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Rick Buyalos

Fertility & Surgical Associates of California

Rated 9.8
Strongly recommend: 97%Neutral: 3%9.8
97% strongly recommend
27 reviews
Humanity
9.4
9.4
Humanity

Ratings of 1 mean patients felt this doctor treated them as "a number."

Ratings of 10 mean patients felt this doctor treated them as "a human."

Communication
9.4
9.4
Communication

Ratings of 1 mean poor communication.

Ratings of 10 mean excellent communication.

Frequency Seen
9.2
9.2
Frequency Seen

Ratings of 1 mean patients only saw this doctor once or twice during treatment.

Ratings of 10 mean patients saw this doctor at every appointment.

Responsiveness
8.5
Good
Responsiveness

Scale is "poor, ok, good, excellent" and measures how responsive a care team was when patients needed to speak to them.

Education

Medical School
Thomas Jefferson
Residency
Georgetown
Fellowship
UCLA

How Doctor Communicates

doctor, nurse available by email
doctor, nurse available by directline
doctor, nurse available by directline
doctor available by personal cell phone
doctor available by personal cell phone
Rick Buyalos works at

Fertility & Surgical Associates of California
Rated 9.5
Strongly recommend: 87%Neutral: 11%Don't recommend: 2%9.5

At 1 office

Thousand Oaks
325 Rolling Oaks Dr
Thousand Oaks, CA 91361
805-778-1122
Explore Clinic

27 patient reviews

Most Recent
Strongly Recommend
97%
Neutral
3%
Don't Recommend
0%
Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

2020, Unknown Success
10
9
Age 33
2 IUI
1 IVF
1 Embryo Freezing
Diminished Ovarian Reserve
Uterine Fibroids
Unexplained
Other
Income $100K - $199K
Only Doc Seen
Strongly Recommends
Strongly Recommends
Success w/ Doc Too early to know
Review of
Dr. Buyalos greets us by name at every visit. His demeanor is warm and caring. He is also reassuring and optimistic even though we know our chances are slim...I sometimes forget to ask questions or challenge him with alternative protocol...if I call the office and ask for him, he’ll call back personally with answers. I also like that Dr. B is present at every visit and the one doing all the ultrasounds, retrieval , and call with results.
The nurses [of Fertility & Surgical Associates of California] are warm and compassionate. They always answer every questions I have and always quick to return phone calls or emails...The staff is always kind and professional. We went through IVF during COVID-19 and the clinic has a good protocol in place to keep everyone safe...We paid $3000 out of pocket for anesthesia during retrieval and $4400 for PSG testing.
How was your experience with Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California?
Although we haven’t had success yet, we have trust in Dr. Buyalos. He is a fast speaker but he is willing to slow down and repeat things if we have questions or concerns. As a patient, going through fertility treatment is overwhelming at every stage so I sometimes forget to ask questions or challenge him with alternative protocol. But I know if I call the office and ask for him, he’ll call back personally with answers. I also like that Dr. B is present at every visit and the one doing all the ultrasounds, retrieval , and call with results.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California?
Don’t hesitate to speak up or ask questions if you don’t understand something.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California?
Dr. Buyalos greets us by name at every visit. His demeanor is warm and caring. He is also reassuring and optimistic even though we know our chances are slim. He gives us hope.
Describe the protocols Rick Buyalos used in your cycles at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California and their degree of success.
I have DOR so we used a antagonist protocol with Ganirelix. I stimmed with Follistim 150 iu and Menopur 150 iu everyday, Omnitrope 33 units every other day for 9 days, Clomid 150mg for 5 days, and doxycycline for 7 days. Ganirelix was started on day 5 til day 9. I triggered with Novarel 5000iu on day 9 and did egg retrieval on day 11. I had 4 AFC, retrieved 4 eggs and fertilized with ICSI. 3 made it to day 3 and only 1 made it to day 5 blast. This only blast is currently going to PSG testing and awaiting result. We will then discuss whether we will transfer or do another retrieval.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
The nurses are warm and compassionate. They always answer every questions I have and always quick to return phone calls or emails.
Describe your experience with Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
This is for the thousand oak office which wasn’t on the drop down list. The clinic is clean and spacious. It’s busy but never cramp. The staff is always kind and professional. We went through IVF during COVID-19 and the clinic has a good protocol in place to keep everyone safe. The only cons is I wish I had one personal nurse so I knew who to communicate with. I went through 2-3 nurses but they all seem to be aware of my case.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
We have insurance coverage for IUIs and IVF so I don’t know the exact cost. We paid $3000 out of pocket for anesthesia during retrieval and $4400 for PSG testing.
What specific things went wrong at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California?
  • Provided conflicting information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
I was told I could go to a different clinic for blood draw and was given the hours I could go. However when I went, the hours were wrong so I couldn’t draw on that day. It was a waste of time and effort.
10
Doctor
Rick Buyalos
Humanity
Communication
Frequency Seen
Trustworthiness
Compassion
Explained risks
Adaptability
9
Clinic
Fertility & Surgical Associates of California
Thousand Oaks
Operations
Scheduling
Billing Department
Nursing Staff
Clinic Atmosphere
Educational Resources
Review of
Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

