptions have been ordered and to call them back. CD2 I call them back after calling my pharmacy (who never got the order), and they then finally called in the prescription. I was suppose to do the letrozole on CD3-7, but wasn't able to get it until CD5 due to the pharmacy being out of it when it was eventually called in, I had to wait until day 5 to start it.

5

Doctor

Marie Menke

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

5

Clinic

UPMC Magee

Magee

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Marie Menke UPMC Magee

2016 - 2018, Unsuccessful

7

9

Age 27 - 29

6 Fertility Medications

Anovulation

PCOS

Unexplained

European

Income $0 - $49K

2nd of 2 Docs

4 Fertility Medications With Other Docs

Neutral

Strongly Recommends

Unsuccessful

Review of

Marie Menke UPMC Magee

Dr. Menke has a very pleasant bedside manner. She was very open with what her expectations were. She listened to our questions and answered appropriately. The only negative thing I can say is she was not very open when I suggested other options. I questioned possibly adding a new medication to the regime multiple times after researching success with other patients in our situation. She quickly shut it down and told us it wouldn't work.

All scheduling is done through a outside central scheduling center. There is not a phone number to get a hold of someone directly in the office unless you call the nurse line but then you must leave a message and wait for a return call. The front desk staff is unapproachable. Very short while speaking with you and rude. Staff in back, nurses and medical assistants, are wonderful.

How was your experience with Marie Menke at UPMC Magee?

Dr. Menke has a very pleasant bedside manner. She was very open with what her expectations were. She listened to our questions and answered appropriately. The only negative thing I can say is she was not very open when I suggested other options. I questioned possibly adding a new medication to the regime multiple times after researching success with other patients in our situation. She quickly shut it down and told us it wouldn't work.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Marie Menke at UPMC Magee?

Stand your ground. You need to sometimes be your own advocate.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Marie Menke at UPMC Magee?

I feel that Dr. Menke took her time while explaining with my husband and I what her plan was. She answered every question we had in detail and then some.

Describe the protocols Marie Menke used in your cycles at UPMC Magee and their degree of success.

I have tried Clomid unsuccessfully for many cycles with a previous doctor. Due to that, Dr. Menke decided that we should try 7.5mg of Letrozole to bring on ovulation. After roughly 4 cycles she suggested adding an Ovidrel trigger shot along with the 7.5mg of Letrozole. That cycle, I ovulated on my own without the trigger shot resulting in negative pregnancy test. We have unsuccessfully done two more cycles with 7.5mg of Letrozole alone. Dr. Menke suggests going to IUI next. I asked her to add Metformin to the regime, she refused. She stated that my levels were fine. When explaining the research I had found showing the success with women who have PCOS, she said that my case was different than those women.

Describe your experience with the nursing staff at UPMC Magee.

The nursing staff was great. Very friendly.

Describe your experience with UPMC Magee.

All scheduling is done through a outside central scheduling center. There is not a phone number to get a hold of someone directly in the office unless you call the nurse line but then you must leave a message and wait for a return call. The front desk staff is unapproachable. Very short while speaking with you and rude. Staff in back, nurses and medical assistants, are wonderful.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Marie Menke at UPMC Magee.

Charged roughly $500 per ultrasound in a treatment cycle. Cost of Ovidrel through special pharmacy was approximately $100 without insurance.

What specific things went wrong at UPMC Magee?

Provided conflicting information

Describe the specific things that went wrong at UPMC Magee.

When speaking with Dr. Menke, I was told what the plan was. When her nurse called me with ultrasound and bloodwork results, she told me something completely different. When questioned on it, she told me that what I was saying wasn't what they typically do and she would need to check with the doctor and return my call. Resulting in more waiting.

7

Doctor

Marie Menke

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

9

Clinic

UPMC Magee

Magee

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Marie Menke UPMC Magee

2018, Unsuccessful

5

9

Age 41

5 IUI

Unexplained

Black or African-American

Income $50K - $99K

1st of 2 Docs

4 Fertility Medications With Other Docs

Doesn't Recommend

Strongly Recommends

Unsuccessful

Review of

Marie Menke UPMC Magee

I asked about injectables to better my chances and she [Dr. Marie Menke] declined stating that I was doing well on oral medications...I only met Dr. Menke once. I always met with and talked directly to her nurse concerning my care...My iui's were done by who ever was staffed at the time... After my first iui I never seen her again. I thought we would have had more communication face to face concerning my care so my experience with her was distant, meaning no connection. I just didn't feel like I received or was able to establish a patient and RE bond with her.

Lacey [nurse at UPMC Magee] was awesome! She is a great communicator, very organized, and will return calls and emails in timely manner. I only had one disappointment with her. She brought me in for a consult for injectables I feel knowing that the RE didn't want to proceed. Total waste of a copay! Sometimes I felt like she was pushing me in the direction to do ivf after the second iui which was not of my interest.

How was your experience with Marie Menke at UPMC Magee?

I met her once. I know that all of my care was communicated to her through her nurse. After my first iui I never seen her again. I thought we would have had more communication face to face concerning my care so my experience with her was distant, meaning no connection. I just didn't feel like I received or was able to establish a patient and RE bond with her.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Marie Menke at UPMC Magee?

At consult let her know your expectations.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Marie Menke at UPMC Magee?

I only met Dr. Menke once. I always met with and talked directly to her nurse concerning my care. Btw she was awesome! My iui's were done by who ever was staffed at the time. I would have preferred the same RE everytime.

Describe the protocols Marie Menke used in your cycles at UPMC Magee and their degree of success.

Femara CD 3-7 to induce ovulation and increase mature follicle count. Femara worked but once a follicle became mature I had to trigger because she don't want multiple mature follicles. Clomid cd 3-7produced less follicles but gave me several mature. I asked about injectables to better my chances and she declined stating that I was doing well on oral medications.

Describe your experience with your nurse at UPMC Magee. (Assigned nurse: Lacey)

Lacey was awesome! She is a great communicator, very organized, and will return calls and emails in timely manner. I only had one disappointment with her. She brought me in for a consult for injectables I feel knowing that the RE didn't want to proceed. Total waste of a copay! Sometimes I felt like she was pushing me in the direction to do ivf after the second iui which was not of my interest.