2017 - 2018, Successful
9
7
Age 29 - 30
1 IVF
Egg Freezing
1 Embryo Freezing
Diminished Ovarian Reserve
Ashkenazi Jewish
Income $100K - $199K
Nurse or HC Services
Only Doc Seen
Strongly Recommends
Neutral
Successful
Review of
We did stimulated egg retrieval, ICSI, PGS/PGD, and hormone supported FET [with Dr. Rick Buyalos]. Before retrieval we had sperm analysis. During retrieval, saline ultrasound was performed, and before FET, endometrial biopsy was conducted...always took the time to listen to our concerns. He would greet us in the hall by name before we were even in a room. Only two of my visits were with other highly qualified partners.
Cash discount is $9500 for retrieval, storage - 1 year, and 1 transfer [at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California]. Does not cover nurse anesthetist $400, medication $4000+, or PGS/PGD through external company. Any procedures that could be billed to insurance were. Cost does not include co-payments from insurance...Clinic strongly recommends only one embryo transfer at a time.
How was your experience with Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California?
Dr. Buyalos had experience with other couples seeking IVF with PGD/PGS to prevent the passing of genetic mutations. He was very familiar with the process. He was concerned about low ovarian reserve and the number of cycles that would be needed to find a genetically normal embryo to transfer. We got two healthy embryos from our first cycle. Only set back that occurred was that he thought I had a uterine polyp that he tried to surgically remove, but could not be found at procedure. Was believed to be an artifact seen on ultrasound at egg retrieval.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California?
Dr. Buyalos always took the time to listen to our concerns. He would greet us in the hall by name before we were even in a room. Only two of my visits were with other highly qualified partners.
Describe the protocols Rick Buyalos used in your cycles at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California and their degree of success.
We did stimulated egg retrieval, ICSI, PGS/PGD, and hormone supported FET. Before retrieval we had sperm analysis. During retrieval, saline ultrasound was performed, and before FET, endometrial biopsy was conducted.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
Most of the nurses we worked with were great. Every so often there would be a nurse or two that seemed to fail in communicating things properly, or showed little compassion.
Describe your experience with Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
Do a lot of your own research on the overall costs. Some costs are upfront and others come down the line. It is hard to see the big picture in the beginning. Do as much research on your own as possible about all infertility treatments. If something doesn't seem correct, ask questions.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
Cash discount is $9500 for retrieval, storage - 1 year, and 1 transfer. Does not cover nurse anesthetist $400, medication $4000+, or PGS/PGD through external company. Any procedures that could be billed to insurance were. Cost does not include co-payments from insurance.
Describe Rick Buyalos's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
Clinic strongly recommends only one embryo transfer at a time.
What specific things went wrong at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California?
  • Provided conflicting information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
I was seem at the Thousand Oaks location. Although the doctor was familiar with the PGD/PGS process, some of the nurses were not, and provided conflicting information on timelines and costs.
9
Doctor
Rick Buyalos
Humanity
Communication
Frequency Seen
Trustworthiness
Compassion
Explained risks
Adaptability
7
Clinic
Fertility & Surgical Associates of California
Santa Monica
Operations
Scheduling
Billing Department
Nursing Staff
Clinic Atmosphere
Educational Resources
Review of
2018, Unsuccessful
10
10
Age 41
2 IUI
2 IVF
1 Egg Freezing
Recurrent Pregnancy Loss
European
Income $100K - $199K
3rd of 8 Docs
Strongly Recommends
Strongly Recommends
Unsuccessful
Review of
We did one medicated IUI with Dr. Buyalos and when that wasn’t successful (we had done one prior with another clinic) we moved on to egg retrieval and embryo transfer. We did two back to back egg retrievals...is warm, caring, and compassionate. When we met him for a consult, we both felt this was a great doctor and a great fit for us...He’s confident in what he’s doing but absolutely open to making adjustments based on your feedback or concerns. I found him to be a partner in addition to the captain steering the ship.
Michelle and the other nurses [at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California] made the experience pleasurable. I cannot overstate how wonderful the nursing staff was over the course of the 8 months we worked with the clinic...Around $10k for egg retrieval and one embryo transfer, not including cost of medications. Reduces to $8.5k for subsequent retrieval/transfers. This is the cash price but they will work with your insurance if you have coverage and they were extremely helpful in navigating whether we had coverage and how it would work.
How was your experience with Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California?
Dr. Buyalos is a very good doctor in terms of experience and skill set. He’s confident in what he’s doing but absolutely open to making adjustments based on your feedback or concerns. I found him to be a partner in addition to the captain steering the ship.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California?
If you come with questions or ideas about alternative courses of treatment, Dr. Buyalos is willing to listen and give his honest opinion on whether it’s worth trying and if not, he’ll explain why.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California?
Dr. Buyalos is warm, caring, and compassionate. When we met him for a consult, we both felt this was a great doctor and a great fit for us.
Describe the protocols Rick Buyalos used in your cycles at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California and their degree of success.
We did one medicated IUI with Dr. Buyalos and when that wasn’t successful (we had done one prior with another clinic) we moved on to egg retrieval and embryo transfer. We did two back to back egg retrievals using BC pills, clomid, menopur, gonal-f, omnitrope, cetrotide, and hcg 1000/lupron 20 units as trigger.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California. (Assigned nurse: Michelle E. )
Michelle and the other nurses made the experience pleasurable. I cannot overstate how wonderful the nursing staff was over the course of the 8 months we worked with the clinic.
Describe your experience with Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
Strengths - experienced, compassionate doctors and nursing staff. Quality on-site lab. Very well run office with little waiting time. Nurses call the same day with lab results and the doctor’s will call themselves if you have questions. We found it to be the most personable and efficient operation of any of the fertility clinics we’ve used.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
Around $10k for egg retrieval and one embryo transfer, not including cost of medications. Reduces to $8.5k for subsequent retrieval/transfers. This is the cash price but they will work with your insurance if you have coverage and they were extremely helpful in navigating whether we had coverage and how it would work.
10
Doctor
Rick Buyalos
Humanity
Communication
Frequency Seen
Trustworthiness
Compassion
Explained risks
Adaptability
10
Clinic
Fertility & Surgical Associates of California
Encino
Operations
Scheduling
Billing Department
Nursing Staff
Clinic Atmosphere
Educational Resources
Review of
Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

2021 - 2022, Unknown Success
10
10
Age 33 - 34
6 IUI
1 IVF
Recurrent Pregnancy Loss
Unexplained
European
Income $100K - $199K
Strongly Recommends
Strongly Recommends
Success w/ Doc Too early to know
Review of
Dr. B [Dr. Buyalos] always made time to hear everything I had to say. He made efforts to call me even if it was late at night and one his own time. He explained things in a way I understood and never made me feel less than important to him as an individual....He had never pushed procedures or treatments on us that were uncessary. If he has any weakness at all it would be his confidence, he believes everyone will get pregnant...
We love the nurses [at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California]! They know you by name and are genuine in their care about you...Clinic is small and has 3 doctors at it . However, they are so popular you will end up waiting past your appointment time. Which is never a big deal to us. Each doctor is amazing , and so kind and honest . Staff is respectful and they do egg retrieval at their clinic so uou are not traveling different places...
How was your experience with Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California?
Dr. B is someone who makes me believe motherhood is possible. He has never made me feel less than I am. He has always encouraged me and my husband to do what we feel is best for us at that time and he will support us. He had never pushed procedures or treatments on us that were uncessary. If he has any weakness at all it would be his confidence, he believes everyone will get pregnant
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California?
Ask questions, be open minded about your treatment plan. He is an amazing dr. Who cares deeply for you as a person. He is also very popular so be prepared to wait
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California?
Dr. B always made time to hear everything I had to say. He made efforts to call me even if it was late at night and one his own time. He explained things in a way I understood and never made me feel less than important to him as an individual
Describe the protocols Rick Buyalos used in your cycles at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California and their degree of success.
We did 5 iui with letrozole, 4 cycles of it with 5 MG for 5 days , 1 cycle of 10 MG for 7 days , 1 iui with clomid. 1 ivf cycle , which I wasn't a good responder with so we will be more aggressive next time. I have great AMH and husband has no sperm issues either. Unexplained infertility
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
We love the nurses! They know you by name and are genuine in their care about you.
Describe your experience with Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
Clinic is small and has 3 doctors at it . However, they are so popular you will end up waiting past your appointment time. Which is never a big deal to us. Each doctor is amazing , and so kind and honest . Staff is respectful and they do egg retrieval at their clinic so uou are not traveling different places
Describe the costs associated with your care under Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
Ivf was $9,900 for the cycle. $1400 for pgt up to 6 embryos. $3500 for medication. This was cash oay without Insurance. Iui was about $700 each time including meds and ultrasounds.
10
Doctor
Rick Buyalos
Humanity
Communication
Frequency Seen
Trustworthiness
Compassion
Explained risks
Adaptability
10
Clinic
Fertility & Surgical Associates of California
Thousand Oaks
Operations
Scheduling
Billing Department
Nursing Staff
Clinic Atmosphere
Educational Resources
Review of
Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