Describe your experience with UPMC Magee.

The clinic is organized and clean. The wait time from check in to appointment time are efficient. It's nice that if they are running behind they will come out and let you know instead of having you sit there wondering what's going on. The team work there is amazing!

Describe the costs associated with your care under Marie Menke at UPMC Magee.

Copays collected at registration, insurance covered 80/20 after my deductible.

5

Doctor

Marie Menke

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

9

Clinic

UPMC Magee

Magee

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Marie Menke UPMC Magee

2018, Unknown Success

10

Age 28

Male Factor

Unexplained

Income $0 - $49K

Teacher

2nd of 2 Docs

1 IUI With Other Docs

LGBTQ

Strongly Recommends

Success w/ Doc Not sure

Review of

Marie Menke UPMC Magee

When I first saw the doctor she [Dr. Marie Menke] was willing to move forward. She was not giving me a run around and was willing to help. I was ready to move forward and she was with me the whole time. She explained the process were going to try with the IUI and what to expect each time. She is very easy to talk to and I don't feel rushed during my appointments.

The nursing staff [at UPMC] were all very caring and supportive. With my IUI my bladder was not full enough and they didn't give up trying with the procedure. They couldn't get the cathador in place and went and did an ultrasound to make sure everything was okay. They gave me water to full up my bladder and then had sucess with the cathador. They were very encouraging and made me feel comformatable about the whole procedure!

How was your experience with Marie Menke at UPMC Magee?

When I first saw the doctor she was willing to move forward. She was not giving me a run around and was willing to help. I was ready to move forward and she was with me the whole time. She explained the process were going to try with the IUI and what to expect each time. She is very easy to talk to and I don't feel rushed during my appointments. I'm hoping the second IUI will be a success!

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Marie Menke at UPMC Magee?

If you are ready to move forward so is she! She is willing to help you get to where you want to be!

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Marie Menke at UPMC Magee?

She takes her time and listens. She is very nice and understands what you are going through.

Describe the protocols Marie Menke used in your cycles at UPMC Magee and their degree of success.

My treatment was insemination with my husbands semin. To inject the semin with a cathador to help the sperm arrive close to an egg. I was told to take a pregnancy test the first day of my period to make sure I was not pregnant. They would call in Clomid and take for five days. I was told to have intercourse every other day starting day 9 of my cycle. I was told to use the ovulation predictor kits day 11 and when a positve ovulation test appeared I would have an IUI the next day. After my IUI they had me use Prometrium after until 15 days past insemination. Day 15 check pregnancy and report results to the nurse. If negative stop Prometrium and your cycle should start within a few days and start the procedure all over again. She was clear as to what each medication was for and why I need to take it.

Describe your experience with the nursing staff at UPMC Magee.

The nursing staff were all very caring and supportive. With my IUI my bladder was not full enough and they didn't give up trying with the procedure. They couldn't get the cathador in place and went and did an ultrasound to make sure everything was okay. They gave me water to full up my bladder and then had sucess with the cathador. They were very encouraging and made me feel comformatable about the whole procedure!

Describe your experience with UPMC Magee.

They are very quick about getting an appointment and the wait is not long at all. If you don't want to get blood work at the hospital they will send your paperwork to a Quest if it is closer to make it easier on you if the drive is long. The results from the blood work are very quick and they call you the same day. Also when you call to take to a nurse they get back to you very quickly.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Marie Menke at UPMC Magee.

My copays to meet with Doctor Menke were $50. It didn't matter if I was there for 5 minutes or an hour. I feel she could have emailed the information one time for a five minute conversation. My blood work I never had a copayment but received bills in the mail. My IUI is covered under insurance but was billed later for I believe $247.00 but it may be all the payments for bloodwork that they didn't know for my insurance.

10

Doctor

Marie Menke

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

10

Clinic

UPMC Magee

Magee

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Marie Menke UPMC Magee

2015 - 2017, Unsuccessful

4

2

Age 31 - 33

2 IUI

Donor Eggs

Anovulation

PCOS

European

Income $100K - $199K

Only Doc Seen

IVF With Other Docs

Donor Sperm

LGBTQ

Doesn't Recommend

Unsuccessful

Review of

Marie Menke UPMC Magee

Dr. Menke is fantastic! She is attentive and compassionate. She is one of the only reasons we've stayed with the clinic. She explains things thoroughly and is also very aware of the expense of fertility treatments and does her best to minimize them...Dr. Menke utilized a very specific estrogen protocol to reduce fluid build up in my lining. She was very thorough in making sure we had a successful transfer...When I had a pregnancy I was not told that I was measuring a week behind. I learned this information after looking at my chart post miscarriage

[U of Pitt - Magee] Very disorganized and too large. Billing is not specific and hard to figure out... I've been going there for well over a year and she [Dr. Menke] is the only staff member that knows my name. They don't review my chart so despite being a lesbian I am asked questions like "are you doing timed intercourse" and the like..Had a canceled cycle due to nursing error. My medications were also called in to the wrong pharmacy during one cycle. They are not at all accommodating and everything is always a scramble. They didn't realize our 6month labs were expired until last minute.

How was your experience with Marie Menke at UPMC Magee?

Dr. Menke is fantastic! She is attentive and compassionate. She is one of the only reasons we've stayed with the clinic. She explains things thoroughly and is also very aware of the expense of fertility treatments and does her best to minimize them.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Marie Menke at UPMC Magee?

Beware of the rest of the staff.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Marie Menke at UPMC Magee?

Dr. Menke isn't very attentive but the office itself is too large. I've been going there for well over a year and she is the only staff member that knows my name. They don't review my chart so despite being a lesbian I am asked questions like "are you doing timed intercourse" and the like.

Describe the protocols Marie Menke used in your cycles at UPMC Magee and their degree of success.

Dr. Menke utilized a very specific estrogen protocol to reduce fluid build up in my lining. She was very thorough in making sure we had a successful transfer

Describe your experience with the nursing staff at UPMC Magee.

They are absolutely awful. We missed an entire cycle due to a nursing error. They frequently provided me with false information. I have access to my chart due to working in the same hospital system and their documentation was also inappropriate.

Describe your experience with UPMC Magee.

Very disorganized and too large. Billing is not specific and hard to figure out. They also did not send any kind of notice before sending a bill for our year of storage.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Marie Menke at UPMC Magee.

30k

Describe Marie Menke's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at UPMC Magee.

She followed current guidelines with a preference for a more conservative approach.

What specific things went wrong at UPMC Magee?

Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
Lost appointments
Provided conflicting information
Failed to convey critical information
Canceled a cycle due to clinic error
Scheduled the wrong procedure

Describe the specific things that went wrong at UPMC Magee.

Had a canceled cycle due to nursing error. My medications were also called in to the wrong pharmacy during one cycle. They are not at all accommodating and everything is always a scramble. They didn't realize our 6month labs were expired until last minute. When I had a pregnancy I was not told that I was measuring a week behind. I learned this information after looking at my chart post miscarriage

4

Doctor

Marie Menke

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

2

Clinic

UPMC Magee

Magee

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Marie Menke UPMC Magee

2015 - 2016, Successful

9

8

Age 33 - 34

4 IUI

Male Factor

European

Income $50K - $99K

Accountant

Only Doc Seen

Donor Sperm

Strongly Recommends

Neutral

Successful

Review of

Marie Menke UPMC Magee

Dr Menke cares about her patients and it shows. She tends toward bluntness (which I appreciate) but she was never rude. She also would do phone consultations and I didn’t feel rushed or annoying for asking lots of questions....We need to use donor sperm. First cycle was 50mg Clomid and IUI. I had 5 follicles but still was not successful. The next cycle was Femara but I only had one giant follicle that took forever to grow. She was able to walk me through when to test with ovulation strips since we weren’t sure when the ultrasounds should be.

It was easy to feel like a number with the clinic [UPMC] but they are organized. There is some amount of taking control of your own care (like calling for an appointment instead of waiting for nurses). They stay pretty on track time wise. Be aware this is in a maternity hospital so you frequently have to see babies and kids running around.... The nursing staff would sometimes take a long time to call back but always did. The phlebotomist was really sweet!

How was your experience with Marie Menke at UPMC Magee?

I liked Dr. Menke’s bluntness and straightforwardness because she is also caring. I was getting frustrated with lack of success and she scheduled a phone appointment with me during a busy time for me at work. She listened and explained why our course of treatment was the best.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Marie Menke at UPMC Magee?

Don’t expect her to sugar coat! But she is so kind and caring.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Marie Menke at UPMC Magee?

Dr Menke cares about her patients and it shows. She tends toward bluntness (which I appreciate) but she was never rude. She also would do phone consultations and I didn’t feel rushed or annoying for asking lots of questions.

Describe the protocols Marie Menke used in your cycles at UPMC Magee and their degree of success.

We need to use donor sperm. First cycle was 50mg Clomid and IUI. I had 5 follicles but still was not successful. The next cycle was Femara but I only had one giant follicle that took forever to grow. She was able to walk me through when to test with ovulation strips since we weren’t sure when the ultrasounds should be. The next cycle I did 25 mg Clomid but only got a few slow growing follicles yet again. The final cycle she (at my insistence) put me back on 50 mg Clomid and we’re successful. We did an ovidrel trigger shot with every cycle.

Describe your experience with the nursing staff at UPMC Magee.

The nursing staff would sometimes take a long time to call back but always did. The phlebotomist was really sweet!

Describe your experience with UPMC Magee.

It was easy to feel like a number with the clinic but they are organized. There is some amount of taking control of your own care (like calling for an appointment instead of waiting for nurses). They stay pretty on track time wise. Be aware this is in a maternity hospital so you frequently have to see babies and kids running around.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Marie Menke at UPMC Magee.

We were extremely fortunate to have insurance coverage for everything except donor sperm, which was approximately $900 per cycle. Visits with Dr Menke were a $50 copay.

What specific things went wrong at UPMC Magee?

Failed to call with results

Describe the specific things that went wrong at UPMC Magee.

I was waiting for results after an ultrasound and had to call several emergency numbers to figure out the next steps. The nurses were apologetic and everything was okay.

9

Doctor

Marie Menke

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

8

Clinic

UPMC Magee

Magee

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Marie Menke UPMC Magee

2014 - 2016, Successful

10

Age 33 - 35

2 IVF

Donor Eggs

Diminished Ovarian Reserve

European

Income $200K - $499K

2nd of 2 Docs

Strongly Recommends

Successful

Review of

Marie Menke UPMC Magee

She [Dr. Menke] laid out a clear plan and adjusted when necessary. She was very honest with us during each step of the process and gave us the ability to make decisions based on all information available, not just her recommendations...She's wonderful and even though you might not see her every time, she knows exactly what is going on and is always happy to give you a call and talk about it... For my donor cycle, we did a uterine scratch the month before.

Everybody there [UPMC Magee] is amazing, there is relatively minimal turn around so there's a lot of continuity of care. The nurses and staff really get to know you and make what can sometimes feel like a terrible situation, actually be a pleasant one...All monitoring appointments were done between when the clinic opened at 6:30 in the morning until 9:30 in the morning. This way doctors could discuss results at noon conference and call the patients with the results and update their plan of care if necessary. I never felt like a cattle call, it never felt rushed. It was great that the appointments were able to be scheduled before working hours so that it did not eat into my work day in any way, shape, or form

How was your experience with Marie Menke at UPMC Magee?

She was wonderful. She laid out a clear plan and adjusted when necessary. She was very honest with us during each step of the process and gave us the ability to make decisions based on all information available, not just her recommendations.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Marie Menke at UPMC Magee?

She's wonderful and even though you might not see her every time, she knows exactly what is going on and is always happy to give you a call and talk about it

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Marie Menke at UPMC Magee?

She was open and honest with us. It was obvious she cared but didn't want us to be lead down a path that wouldn't work.