2020, Unknown Success
9
10
Age 33
4 IUI
1 IVF
Unexplained
Other
South Asian
Income $100K - $199K
Teacher
2nd of 2 Docs
Strongly Recommends
Strongly Recommends
Success w/ Doc Too early to know
Review of
There are times when it does feel like a lot of information is given and not enough time to process, but when asked Dr. Buyalos will always clarify or explain further which I appreciate...I sometimes wonder if I would have gotten better results if we were a bit more aggressive with my protocol...During my egg retrieval I also had an endometrial biopsy done. This was an added measure to increase transfer success.
The nursing staff [at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California] is friendly and very helpful! They are on top of it and follow through. I appreciate that they were easy to reach and answered my questions in a timely manner. There is good energy at this clinic!...have not had to wait too long to be called into the exam room. There were a couple times where the wait in the exam room was a bit too long.
How was your experience with Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California?
Dr. Buyalos is very knowledgeable and experienced. I’ve been really impressed with how accurate he’s been with numbers like number of eggs retrieved, how many day 3, day 5 and PGS normal. He makes sure that I am as comfortable as possible and he keeps me informed every step of the way. There are times when it does feel like a lot of information is given and not enough time to process, but when asked Dr. Buyalos will always clarify or explain further which I appreciate. Ultimately, I feel as though Dr.Buyalos knows his stuff and I trust my care in his hands.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California?
Don’t be afraid to ask questions! It’s a lot to take in and understand but Dr. Buyalos is the guy to educate you!
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California?
Dr. Buyalos takes the time to listen to my questions and answers them for me. He takes the time to explain the science behind his answers. He is always very friendly and personable when we see him, and I like that he walks us through everything during our appointments. He makes sure to include my husband when talking about what is being done, what the expectations are and the next steps.
Describe the protocols Rick Buyalos used in your cycles at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California and their degree of success.
Dr. Buyalos put me on a GnRH Antagonist protocol. I started with birth control for about 5 days then started daily injections of Gonal-f (225 IU) and Menopur (150 IU). After my first monitoring appointment and bloodwork that followed my dose of Gonal-f decreased to 150IU. I was also prescribed certotide to suppress ovulation. I believe that Dr. Buyalos was trying to only be as aggressive as he needs to be-balancing optimal results and keeping me comfortable. I had 16 eggs retrieved which ultimately yielded 3 normal high grade embryos. I sometimes wonder if I would have gotten better results if we were a bit more aggressive with my protocol. I’ve been diagnosed with unexplained infertility( all tests have come back normal and good AMH). During my egg retrieval I also had an endometrial biopsy done. This was an added measure to increase transfer success.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
The nursing staff is friendly and very helpful! They are on top of it and follow through. I appreciate that they were easy to reach and answered my questions in a timely manner. There is good energy at this clinic!
Describe your experience with Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
The clinic is nice and clean. The office is truly a well-oiled machine. The front desk staff is welcoming and I have not had to wait too long to be called into the exam room. There were a couple times where the wait in the exam room was a bit too long.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
The initial package was $9500. This covered appointments, bloodwork, retrieval, ICSI, transfer. My medications cost about $3,500 (this is with a discount rate from the clinic and relatively low doses). Extra costs were about $6500 for anesthesia, egg freezing, genetic testing, endometrial biopsy, etc.
Describe Rick Buyalos's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
De. Buyalos typically does single embryo transfers.
9
Doctor
Rick Buyalos
Humanity
Communication
Frequency Seen
Trustworthiness
Compassion
Explained risks
Adaptability
10
Clinic
Fertility & Surgical Associates of California
Encino
Operations
Scheduling
Billing Department
Nursing Staff
Clinic Atmosphere
Educational Resources
Review of
2020, Successful
10
10
Age 37
5 IUI
1 IVF
Unexplained
European
Income $100K - $199K
Consultant
2nd of 2 Docs
Strongly Recommends
Strongly Recommends
Successful
Review of
I always felt like Dr Buyalos remembered me and my details and he is always pleasant to be around but the office is very busy. You are in and out fast. It can be great if you are in a hurry but I didn’t always feel like I could ask questions or have even a minute more of his time during the appointments...He recommended transferring one embryo at a time and we were happy with that..
Their strength is definitely the drs and the anesthesiologist. My egg retrieval day was a breeze thanks to the wonderful [ Fertility & Surgical Associates of Cal] staff. The weaknesses are that they are very busy (for good reason) and the nurses communication can be poor and rushed. I sometimes felt like an inconvenience if I had questions or needed them to explain something again. Another weakness is the lack of a online patient portal. Having access to your care all in one place can be very reassuring when going through something as complex as IVF.
How was your experience with Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California?
I always felt like I was in the best hands. He is extremely intelligent and it makes you feel confident in his abilities. He estimated what he thought my outcome would be under his care during the first appointment and he exceed those results.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California?
Don’t expect any communication with him outside of your appointments, it’s all done through his nurses. He did call to tell us when our FET worked and it was very much appreciated hearing from him and not only the nurse.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California?
I always felt like Dr Buyalos remembered me and my details and he is always pleasant to be around but the office is very busy. You are in and out fast. It can be great if you are in a hurry but I didn’t always feel like I could ask questions or have even a minute more of his time during the appointments.
Describe the protocols Rick Buyalos used in your cycles at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California and their degree of success.
Gonal f and Menopur prior to egg retrieval. FFET was estrogen pills, progesterone in oil shots, and progesterone suppositories.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
They are very busy and seem to only return phone calls at the end of the day which was very inconvenient. Sometimes I left with detailed paperwork with med instructions and next steps but other times I did not. If that information was given over the phone it was rushed and not always clear. Emails are not always monitored daily and you do not receive out of office messages if the nurse you emailed is out that day. They could greatly benefit from an online portal so patients can access all instructions from home and be able to communicate with the whole nursing staff and not have to wait until the one you emailed is in the office. Sometimes I felt rushed through the info. It almost seemed like in their minds they are explaining how to do a simple task but to a new patient its very overwhelming information to take in all at once. Especially since you are likely learning how to give yourself multiple injections for the first time and timing of the meds can be very important. Overall it would be nice if they were a little more available and slowed down.
Describe your experience with Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
Their strength is definitely the drs and the anesthesiologist. My egg retrieval day was a breeze thanks to the wonderful staff. The weaknesses are that they are very busy (for good reason) and the nurses communication can be poor and rushed. I sometimes felt like an inconvenience if I had questions or needed them to explain something again. Another weakness is the lack of a online patient portal. Having access to your care all in one place can be very reassuring when going through something as complex as IVF.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
I was in and out quickly most days and never waited too long past my appointment time.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
We had insurance and o my paid our out of pocket maximum for the year
Describe Rick Buyalos's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
He recommended transferring one embryo at a time and we were happy with that
What specific things went wrong at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California?
  • Provided conflicting information
  • Failed to convey critical information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
I was not told to begin one of my medications when instructions were given over the phone. All was fine in the end but it was very unsettling at the time.
10
Doctor
Rick Buyalos
Humanity
Communication
Frequency Seen
Trustworthiness
Compassion
Explained risks
Adaptability
10
Clinic
Fertility & Surgical Associates of California
Thousand Oaks
Operations
Scheduling
Billing Department
Nursing Staff
Clinic Atmosphere
Educational Resources
Review of
Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