Describe the protocols Marie Menke used in your cycles at UPMC Magee and their degree of success.

Our first cycle together was planned by another doctor, so she followed through with the previously designed protocol. However our second cycle we did an long cycle with Lupron priming followed by 4 vials of menopur, two times a day (8 total) for stimulation. For my donor cycle, we did a uterine scratch the month before.

Describe your experience with your nurse at UPMC Magee. (Assigned nurse: Melissa )

I cannot say enough wonderful things about the nursing staff at this Clinic. They're wonderful nurses who care about their patients and want the best for them.

Describe your experience with UPMC Magee.

We've been going to this Clinic for the last 4 years. Everybody there is amazing, there is relatively minimal turn around so there's a lot of continuity of care. The nurses and staff really get to know you and make what can sometimes feel like a terrible situation, actually be a pleasant one

Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at UPMC Magee.

All monitoring appointments were done between when the clinic opened at 6:30 in the morning until 9:30 in the morning. This way doctors could discuss results at noon conference and call the patients with the results and update their plan of care if necessary. I never felt like a cattle call, it never felt rushed. It was great that the appointments were able to be scheduled before working hours so that it did not eat into my work day in any way, shape, or form

Describe the costs associated with your care under Marie Menke at UPMC Magee.

All of our procedures were covered by insurance however I did have a $10,000 deductible for medication that was met early on. I think we ended up spending an additional $12,000 on medication between all three cycles out of pocket

Describe Marie Menke's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at UPMC Magee.

All transfers were recommended as one embry. Because I was under 35 and all embryos were excellent quality

10

Doctor

Marie Menke

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

10

Clinic

UPMC Magee

Magee

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Marie Menke UPMC Magee

2015 - 2016, Unsuccessful

0

Age 30 - 31

2 IUI

Unexplained

Income $100K - $199K

Teacher

1st of 2 Docs

2 Fertility Medications With Other Docs

Doesn't Recommend

Unsuccessful

Review of

Marie Menke UPMC Magee

I rarely saw Dr. Menke and when I did, my appointments always seemed rush and I never got answers on all my questions. Information that I needed for treatment was NEVER communicated, including pricing.... After my first visit and initial blood work, I was put on 50 mg of Clomid for 6 months unmonitored. Keep in my I already ovulate on my own. Then we moved to monitored clomid with IUI. After my first ultrasound, i had too many mature follicules. Therefore the first IUI was canceled and I was proscribed 25 mg of clomid. That dose allowed for an IUI but no pregnancy. I did one more cycle with Dr. Menke of 25 mg of clomid and IUI which resulted in no pregnancy

I rarely saw Dr. Menke [at UPMC Magee] and when I did, my appointments always seemed rush and I never got answers on all my questions. Information that I needed for treatment was NEVER communicated, including pricing.... After my first visit and initial blood work, I was put on 50 mg of Clomid for 6 months unmonitored. Keep in my I already ovulate on my own. Then we moved to monitored clomid with IUI. After my first ultrasound, i had too many mature follicules. Therefore the first IUI was canceled and I was proscribed 25 mg of clomid. That dose allowed for an IUI but no pregnancy. I did one more cycle with Dr. Menke of 25 mg of clomid and IUI which resulted in no pregnancy

How was your experience with Marie Menke at UPMC Magee?

Dr. Menke was the first fertility doctor I saw during my fertility journey. I didn't have an expectation or even know what to expect, but having been seen by another doctor, at a different clinic I can reflect on my visits as rushed, not thorough. I also felt like just another number, more money in their pocket. I also felt like there was nothing genuine about my interactions with her on what was the beginning of a very difficult journey.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Marie Menke at UPMC Magee?

Get to know your patients, take your time with them, have a general interests in their struggles, and help them understand their diagnosis and what will or can happen next. Also provide your patients with accurate cost information

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Marie Menke at UPMC Magee?

I rarely saw Dr. Menke and when I did, my appointments always seemed rush and I never got answers on all my questions. Information that I needed for treatment was NEVER communicated, including pricing.

Describe the protocols Marie Menke used in your cycles at UPMC Magee and their degree of success.

After my first visit and initial blood work, I was put on 50 mg of Clomid for 6 months unmonitored. Keep in my I already ovulate on my own. Then we moved to monitored clomid with IUI. After my first ultrasound, i had too many mature follicules. Therefore the first IUI was canceled and I was proscribed 25 mg of clomid. That dose allowed for an IUI but no pregnancy. I did one more cycle with Dr. Menke of 25 mg of clomid and IUI which resulted in no pregnancy

Describe your experience with the nursing staff at UPMC Magee.

Rude, disingenuous, too busy to be bothered

Describe your experience with UPMC Magee.

Always running late, rude, not clean, just another number

Describe the costs associated with your care under Marie Menke at UPMC Magee.

Nope, of fact she gave me the wrong code sheet to check with our insurance for IUI. I never met with a fianial advisor. This is the beginning of many financial issues

What specific things went wrong at UPMC Magee?

Lost paperwork
Lost appointments
Failed to call with results
Failed to inform you of changes in protocol
Provided conflicting information
Failed to convey critical information
Canceled a cycle due to clinic error

0

Doctor

Marie Menke

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

0

Clinic

UPMC Magee

Magee

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Marie Menke UPMC Magee

2014 - 2016, Successful

10

7

Age 30 - 32

1 IVF

Diminished Ovarian Reserve

Endometriosis

Tubal Blockage

European

Income $0 - $49K

Nurse or HC Services

2nd of 2 Docs

2 IUI With Other Docs

Strongly Recommends

Neutral

Successful

Review of

Marie Menke UPMC Magee

The new protocol (estrogen priming) worked much better! We made it to retrieval, transfer, and even have 5 embryos that are frozen! I am cautiously expecting right now and Dr. Menke is following that until I can be released from their office. I really feel she went above and beyond my expectations - she seemed to anticipate my needs (emotionally and otherwise) and tailored her treatment to my specific case. I will be glad when I don't *have* to see her anymore but will miss her and the excellent care she provided me!