2019, Unknown Success
8
8
Age 33
3 IUI
Diminished Ovarian Reserve
Latinx
Income $100K - $199K
Only Doc Seen
Neutral
Neutral
Success w/ Doc Too early to know
Review of
During the first IUI treatments I was on Letrozole, and Follistem, when that failed he [Dr. Buyalos] changed me to Chlomid. After 3 failed attempts at IUI we have proceeded with IVF. We are just in the beginning stages of IVF to determine the treatment strategy that I will be placed on based off of my diagnosis...he was readily available for our very first appointments, but he was not available during our actual insemination procedure both times. It appeared as though he traveled a lot during our procedures so we did not see him often.
The nursing staff at Fertility and Associates are very kind and empathetic. They take their time to answer all of your questions and address any concerns right away...We really appreciated that upon our very first consultation, they schedule a financial appointment to go over pricing and treatments, they provide you with a very specific breakdown of every treatment so you are not ever surprised in the future. The one thing I did notice was that there is no "emergency" number to contact in case of a medication or treatment emergency. They are open Sat and Sun early in the morning so in the event you leave a voicemail someone gets back to you as soon as possible but the idea that there was no contact 24/7 made me uneasy.
How was your experience with Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California?
Dr. Buyolos is compassionate, understanding and is very thorough in explaining your diagnosis and treatments. No question was a dumb question for him. He took his time with my husband and I, and really explained the process, and our diagnosis. He educated us on both IUI and IVF and while suggesting IVF first I felt that I wasn't ready for the treatment so we proceeded with IUI. Dr. B was present for the first few appointments we had but after that we did not see him often if at all. My husband and I completed 2 full rounds of IUI and the third had to be canceled. We then decided to proceed with IVF after a conversation with my OB where he stated that he felt I was wasting my time with IUI and with my diagnosis he would recommend I proceed with IVF, so I walked into the clinic and told Dr. B I was not ready for IVF. Because Dr. B had been traveling quite a bit during my first treatments I was concerned that he would not be available for our very first round of IVF however his staff informed me that he is very present during IVF and will be at every on of my appointments. It is too early to evaluate him based off my IVF round as we are just in the early stages. I am hopeful that he will be just as involved as he was in our journey at the very beginning.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California?
I would encourage every patient to go in with a list of questions already prepared for Dr. Buyalos. My husband and I found ourselves thinking of questions after meeting him, so bring the list and go through it with Dr. B upon your first visit.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California?
Upon my very first meeting with Dr. Buyolos he was very kind and understanding and really put my husband and I at ease. We walked into the clinic scared of the unknown and really feeling like there was no hope for us but Dr. B made us feel like we were in very good hands with him. We started our fertility journey with IUI and he was readily available for our very first appointments, but he was not available during our actual insemination procedure both times. It appeared as though he traveled a lot during our procedures so we did not see him often. Now that we have proceeded with our very first round of IVF it is a concern that I voiced to the clinic and they assured me that Dr B is much more involved during IVF. And the clinic let me know his travel schedule to assure me there would be no conflicts. It is too early to tell if he will be just as invested in our procedure but I am hopeful based on the reviews I've read about him.
Describe the protocols Rick Buyalos used in your cycles at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California and their degree of success.
During the first IUI treatments I was on Letrozole, and Follistem, when that failed he changed me to Chlomid. After 3 failed attempts at IUI we have proceeded with IVF. We are just in the beginning stages of IVF to determine the treatment strategy that I will be placed on based off of my diagnosis.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
The nursing staff at Fertility and Associates are very kind and empathetic. They take their time to answer all of your questions and address any concerns right away.
Describe your experience with Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
Every member of the staff at Fertility and Associates are amazing and kind. We really appreciated that upon our very first consultation, they schedule a financial appointment to go over pricing and treatments, they provide you with a very specific breakdown of every treatment so you are not ever surprised in the future. The one thing I did notice was that there is no "emergency" number to contact in case of a medication or treatment emergency. They are open Sat and Sun early in the morning so in the event you leave a voicemail someone gets back to you as soon as possible but the idea that there was no contact 24/7 made me uneasy.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
For our IUI procedures my husband and I have not paid anything yet because we do have medical coverage that covers our IUI treatments. The only thing not covered was our medication. Every round we paid approx $300 for medication. We just placed an order for our IVF medication and have paid $3500.
8
Doctor
Rick Buyalos
Humanity
Communication
Frequency Seen
Trustworthiness
Compassion
Explained risks
Adaptability
8
Clinic
Fertility & Surgical Associates of California
Encino
Operations
Scheduling
Billing Department
Nursing Staff
Clinic Atmosphere
Educational Resources
Review of
Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

2017 - 2019, Unsuccessful
9
10
Age 30 - 32
5 IUI
1 IVF
Endometriosis
Tubal Blockage
Uterine Fibroids
Unexplained
Latinx
Income $100K - $199K
Nurse or HC Services
Only Doc Seen
Strongly Recommends
Strongly Recommends
Unsuccessful
Review of
Dr Buyalos took the time to sit with me and explain things to me. But at times would mix my case with someone else’s case and I would need to explain that was someone else. I understand, after seeing so many patients a day, we start to blend. When I found out that we had 0 viable embryos to transfer after retrieval, I was a mess. Dr Buyalos took the time to sit with me and explain everything and my options, which made me feel like a human.
Very friendly staff [Fertility & Surgical Associates of CA]. There were long wait times, but to me that isn’t a problem. Offices are busy so I go in expecting to wait. Everyone very nice. My one wish is that if egg retrieval results in 0 embryos, that a portion of the money I paid would be credited back for next cycle but that is not the case....Stephanie was excellent. Michelle was also great. They were both very knowledgeable and amazing. They answered all my questions and it was clear they were very knowledgeable.
How was your experience with Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California?
Dr Buyalos explained everything in detail and answered all my questions. I wanted to know it all and he took the time to explain things. But at times it seemed as though he was overbooked and would need to go because was so busy, but I understand that. He is very optimistic which made me very optimistic that treatment would work so when it did not, I was crushed. I think I need doctors to be more realistic with me. Tell me the statistics and not just tell me it will work. Dr Buyalos is a very nice and caring doctor and has so much knowledge.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California?
Go with list of questions to ask. And know that he will be a big cheerleader for you! But remember that there are no guarantees that you will come out of treatment pregnant.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California?
Dr Buyalos took the time to sit with me and explain things to me. But at times would mix my case with someone else’s case and I would need to explain that was someone else. I understand, after seeing so many patients a day, we start to blend. When I found out that we had 0 viable embryos to transfer after retrieval, I was a mess. Dr Buyalos took the time to sit with me and explain everything and my options, which made me feel like a human.
Describe the protocols Rick Buyalos used in your cycles at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California and their degree of success.
I don’t remember specifics. But during first IUIs I was on clomid and menopur and suppositories. Eventually the oral meds began to change. I do not remember the medications used for egg retrieval, I have the paperwork but too sensitive to look at it again. It’s been 6 months.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California. (Assigned nurse: Stephanie)
Stephanie was excellent. Michelle was also great. They were both very knowledgeable and amazing. They answered all my questions and it was clear they were very knowledgeable. At times one nurse would fill in, I believe her name is Alejandra. I did not care for her style and I feel like she still had a lot to learn.
Describe your experience with Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
Very friendly staff. There were long wait times, but to me that isn’t a problem. Offices are busy so I go in expecting to wait. Everyone very nice. My one wish is that if egg retrieval results in 0 embryos, that a portion of the money I paid would be credited back for next cycle but that is not the case.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
During my IUIs, I had insurance that covered part of the treatment. Out of pocket my 5 iuis cost about 2-3 thousand I would estimate. My egg retrieval totaled just over 20 thousand, including the medications and genetic testing.
Describe Rick Buyalos's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
I did not get viable embryos but if I had the plan was to implant 2, which I wanted. And for my age and history, I think that is appropriate.
9
Doctor
Rick Buyalos
Humanity
Communication
Frequency Seen
Trustworthiness
Compassion
Explained risks
Adaptability
10
Clinic
Fertility & Surgical Associates of California
Santa Monica
Operations
Scheduling
Billing Department
Nursing Staff
Clinic Atmosphere
Educational Resources
Review of
Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