There seems to have been a lot of miscommunication in the office [UPMC Magee] - though I feel it has gotten better. I've had a prescription not called in, a prescription called in under my maiden name (which I'm not sure where they even got), order a lab for the wrong day, and have had an appointment that was scheduled but never put in the schedule. Once I waited for much longer than I should have because they never pulled my chart to indicate I was there. Most times this was without apology. I understand mistakes happen but at least take responsibility!

How was your experience with Marie Menke at UPMC Magee?

Dr. Menke did two laparoscopies on me, multiple medicated cycles, IUIs, and eventually IVF. My first IVF cycle was cancelled before we ever made it to retrieval because I only had 3 mature eggs when expectations were for a lot more. She took the time to call and go over all of the details, talk about next steps and what we would do differently. I had been so upset that I really didn't absorb everything and had a lot more questions the next day - she called me back and went over everything again and answered all of my questions. She helped prepare me for the next cycle and was encouraging that we could get much better results with a different protocol, knowing how my body has reacted to medications in the past and with injectables. The new protocol (estrogen priming) worked much better! We made it to retrieval, transfer, and even have 5 embryos that are frozen! I am cautiously expecting right now and Dr. Menke is following that until I can be released from their office. I really feel she went above and beyond my expectations - she seemed to anticipate my needs (emotionally and otherwise) and tailored her treatment to my specific case. I will be glad when I don't *have* to see her anymore but will miss her and the excellent care she provided me!

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Marie Menke at UPMC Magee?

Don't be afraid to ask questions or to have her explain things to you! She will, and she'll ensure that you understand.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Marie Menke at UPMC Magee?

Dr. Menke was so compassionate and treated me with kindness and understanding. It was obvious that she truly cared about my feelings throughout treatment, as well as my health and getting results. She was always very thorough in explaining things and took the time to answer every question.

Describe the protocols Marie Menke used in your cycles at UPMC Magee and their degree of success.

My successful IVF cycle used the estrogen priming protocol. She chose that for me as my previous IVF cycle (and previous medicated cycles) never produced more than 3 follicles. Since my antral follicle count suggested I should get many more she suspected that I may have premature ovarian aging. She didn't want to risk over suppression by using birth control pills or lupron, and so estrogen priming it was. That would allow receptors in the follicles to open up and basically "wake up" my sleepy ovaries so that they'd accept the hormones and actually grow. My follicles grew slower (which was a good thing!) and I required more medication at higher doses, but in the end it was very effective and I ended up with good quality embryos. Out of 11 mature, 9 fertilized, we transferred the best looking one on day 3, and 5 made it to day 5 to freeze. We are cautiously expecting our first child now.

Describe your experience with the nursing staff at UPMC Magee.

In the beginning I had a lot of issues with the nursing staff - scheduling appointments, knowing why I was there, having prescriptions called in, getting specifics of my results. It was very frustrating and if it hadn't been for Dr. Menke I would have switched to a different practice. Things seemed to have improved a lot in the past 4 months though. Everyone there seems in a better mood and they seem to be running a little smoother now.

Describe your experience with UPMC Magee.

A weakness is that anytime you call in you get the voicemail. And if you're like me and can't take personal calls while you are working it ends up being unending phone tag with the nurses. If you want very specific questions answered be sure to ask otherwise they'll just tell you things "look okay" without giving you actual results/information. The nurses don't always know why you are there on a given day and there seems to be a lot of miscommunication at times. Be prepared to advocate for yourself. It is so very important for you to understand what you are doing and why, and what each visit is for, and what the expectations are for your cycle. You are your own best advocate! You need to take charge of your own care and be sure that you are being provided the best care possible. The strengths would be having Dr. Menke on their staff as she is wonderful.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Marie Menke at UPMC Magee.

I was fortunate that my insurance covered the cost of all diagnostics and IUIs. Medications were not covered, and everything associated with IVF was out of pocket. They provided a list of what everything would cost up front, some things were optional, so we were aware of what we were getting into with IVF.

What specific things went wrong at UPMC Magee?

Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
Lost appointments
Failed to order appropriate test
Failed to convey critical information

Describe the specific things that went wrong at UPMC Magee.

There seems to have been a lot of miscommunication in the office - though I feel it has gotten better. I've had a prescription not called in, a prescription called in under my maiden name (which I'm not sure where they even got), order a lab for the wrong day, and have had an appointment that was scheduled but never put in the schedule. Once I waited for much longer than I should have because they never pulled my chart to indicate I was there. Most times this was without apology. I understand mistakes happen but at least take responsibility!

10

Doctor

Marie Menke

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

7

Clinic

UPMC Magee

Magee

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Marie Menke UPMC Magee

2015 - 2016, Unsuccessful

10

Age 34 - 35

2 IVF

Diminished Ovarian Reserve

Male Factor

European

Income $100K - $199K

Consultant

2nd of 2 Docs

Strongly Recommends

Unsuccessful

Review of

Marie Menke UPMC Magee

Dr Menke was open and honest with us. We were patients of Dr. Nayaks before she moved, and I was very nervous switching, as I had a wonderful experience with Dr. Nayak....he's warm and welcoming, but doesn't give a false sense of hope, and that is extremely important to me...The ONLY downside is that while she is always available via phone or email, she generally only sees scheduled patients one day a week. But even with that, when I was in a cycle, I heard from her regularly and she was at key ultrasounds.

I would recommend Magee to anyone in the Pittsburgh area. I've had nothing but wonderful experiences...[The nursing staff are] wonderful. I was always greeted with a smile, and when I got my daily calls, they let me ask a million questions. I am so grateful for how caring they are, it really makes a difference.

How was your experience with Marie Menke at UPMC Magee?

She's warm and welcoming, but doesn't give a false sense of hope, and that is extremely important to me. Coming into something as complex and emotional as IVF, my husband and I wanted to find a doctor who was caring and compassionate but who also was honest and upfront with the realities of our situation. And Dr. Menke is that person. The ONLY downside is that while she is always available via phone or email, she generally only sees scheduled patients one day a week. But even with that, when I was in a cycle, I heard from her regularly and she was at key ultrasounds.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Marie Menke at UPMC Magee?