2018 - 2019, Unknown Success
10
10
Age 33 - 34
2 IUI
Diminished Ovarian Reserve
European
Income $100K - $199K
Teacher
2nd of 2 Docs
Strongly Recommends
Strongly Recommends
Success w/ Doc Too early to know
Review of
Dr. B [Buyalos] is a wonderful doctor. He listened to my whole story, and his office was so personal. He told me a bit about himself and I felt like he wanted to get to know exactly what was going on with me. Dr. B was prepared with a presentation and things to show me on my first visit. He had a plan for me with multiple steps, and it was customized to my specific situation.... I have a low egg reserve for my age, 33. My HSG test was good, no blockages. I have no problems with my uterus and my husband has a high sperm count, good motility, morphology, etc
I recommend this clinic [Fertility & Surgical Associates of CA]. Each member of the staff are easy to work with and kind, from the receptionist to the doctor. The after hours care line is easy to use and when I needed the dr. after hours, I was able to talk directly to my Dr. when I needed to. The clinic is clean, the rooms are comfy, well as comfy as exam rooms can be =) Also, the office is organized well, meaning there is a person for every step. The waiting area, the exam rooms, room for blood draws, waiting area in the back
How was your experience with Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California?
Dr. B listens, and is prepared for every visit. Even when I can tell it is busy at the clinic, he doesn't seem rushed with me. On my first visit, we were in his office, and it was so personal. He listened to my whole story and told me a bit about himself. He wasn't afraid to spend time just getting to know me and not just about the infertility. Dr. B is also careful to answer any questions I have thoroughly.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California?
Ask any questions you have because he will treat you with respect and always answer your questions fully.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California?
Dr. B is a wonderful doctor. He listened to my whole story, and his office was so personal. He told me a bit about himself and I felt like he wanted to get to know exactly what was going on with me. Dr. B was prepared with a presentation and things to show me on my first visit. He had a plan for me with multiple steps, and it was customized to my specific situation. Dr. B listens when I ask questions, and always make sure to have time for me.
Describe the protocols Rick Buyalos used in your cycles at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California and their degree of success.
I have a low egg reserve for my age, 33. My HSG test was good, no blockages. I have no problems with my uterus and my husband has a high sperm count, good motility, morphology, etc.. Dr. B started with two months of timed intercourse using Letrozole 5mg. On the third month we did an IUI cycle, also with 5mg of Letrozole. The fourth month the Dr. gave me the option to try Clomid or keep using Letrozole, he was happy with the results of the Letrozole, but recommended at some time trying Clomid, since I had not gotten pregnant. I wanted to do one more month with Letrozole, so he added Follistim 0.1ml to inject three times during the course of Letrozole. Each of these four cycles (2 timed and two IUI) I used Ovidrel as my trigger shot. After the four months, Dr. B said we should either move to IVF, because the success rate of IUI and timed is less after about four times, or he said we can do one more round of IUI. I am just about to start this round of IUI and will be using Clomid this time. I do not know the dosage yet.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California. (Assigned nurse: Megan)
I do not always have Megan, but I have her most of the time as my nurse. She is absolutely amazing! Megan has been compassionate, thorough, and goes above and beyond every time. I have her email, and she always answers all my questions. The other staff at the clinic are kind, helpful, and are good at what they do.
Describe your experience with Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
I recommend this clinic. Each member of the staff are easy to work with and kind, from the receptionist to the doctor. The after hours care line is easy to use and when I needed the dr. after hours, I was able to talk directly to my Dr. when I needed to. The clinic is clean, the rooms are comfy, well as comfy as exam rooms can be =) Also, the office is organized well, meaning there is a person for every step. The waiting area, the exam rooms, room for blood draws, waiting area in the back when you wait for a nurse and then the payment desk. It is all clear and someone walks you to each area.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
My HSG test, semen analysis, consultation, blood draws, and ultrasounds related to diagnostics were covered by my insurance. After that, ultrasounds were $175, and I needed two per timed or IUI cycle. The progesterone they gave me free or I had to pay $20 when I ran out. The Ovidrel was $105.00 each time, and was shipped to my house. The Letrozole was paid for by my insurance the first time and was about $20 each other time from the CVS pharmacy. Each IUI with the sperm wash was $360. Dr. B's office waives the office visit fee if you are paying out of pocket. My insurance doesn't cover fertility treatment, just the diagnosis part, so now I am paying out of pocket.
Describe Rick Buyalos's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
N/A
10
Doctor
Rick Buyalos
Humanity
Communication
Frequency Seen
Trustworthiness
Compassion
Explained risks
Adaptability
10
Clinic
Fertility & Surgical Associates of California
Thousand Oaks
Operations
Scheduling
Billing Department
Nursing Staff
Clinic Atmosphere
Educational Resources
Review of
2019, Unknown Success
10
10
Age 46
10 IUI
5 IVF
East Asian
Income $50K - $99K
Teacher
4th of 4 Docs
Strongly Recommends
Strongly Recommends
Success w/ Doc Too early to know
Review of
Dr. Buyalos is the most caring and compassionate doctor I have encountered, and he is genuinely caring and he is willing to help patients and put their financial and emotional stress in consideration. Dr. Buyalos has surperb skills and he constantly changing protocols based on my blood work and follicles counts and age and he is much more concise...He actually reduced my injectables and used clomid for the first 7 days because my age and higher FSH, for older woman less medication is actually more effective. He added Gonal F and menupor and omnitrope after 7 days, and then he added citride as an antagonist.
My first IVF [at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California] was $9900, and then the second and third was 7500$, and the fourth was $5500...There is no hidden fees and they are transparent about their fees. The doctors are dedicated and staff are friendly. It is a little challenging to reach them after hours because you will have to go through an answering services and the staff may take a while to get back to you...There are many good nurses such as Michaelle G and Stephine, because they genuinely care about their patients and compassionate about it.
How was your experience with Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California?
Dr. Buyalos is the most caring and compassionate doctor I have encountered, and he is genuinely caring and he is willing to help patients and put their financial and emotional stress in consideration. Dr. Buyalos has surperb skills and he constantly changing protocols based on my blood work and follicles counts and age and he is much more concise. Most important of all, he genuinely cares.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California?
If you are an older woman or have infertility issues, please see Dr. Buyalos, and he will use all his power to help you to success.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California?
Dr. Buyalos is the best fertility doctor and the most caring doctor I have encountered, and he understood my emotional and financial stress lot better than other doctors. he genuinely cares about his patients. He also is a dedicated learner that he is learning Chinese so he can communicate with many Chinese patients from China in his clinic. He can speak pretty good Chinese Mandarin while He is only taking classes in 2 years. He is willing to help patients and put their financial stress in consideration. He also constantly change protocols based on my blood work and my age and follicles counts rather than use the same protocols on medications like other doctors. He has superior skills and much more concise. Most important of all, he genuinely cares.
Describe the protocols Rick Buyalos used in your cycles at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California and their degree of success.
He actually reduced my injectables and used clomid for the first 7 days because my age and higher FSH, for older woman less medication is actually more effective. He added Gonal F and menupor and omnitrope after 7 days, and then he added citride as an antagonist.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
There are many good nurses such as Michaelle G and Stephine, because they genuinely care about their patients and compassionate about it.
Describe your experience with Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
This clinic only focus on fertility treatment which is great, because they specialize in one thing and it is cheaper to do fertility treatment there than most of the clinics. There is no hidden fees and they are transparent about their fees. The doctors are dedicated and staff are friendly. It is a little challenging to reach them after hours because you will have to go through an answering services and the staff may take a while to get back to you.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
It is pretty easy to make an appointment or change an appointment once I am a patient here. The first consultation appointment takes about one month to get in.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
My first IVF was with Dr. Huburt in the same clinic and it was $9900, and then the second and third was 7500$, and the fourth was $5500.
Describe Rick Buyalos's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
He would like to transferred one embryo if it is tested
10
Doctor
Rick Buyalos
Humanity
Communication
Frequency Seen
Trustworthiness
Compassion
Explained risks
Adaptability
10
Clinic
Fertility & Surgical Associates of California
Santa Monica
Operations
Scheduling
Billing Department
Nursing Staff
Clinic Atmosphere
Educational Resources
Review of
2018, Unknown Success
10
10
Age 37
3 IUI
Donor Sperm
PCOS
Other
Income $50K - $99K
Nurse or HC Services
Only Doc Seen
Strongly Recommends
Strongly Recommends
Success w/ Doc Too early to know
Review of
I was never rushed, Dr took his time to explain protocols & procedures & answer any questions I have... Dr. Buyalos was thorough in explaining all of my options. He changed protocols when one didn’t work. He walked me through all procedures & answered all of my questions. His 24/7 availability was really important In my treatment since timing as we all know is most important. I love that he is realistic in his expectations & he makes you believe that things are going to work & he’s not going to stop till it does.
Their strengths are that they [Fertility & Surgical Assoc of CA] are available 24/7. There are several Dr’s there to help you with your journey. The nursing staff is amazing.... They all want this to work for you just as bad as you want it to work. They listen to Your concerns, calm your nerves & genuinely care for you. They explain your protocols thoroughly & even make you a calendar to help keep things organized... I really don’t have any negatives I’ve experienced so far in my journey
How was your experience with Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California?
Dr. Buyalos was thorough in explaining all of my options. He changed protocols when one didn’t work. He walked me through all procedures & answered all of my questions. His 24/7 availability was really important In my treatment since timing as we all know is most important. I love that he is realistic in his expectations & he makes you believe that things are going to work & he’s not going to stop till it does.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California?
Be patient...be optimistic, trust your Dr!
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California?
I was never rushed, Dr took his time to explain protocols & procedures & answer any questions I have
Describe the protocols Rick Buyalos used in your cycles at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California and their degree of success.
I have PCOS & have very slow growing follicles. Right away he started me off on a higher dose of Clomid, when that wasn’t working he switched to Femara. That worked! Unfortunately the IUI didn’t work. 2nd cycle he started on Femara, after a week on that we switched to high dose of Clomid & that worked. However the IUI didn’t work. Now my 3rd cycle we did higher dose of Femara for longer intervals & it worked. I’m currently in 2WW!
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
They are amazing. They all want this to work for you just as bad as you want it to work. They listen to Your concerns, calm your nerves & genuinely care for you. They explain your protocols thoroughly & even make you a calendar to help keep things organized
Describe your experience with Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
Their strengths are that they are available 24/7. There are several Dr’s there to help you with your journey. The nursing staff is amazing. I really don’t have any negatives I’ve experienced so far in my journey
Describe the costs associated with your care under Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
My monitoring is $150/ ultrasound & the IUI procedure itself was $255
10
Doctor
Rick Buyalos
Humanity
Communication
Frequency Seen
Compassion
Explained risks
Adaptability
10
Clinic
Fertility & Surgical Associates of California
Thousand Oaks
Operations
Scheduling
Billing Department
Nursing Staff
Clinic Atmosphere
Educational Resources
Review of
Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

2014 - 2017, Unsuccessful
10
10
Age 33 - 36
1 IVF
1 Embryo Freezing
Endometriosis
Male Factor
Income $50K - $99K
Teacher
Only Doc Seen
Strongly Recommends
Strongly Recommends
Unsuccessful
Review of
First we had my wife checked out and he looked over her previous records and stated he was not concerned with endometriosis. He then had me do another sperm analysis. I was then refer to Dr. Zeitlin do to low sperm count. Here I did several tests; prostate check, ultrasound and he started me on medication. I began to take Anastrozole 1 mg daily and Clomiphene Citrate 50mg a half pill every other day. They continued to test sperm and added in CoQ10 to help as well. After using this for several months my results improved and Dr. Buyalos said IVF would be our best route. We then worked on getting money together and began to order meds and set up schedule. My wife was seen many times whil
IVF was around $10,000, PGS testing $3,500 , meds were around $4,000 and extra cost of labs, and procedure between $1,000-$2,000...The nursing staff was very informative and always very warm and friendly. They always greeted us and after a few visits some even remembered our names and that made us feel like we chose the right place to help us with our procedure. Whatever questions we had they would answer for us they always wanted to make sure that we were doing okay and just like like Doctor Buyalos they were very enthusiastic to help and very positive that they can help us conceive our first child.
How was your experience with Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California?
From our very first visit Doctor Buyalos was very informative and very enthusiastic to help us with our situation. He always was very thorough and detailed on what the next steps were. While in his office we saw that he even used some type of phone service to record what was decided in our first meeting with him and he would continue to use this every time we met with him. He called us within a few days of our first meeting and wanted to check up on us and see if we were taking proper steps needed to help eliminate other factors before jumping into IVF. At one time he called us when he was out of the country to check up on us and see how we were doing and to make sure that we being on schedule with the testing that he had recommended us to do. It was all very new to us and in our area the doctors are nowhere as thorough and informative as Doctor Buyalos. We do not mind the drive of three and a half hours from where we live in Hanford to Thousand Oaks because we know that every appointment with Doctor Buyalos will be informative and thorough and always focused on our needs and we love the fact that every test we need can be done in his office.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California?
Do not be afraid to ask questions. Doctor Buyalos is very good at explaining everything and every step of the IVF process.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California?
I felt that we were treated as humans because after the first visit he remembered our names and he was always very enthusiastic in the way he talked to us and he always treated kind and with respect.
Describe the protocols Rick Buyalos used in your cycles at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California and their degree of success.
First we had my wife checked out and he looked over her previous records and stated he was not concerned with endometriosis. He then had me do another sperm analysis. I was then refer to Dr. Zeitlin do to low sperm count. Here I did several tests; prostate check, ultrasound and he started me on medication. I began to take Anastrozole 1 mg daily and Clomiphene Citrate 50mg a half pill every other day. They continued to test sperm and added in CoQ10 to help as well. After using this for several months my results improved and Dr. Buyalos said IVF would be our best route. We then worked on getting money together and began to order meds and set up schedule. My wife was seen many times while on injections and blood tested as well. All meds were used and never adjusted as he said she was responding very well. On day of retrieval he projected 17 eggs and we were shocked to hear 30 eggs were retrieved. On day one of fertilization we had 22 on day 3 we still had 22 and both us and doctor were shocked. By day 5 we had 4 ready to freeze and possibly 5 more. We ended up with 7 embryos before PGS testing.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
The nursing staff was very informative and always very warm and friendly. They always greeted us and after a few visits some even remembered our names and that made us feel like we chose the right place to help us with our procedure. Whatever questions we had they would answer for us they always wanted to make sure that we were doing okay and just like like Doctor Buyalos they were very enthusiastic to help and very positive that they can help us conceive our first child.
Describe your experience with Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
The clinic is very clean and every person at the front desk is very welcoming and very helpful. They always greet you and they always offer you something to drink. Overall the clinic and its staff are amazing.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
IVF was around $10,000, PGS testing $3,500 , meds were around $4,000 and extra cost of labs, and procedure between $1,000-$2,000.
Describe Rick Buyalos's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
Doctor Buyalos recommended that we only do 1 embryo for our first transfer because he did not want us to have any complications and informed us on how multiple embryo transfers can have more complications and be more difficult on the female patient.
10
Doctor
Rick Buyalos
Humanity
Communication
Frequency Seen
Trustworthiness
Compassion
Explained risks
Adaptability
10
Clinic
Fertility & Surgical Associates of California
Thousand Oaks
Operations
Scheduling
Billing Department
Nursing Staff
Clinic Atmosphere
Educational Resources
Review of
2015 - 2017, Unknown Success
10
10
Age 35 - 37
3 IUI
1 IVF
Male Factor
Recurrent Pregnancy Loss
European
Income $50K - $99K
2nd of 2 Docs
Strongly Recommends
Strongly Recommends
Success w/ Doc Too early to know
Review of
I left another clinic because I felt like a number and wanted personal attention. From our 1st apt, he [Dr. Rick Buyalos] spent over an hour with us, explaining the entire process of IUI and IVF, looking over our previous test results, getting background medical history, preforming US before making any recommendations. Several times he mentioned having to change treatment plans and set up phone calls since we were over 3.5 hrs away. He adapted his schedule so we could have later apts due to our drive. I do like that Dr B preforms all US, which I've learned is not always the case. Monitoring apts are VERY quick.
IVF was $9600 FET was $3600 [at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California]...The nurses here are the BEST! After monitoring apts, I would sit down with the nurses to go over meds, schedule other apts, and explain anything I wanted to understand. All phone calls were returned same day for any and all questions. I can't say enough about them!...Open 365 days a year, with morning apts on weenends and holidays. This is VERY important when doing IUI and ER since they are time sensitive. There is an after hours phone service that takes messages and a doctor is on call all the time. I had some bleeding and one of the doctors returned my call a half an hour later on Easter Sunday. Also, the doctors cover foreachother for monitoring apts- although it is YOUR primary doctor that has the final say in your treatment.
How was your experience with Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California?
I left another clinic because I felt like a number and wanted personal attention. From our 1st apt, he spent over an hour with us, explaining the entire process of IUI and IVF, looking over our previous test results, getting background medical history, preforming US before making any recommendations. Several times he mentioned having to change treatment plans and set up phone calls since we were over 3.5 hrs away. He adapted his schedule so we could have later apts due to our drive. I do like that Dr B preforms all US, which I've learned is not always the case. Monitoring apts are VERY quick.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California?
Dr B is very knowledgeable and kind. He truly cares about you as a patient and wants the best outcome for you.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California?
Everyone from the office staff, nurses and Dr. B. were concerned with me as a person and spent time with me to make sure I understood everything. They rearranged their schedule for apts since I was traveling 3.5 hrs to each apt and the nurses made me feel like I was a part of their family.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California. (Assigned nurse: Michelle)
The nurses here are the BEST! After monitoring apts, I would sit down with the nurses to go over meds, schedule other apts, and explain anything I wanted to understand. All phone calls were returned same day for any and all questions. I can't say enough about them!
Describe your experience with Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
Open 365 days a year, with morning apts on weenends and holidays. This is VERY important when doing IUI and ER since they are time sensitive. There is an after hours phone service that takes messages and a doctor is on call all the time. I had some bleeding and one of the doctors returned my call a half an hour later on Easter Sunday. Also, the doctors cover foreachother for monitoring apts- although it is YOUR primary doctor that has the final say in your treatment.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
IVF was $9600 FET was $3600
Describe Rick Buyalos's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
Single embryo transfers are preferred, but Dr B allowed us to transfer 2 since they were not PGS tested. Also he commented that I had a long torso and would be able to handle twins if both embryos implanted.
10
Doctor
Rick Buyalos
Humanity
Communication
Frequency Seen
Trustworthiness
Compassion
Explained risks
Adaptability
10
Clinic
Fertility & Surgical Associates of California
Encino
Operations
Scheduling
Billing Department
Nursing Staff
Clinic Atmosphere
Educational Resources
Review of
Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