Don't be discouraged if it takes a bit to get an appointment with her, it's worth the wait.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Marie Menke at UPMC Magee?

Dr Menke was open and honest with us. We were patients of Dr. Nayaks before she moved, and I was very nervous switching, as I had a wonderful experience with Dr. Nayak. Because of our issues, we know our chances of conceiving using my eggs are low, and while Dr. Menke doesn't sugar coat things, she is kind and warm and I really believe that she cares about us as people.

Describe the protocols Marie Menke used in your cycles at UPMC Magee and their degree of success.

My first cycle was designed by my previous doctor, Dr. Menke followed the protocols that she had laid out, I have diminished ovarian reserve, so they maxed me out on Menapur and Gonal F. My second cycle was designed by Dr. Menke. I was maxed out on Menapure and Gonal F in my first cycle and was only able to get 2 eggs. She suggested an experimental priming protocol. This time, she was hoping to increase my egg count (I was told it wouldn't be a miracle, that maybe we could get from 2 to 3 or 4) and slowly bring me up. She thought that maybe one follicle showed it was dominate and that stopped all others from growing. This second cycle was a long cycle, 10 days after I ovulated, I took estrogen for three days and then added cetrotide for another three days, then when I got my period, I began the stim medication on day two (I took menapur twice a day). My eggs did increase, they were able to get three

Describe your experience with the nursing staff at UPMC Magee.

They're wonderful. I was always greeted with a smile, and when I got my daily calls, they let me ask a million questions. I am so grateful for how caring they are, it really makes a difference.

Describe your experience with UPMC Magee.

I would recommend Magee to anyone in the Pittsburgh area. I've had nothing but wonderful experiences.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Marie Menke at UPMC Magee.

Insurance covered all of the procedures, however we maxed out on our drug coverage, so most of the medications during the second cycle were out of pocket.

10

Doctor

Marie Menke

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

10

Clinic

UPMC Magee

Magee

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Marie Menke UPMC Magee

2018 - 2019, Unsuccessful

8

Age 33 - 34

2 IVF

Male Factor

European

Income $50K - $99K

Only Doc Seen

Neutral

Unsuccessful

Review of

Marie Menke UPMC Magee

Dr. Menke is very realistic and explains everything very well. She let's you know up front if she thinks it will be hard for you to conceive. She is also calm which kept me calm. The only thing that is hard is that she is very busy so it is sometimes difficult to reach her. I think this is true of all physicians though.... I actually wish she explained the protocols a little better to me. I didn't really understand what protocol she was using and her rationale all the time.

I love all the staff at this clinic [UPMC]. I think, like most IVF clinics, they are growing rapidly and could probably use some additional staffing as they seem overall stressed at times. This would allow them more time with each individual patient. Overall, however, I would continue to recommend them.... We knew that they had the results of my genetic testing of one of embryos for over a week but they make the physician tell you the results

How was your experience with Marie Menke at UPMC Magee?

Dr. Menke is very realistic and explains everything very well. She let's you know up front if she thinks it will be hard for you to conceive. She is also calm which kept me calm. The only thing that is hard is that she is very busy so it is sometimes difficult to reach her. I think this is true of all physicians though.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Marie Menke at UPMC Magee?

Have you're questions ready ahead of time.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Marie Menke at UPMC Magee?

Dr. Menke took time to talk with us over the phone after each cycle of IVF. She's very busy though and sometimes I wish we could have made an appointment to speak to her face to face after each cycle.

Describe the protocols Marie Menke used in your cycles at UPMC Magee and their degree of success.

I actually wish she explained the protocols a little better to me. I didn't really understand what protocol she was using and her rationale all the time.

Describe your experience with the nursing staff at UPMC Magee.

The majority of the nursing staff was excellent. They get back to you quickly and explain things well.

Describe your experience with UPMC Magee.

I love all the staff at this clinic. I think, like most IVF clinics, they are growing rapidly and could probably use some additional staffing as they seem overall stressed at times. This would allow them more time with each individual patient. Overall, however, I would continue to recommend them.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Marie Menke at UPMC Magee.

The first cycle was ~8k including meds. The second cycle (my insurance didn't pay as much) was ~13k. Everyone is different though.

What specific things went wrong at UPMC Magee?

Failed to call with results

Describe the specific things that went wrong at UPMC Magee.

We knew that they had the results of my genetic testing of one of embryos for over a week but they make the physician tell you the results so we had to wait until she was available which took more than a week despite us calling twice.

8

Doctor

Marie Menke

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

8

Clinic

UPMC Magee

Magee

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Marie Menke UPMC Magee

2018 - 2019, Unknown Success

6

7

Age 40 - 41

5 IUI

PCOS

European

Income $100K - $199K

Lawyer

Only Doc Seen

Fertility Medications With Other Docs

Doesn't Recommend

Neutral

Success w/ Doc Too early to know

Review of

Marie Menke UPMC Magee

I have PCOS, so we used Femara with ultrasound monitoring of my follicles, and ovidrel trigger shot, IUI, then vaginal progesterone supplementation [protocol with Dr. Menke]... didn’t do my IUI’s, so I didn’t see her as often as I would’ve chosen. But the consultations I had with her were helpful. I wish Magee didn’t have the BMI limit it does for IVF, but I don’t believe that’s her call... would go several months of IUI’s without seeing her or changing my protocol.

I had one problem early on [at UPMC Magee] because my insurance coverage changed and the clinic cancelled my HSG without telling me. On the plus side, when I showed up for the appointment and the mistake was discovered, Dr. Menke came in when she was supposed to be off work just to complete my procedure...High volume of patients, friendly staff, not quite as much hand-holding and communication as I would like. You have to be the squeaky wheel to get the attention you want. The nursing staff was mostly great. I only saw Dr. Menke for consults and then would go several months of IUI’s without seeing her or changing my protocol.

How was your experience with Marie Menke at UPMC Magee?

Dr. Menke didn’t do my IUI’s, so I didn’t see her as often as I would’ve chosen. But the consultations I had with her were helpful. I wish Magee didn’t have the BMI limit it does for IVF, but I don’t believe that’s her call.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Marie Menke at UPMC Magee?

Speak up. Ask questions. Be proactive.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Marie Menke at UPMC Magee?

I never felt disrespected or disregarded, but it’s a very busy clinic with a lot of patients, so you have to be proactive to get your needs met.

Describe the protocols Marie Menke used in your cycles at UPMC Magee and their degree of success.

I have PCOS, so we used Femara with ultrasound monitoring of my follicles, and ovidrel trigger shot, IUI, then vaginal progesterone supplementation.

Describe your experience with the nursing staff at UPMC Magee.

The ultrasound techs varied a lot in how much they would tell you while they performed an ultrasound.

Describe your experience with UPMC Magee.

High volume of patients, friendly staff, not quite as much hand-holding and communication as I would like. You have to be the squeaky wheel to get the attention you want. The nursing staff was mostly great. I only saw Dr. Menke for consults and then would go several months of IUI’s without seeing her or changing my protocol.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Marie Menke at UPMC Magee.

I had insurance coverage for IUI, but some of the monitoring and meds weren’t covered by my insurance. I probably spent about $250 per IUI cycle. In addition, my first tests and diagnostics cost me about $400.

What specific things went wrong at UPMC Magee?

Lost appointments

Describe the specific things that went wrong at UPMC Magee.

I had one problem early on because my insurance coverage changed and the clinic cancelled my HSG without telling me. On the plus side, when I showed up for the appointment and the mistake was discovered, Dr. Menke came in when she was supposed to be off work just to complete my procedure.

6

Doctor

Marie Menke

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

7

Clinic

UPMC Magee

Magee

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Marie Menke UPMC Magee

2017, Successful

8

7

Age 31

3 IUI

Unexplained

European

Income $100K - $199K

Nurse or HC Services

Only Doc Seen

Neutral

Successful

Review of

Marie Menke UPMC Magee

I appreciated Dr Menke because when one of my tests got canceled she personally performed the procedure herself. She did not blame me for the cancellation and was very accommodating. She also offered to do phone consultations for follow up. This was very helpful because I did not need to drive to the hospital and I was not charged for the phone call.... I did 3 IUIs with 25mg Clomid, 12 day ultrasound and Ovidrel....

The office [UPMC Magee] was not always organized. I had a test cancelled because I didn’t receive the instructions. I also showed up once for an appointment and they asked why I was there....I showed up for my HSG to find out I had not completed the requirements for it. This had not been conveyed to me ahead of time. Also, they assumed I did not have insurance coverage and sent my prescription to a mail order pharmacy. I had to call twice to have it sent to my pharmacy insurance provider instead.

How was your experience with Marie Menke at UPMC Magee?

I appreciated Dr Menke because when one of my tests got canceled she personally performed the procedure herself. She did not blame me for the cancellation and was very accommodating. She also offered to do phone consultations for follow up. This was very helpful because I did not need to drive to the hospital and I was not charged for the phone call.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Marie Menke at UPMC Magee?

Ask lots of questions and bring someone with you to listen to the answers

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Marie Menke at UPMC Magee?

Spoke to me on a professional level that made me feel human. Was kind during procedures.

Describe the protocols Marie Menke used in your cycles at UPMC Magee and their degree of success.

I did 3 IUIs with 25mg Clomid, 12 day ultrasound and Ovidrel.

Describe your experience with the nursing staff at UPMC Magee.

The office was not always organized. I had a test cancelled because I didn’t receive the instructions. I also showed up once for an appointment and they asked why I was there.

Describe your experience with UPMC Magee.

Stay organized yourself because they may not always be. Ask for written directions for any tests or procedures. Do not hesitate to call with any questions. The ultrasound staff are very kind and friendly

Describe the costs associated with your care under Marie Menke at UPMC Magee.

Ultrasounds were around $300. My initial consultation was $400.

What specific things went wrong at UPMC Magee?

Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
Lost appointments
Provided conflicting information

Describe the specific things that went wrong at UPMC Magee.

I showed up for my HSG to find out I had not completed the requirements for it. This had not been conveyed to me ahead of time. Also, they assumed I did not have insurance coverage and sent my prescription to a mail order pharmacy. I had to call twice to have it sent to my pharmacy insurance provider instead.

8

Doctor

Marie Menke

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

7

Clinic

UPMC Magee

Magee

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Marie Menke UPMC Magee

2019, Unknown Success

10

Age 30

1 IUI

Unexplained

European

Income $50K - $99K

Operations

Only Doc Seen

Strongly Recommends

Success w/ Doc Too early to know

Review of

Marie Menke UPMC Magee

I’ve only met [Dr. Menke] once, because we usually see a PA in the office. But I loved her when I met her and I feel like she really wants to do everything to help us conceive. The office feels like a team working toward a goal....We are in the middle of an iui cycle with letrozole and progesterone support. We have unexplained infertility so we are trying to give everything the best chance possible.... It may take a while to be seen initially, but then it moves fast.

Positives: Everything is located right in this office, the office staff are friendly and helpful. I feel really cared for. Great communication especially over the email portal. Negatives: Billing can take a long time through the UPMC system....I love Lacie, our care coordinator. She is always reachable by email, and I feel like she truly knows us. She understands our opinions and desires and we are working together to make that happen.

How was your experience with Marie Menke at UPMC Magee?

I’ve only met her once, because we usually see a PA in the office. But I loved her when I met her and I feel like she really wants to do everything to help us conceive. The office feels like a team working toward a goal.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Marie Menke at UPMC Magee?

It may take a while to be seen initially, but then it moves fast.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Marie Menke at UPMC Magee?

The nurses all know my and my husbands name, and everyone we saw knew our whole history.

Describe the protocols Marie Menke used in your cycles at UPMC Magee and their degree of success.

We are in the middle of an iui cycle with letrozole and progesterone support. We have unexplained infertility so we are trying to give everything the best chance possible.