2015 - 2016, Successful
10
10
Age 36 - 37
3 IVF
Diminished Ovarian Reserve
Unexplained
European
Income $100K - $199K
Teacher
Only Doc Seen
Strongly Recommends
Strongly Recommends
Successful
Review of
He [Dr. Rick Buyalos] really took the time to understand our case and give us options. He didn't push us in a certain direction and was very candid with us about our situation. Very warm, intelligent, and caring...He spent a great deal of time with us when we first met with him and helped us understand our case. He was honest and warm. He's very skilled, very intelligent, and very passionate...
They {Fertility & Surgery Associates of California] are very busy, so expect to wait sometimes and for appointments to take a long time...Office isn't great and you can be on hold when you call a great deal...You were with a different [nurse] each time, so we got to where we requested certain people (like Courtney!). Other nurses were not so great at presenting information.
How was your experience with Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California?
He spent a great deal of time with us when we first met with him and helped us understand our case. He was honest and warm. He's very skilled, very intelligent, and very passionate. I cannot say enough good things about him.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California?
Don't be afraid to ask him pointed questions; he's comfortable answering any questions.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California?
Great bedside manner, didn't try to make money off of us. He really took the time to understand our case and give us options. He didn't push us in a certain direction and was very candid with us about our situation. Very warm, intelligent, and caring.
Describe the protocols Rick Buyalos used in your cycles at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California and their degree of success.
Clomid, Menopur and Bravelle for first egg retrieval (until Bravelle pulled from market), then Gonal-F. I actually like the Gonal-F better (much easier to inject with the pen). 3 egg retrievals and embryo biopsies. We didn't get many per cycle that were normal (1-2), so we did 3 rounds and ended up with 4 normals that were frozen. We wanted to do all egg retrievals first before transfers since it was a race against time with my eggs. Estrogen pills and Progesterone for transfer. I actually preferred the shots of progesterone even though they hurt because it was easier and less messy in some ways. I'm not sure about the rationales for everything (can't remember it all now), but the idea was that I didn't have a lot of eggs left that were great, so this maximized the number of good eggs that we got. Our healthy son was born last March.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
You were with a different one each time, so we got to where we requested certain people (like Courtney!). Other nurses were not so great at presenting information.
Describe your experience with Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
Office isn't great and you can be on hold when you call a great deal. On the day I was waiting for my first pregnancy beta test, my doctor was out of town. The tech who drew my blood said they would call me soon. SIX hours and several frantic phone calls later, they finally said I was pregnant. I had had a panic attack by then. They are very busy, so expect to wait sometimes and for appointments to take a long time. Get to know the front office person, Angie, for better help.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
$60,000 total for 3 egg retrievals and 1 transfer.
Describe Rick Buyalos's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
We told him about a friend of ours who transferred two and ended up with triplets (one split) and he said that he tries to avoid transferring multiple embryos these days because the testing is so much better and because it presents fewer risks to the mother to have only one.
What specific things went wrong at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California?
  • Failed to call with results
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
One time a tech said she was doing a pregnancy test and she was doing an estrogen test. Another time they did not call with my pregnancy test in a timely manner.
10
Doctor
Rick Buyalos
Humanity
Communication
Frequency Seen
Trustworthiness
Compassion
Explained risks
Adaptability
10
Clinic
Fertility & Surgical Associates of California
Thousand Oaks
Operations
Scheduling
Billing Department
Nursing Staff
Clinic Atmosphere
Educational Resources
Review of
Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