Describe your experience with your nurse at UPMC Magee. (Assigned nurse: Lacie Rodman, PA)

I love Lacie, our care coordinator. She is always reachable by email, and I feel like she truly knows us. She understands our opinions and desires and we are working together to make that happen.

Describe your experience with UPMC Magee.

Positives: Everything is located right in this office, the office staff are friendly and helpful. I feel really cared for. Great communication especially over the email portal. Negatives: Billing can take a long time through the UPMC system.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Marie Menke at UPMC Magee.

So far we have paid twice for a copay, my husband’s SA, and some of my initial testing. The medications weren’t a lot, and we are waiting for the bill from the IuI but we are expecting about $400

10

Doctor

Marie Menke

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

10

Clinic

UPMC Magee

Magee

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Marie Menke UPMC Magee

2017 - 2018, Successful

7

5

Age 30 - 31

1 IVF

1 Egg Freezing

Diminished Ovarian Reserve

Recurrent Pregnancy Loss

European

Income $100K - $199K

Doctor

1st of 3 Docs

2 IVF With Other Docs

2 Egg Freezing With Other Docs

Neutral

Doesn't Recommend

Successful

Review of

Marie Menke UPMC Magee

Dr. Menke was great, she is limited by the setup of the clinic. She did listen to us and our cycle had a great outcome despite starting poorly. She was compassionate. I think she's quite smart. We overall were very happy with her as a doctor...treatment was not specific to me- at all...I paid completely out of pocket for treatment. I did have coverage for my initial diagnosis but all IVF/PGS treatment was out of pocket.

Biggest strength are the doctors [at UPMC Magee]. Many weaknesses, all related to nursing and ultrasound staff, who all need a very serious course in sensitivity training. I once had an ultrasound tech ask my husband and I why we didn't just adopt ... the kicker was that she was doing an US for a miscarriage that we were having that day...the clinic is very RN run, and not in a good way

How was your experience with Marie Menke at UPMC Magee?

Dr. Menke was great, she is limited by the setup of the clinic. She did listen to us and our cycle had a great outcome despite starting poorly. She was compassionate. I think she's quite smart. We overall were very happy with her as a doctor

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Marie Menke at UPMC Magee?

the clinic is very RN run, and not in a good way

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Marie Menke at UPMC Magee?

treatment was not specific to me- at all

Describe your experience with the nursing staff at UPMC Magee.

You are not assigned to a specific RN , therefore none of them really know you or your case. This translates to no one advocating for you. Also, they're overworked and busy and there is a culture where they sort of run the clinic and "protect the doctors" from patient contact.

Describe your experience with UPMC Magee.

Biggest strength are the doctors. Many weaknesses, all related to nursing and ultrasound staff, who all need a very serious course in sensitivity training. I once had an ultrasound tech ask my husband and I why we didn't just adopt ... the kicker was that she was doing an US for a miscarriage that we were having that day.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Marie Menke at UPMC Magee.

I paid completely out of pocket for treatment. I did have coverage for my initial diagnosis but all IVF/PGS treatment was out of pocket. Which made our experience with staff all the more intolerable.

What specific things went wrong at UPMC Magee?

Failed to call with results
Provided conflicting information
Failed to convey critical information

7

Doctor

Marie Menke

Humanity

Communication

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

5

Clinic

UPMC Magee

Magee

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Marie Menke UPMC Magee

2015 - 2017, Unsuccessful

7

5

Age 33 - 35

1 IUI

Unexplained

European

Income $100K - $199K

Nurse or HC Services

2nd of 2 Docs

3 IUI With Other Docs

1 IVF With Other Docs

Neutral

Doesn't Recommend

Unsuccessful

Review of

Marie Menke UPMC Magee

She [Dr. Marie Menke] thoroughly looked into my chart and followed up with what she said she was going to. She actually called me 5 minutes after I left her office to update me on insurance coverage...I only had treatment with dr menke for one iui. She kindly gave me letrozole instead of clomid because I had such a bad experience with clomid in the past...Dr menke is very straightforward, she gives you the facts but she does it in a respectable and compassionate way. She comes across as a caring doctor.

The clinic [UPMC Magee] has an Acupuncturist which is a great asset for them...Over the 3 years I have been going to this office I have not had a good experience with the nurses. With the exception of maybe 2-3 nurses, they were not very compassionate or considerate of me as a patient...I only had treatment with dr menke for one iui. She kindly gave me letrozole instead of clomid because I had such a bad experience with clomid in the past

How was your experience with Marie Menke at UPMC Magee?

Dr menke is very straightforward, she gives you the facts but she does it in a respectable and compassionate way. She comes across as a caring doctor. When I have an appointment with her it is in her office and not in an exam room where I have to see a med srudent while waiting for her. She thoroughly looked into my chart and followed up with what she said she was going to. She actually called me 5 minutes after I left her office to update me on insurance coverage

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Marie Menke at UPMC Magee?

Come prepared with questions

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Marie Menke at UPMC Magee?

Dr menke is very nice and personable. She is a very caring doctor

Describe the protocols Marie Menke used in your cycles at UPMC Magee and their degree of success.

I only had treatment with dr menke for one iui. She kindly gave me letrozole instead of clomid because I had such a bad experience with clomid in the past

Describe your experience with the nursing staff at UPMC Magee.

Over the 3 years I have been going to this office I have not had a good experience with the nurses. With the exception of maybe 2-3 nurses, they were not very compassionate or considerate of me as a patient

Describe your experience with UPMC Magee.

The clinic has an Acupuncturist which is a great asset for them.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Marie Menke at UPMC Magee.

Specialist copay for office visits and deductible for iui

7

Doctor

Marie Menke

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

5

Clinic

UPMC Magee

Pittsburgh

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Marie Menke UPMC Magee

Marie Menke

UPMC Magee

Education

How Doctor Communicates

UPMC Magee
Rated 7

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Marie Menke

UPMC Magee

Education

How Doctor Communicates

UPMC MageeRated 7Strongly recommend: 43%Neutral: 21%Don't recommend: 36%7

20 patient reviews

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UPMC Magee
Rated 7