2011 - 2014, Successful
10
10
Age 30 - 33
3 IUI
1 IVF
Unexplained
European
Ashkenazi Jewish
Income $200K - $499K
Consultant
Only Doc Seen
Strongly Recommends
Strongly Recommends
Successful
Review of
Dr. Buyalos did every single ultrasound for every cycle I did. He takes a very hands on approach in his care. As busy as they are, he still really knows his patients and would remember things that I would never expect such a busy doctor to remember... I'm so happy Dr. Buyalos was my doctor. He always made me feel comfortable. He called me personally to discuss things, and made me feel like I wasn't "just a number."
The clinic [Fertility & Surgical Associates of California] is not a "factory" as I've heard other clinics be described. In a strange way, I felt like it was incredibly homey. From Angie at the front desk to the billing coordinator, to the nurses drawing labs, to the nurses managing the cycle and of course, my doctor Dr. Buyalos, everyone was just nice and very on top of things. I was in a bind once and needed a prescription called into a pharmacy immediately.
How was your experience with Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California?
I'm so happy Dr. Buyalos was my doctor. He always made me feel comfortable. He called me personally to discuss things, and made me feel like I wasn't "just a number."
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California?
Nothing I can think of.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California?
Dr. Buyalos did every ulrasound. He took the time to discuss everything. He called to follow up. He went above and beyond to make me feel like I was under the best care possible.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California. (Assigned nurse: Arlene)
She was on top of everything. She went the extra mile for me whenever there was something she could do to help. I worked most closely with his nurses Terry and Arlene. I just adore them both.
Describe your experience with Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
They were a breeze to schedule with. I came in sometimes as early as 7:45 or even 7:30 for ultrasounds so I could be at work by 9am. Dr. Buyalos did every single ultrasound for every cycle I did. He takes a very hands on approach in his care. As busy as they are, he still really knows his patients and would remember things that I would never expect such a busy doctor to remember. I worked most closely with his nurses Terry and Arlene. I just adore them both. The clinic is not a "factory" as I've heard other clinics be described. In a strange way, I felt like it was incredibly homey. From Angie at the front desk to the billing coordinator, to the nurses drawing labs, to the nurses managing the cycle and of course, my doctor Dr. Buyalos, everyone was just nice and very on top of things. I was in a bind once and needed a prescription called into a pharmacy immediately. The office was closed for lunch and my nurse still got my email and made it happen. When my transfers were successful, the nurses called me with the good news and Dr. Buyalos called me personally afterwards to offer me his congratulations. I had a million questions and emailed and called more than I felt comfortable but not once did any of the staff make me feel like I was a nuisance. We are forever grateful not only for our two miracles but also for the experience we had with them that helped bring them to us.
10
Doctor
Rick Buyalos
Humanity
Communication
Frequency Seen
Trustworthiness
Compassion
Explained risks
Adaptability
10
Clinic
Fertility & Surgical Associates of California
Santa Monica
Operations
Scheduling
Billing Department
Nursing Staff
Clinic Atmosphere
Educational Resources
Review of
Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

2005 - 2012, Successful
10
10
Age 43 - 50
4 IUI
3 IVF
Donor Eggs
Surrogacy
Unexplained
European
South Asian
Ashkenazi Jewish
Income $200K - $499K
Writer
8th of 8 Docs
Strongly Recommends
Strongly Recommends
Successful
Review of
Dr. Buyalos was kind, considerate. He listened and made time to listen to me and answer all of my questions completely. ... I had high FSH since I was in my late 20s. Many REs will not want to work with patients who have this diagnosis. ... Because Dr. Buyalos allowed me the chance to try with my own eggs and then to see that I had the same outcome with donor eggs made my decision to move to a surrogate easier.
The office I went to was in Thousand Oaks [Fertility & Surgical Associates]. The office was very clean and nice. Parking was easy. The drive was very far for me (from mid-Los Angeles), but I made it work. The embryologist was also very good and seemed to me to be top-notch. ... My nurse coordinator was efficient and explained everything in detail. ... At the time (2009), Dr. Buyalos preferred to transfer multiple embryos because statistically that would give us the best chance of a good outcome.
How was your experience with Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California?
I had many experiences with many reproductive endocrinologists before I met Dr. Buyalos. He came highly recommended. He was kind and straightforward without be cruel. He is very good at explaining everything and answering all questions.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California?
Have a list of questions ready when you see him and take notes and/or ask him if you may record your session with him.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California?
Dr. Buyalos was kind, considerate. He listened and made time to listen to me and answer all of my questions completely.
Describe the protocols Rick Buyalos used in your cycles at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California and their degree of success.
I had high FSH since I was in my late 20s. Many REs will not want to work with patients who have this diagnosis. I went to see Dr. Check in New Jersey. I was monitored at home in Los Angeles using Dr. Check's protocol for women with high FSH by Dr. Buyalos. I became pregnant many times but had miscarriages always at about week 6. Dr. Buyalos could find no clinical reason why. I also had the same outcome with transferred embryos. Because Dr. Buyalos allowed me the chance to try with my own eggs and then to see that I had the same outcome with donor eggs made my decision to move to a surrogate easier.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
My nurse coordinator was efficient and explained everything in detail.
Describe your experience with Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
The office I went to was in Thousand Oaks. The office was very clean and nice. Parking was easy. The drive was very far for me (from mid-Los Angeles), but I made it work. The embryologist was also very good and seemed to me to be top-notch.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
I don't recall the costs, but I do remember that his costs and the costs at his clinic were lower than those at other reproductive endocrinologists' offices I saw in and near Los Angeles.
Describe Rick Buyalos's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
At the time (2009), Dr. Buyalos preferred to transfer multiple embryos because statistically that would give us the best chance of a good outcome. Our surrogate did become pregnant with twins on the first try. They were born at 36 weeks and were born healthy without requiring NICU time.
10
Doctor
Rick Buyalos
Humanity
Communication
Frequency Seen
Trustworthiness
Compassion
Explained risks
Adaptability
10
Clinic
Fertility & Surgical Associates of California
Encino
Operations
Scheduling
Billing Department
Nursing Staff
Clinic Atmosphere
Educational Resources
Review of
2008 - 2011, Successful
10
10
Age 35 - 38
5 IUI
Donor Sperm
Anovulation
European
Latinx
Income $100K - $199K
Only Doc Seen
Strongly Recommends
Strongly Recommends
Successful
Review of
I was extremely pleased with my experience and with his treatment. I saw him at every visit and was able to get in touch with him after hours on one occasion early in my pregnancy, when I was experiencing some issues and was very worried...When I had my miscarriage, Dr Buyulos spent a lot of time answering all of my questions and reassuring me that I still had every reason to believe that I would get the outcome I was hoping for. When I was undergoing treatment with him, I lived two hours away and it was well worth all of the driving back and forth to have a doctor that I could trust to be honest and forthright.
Do whatever you need to do to use Dr Buyalos for your fertility treatment. When I was undergoing treatment with him, I lived two hours away and it was well worth all of the driving back and forth to have a doctor that I could trust to be honest and forthright...Everyone at Fertility & Surgical Associates was very compassionate and kind. When I had my miscarriage, Dr Buyulos spent a lot of time answering all of my questions and reassuring me that I still had every reason to believe that I would get the outcome I was hoping for. Even after having my twins, I have still been able to call Dr Buyulos on several occasions to get follow up information.
How was your experience with Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California?
I was extremely pleased with my experience and with his treatment. I saw him at every visit and was able to get in touch with him after hours on one occasion early in my pregnancy, when I was experiencing some issues and was very worried. He explained what he thought the issue was and put my mind somewhat at ease until I was able to go in for an office visit (I was out of town at the time, which made the situation even more difficult). Just as he had predicted, there was no major problem with the pregnancy and I went on to deliver twins.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California?
Do whatever you need to do to use Dr Buyalos for your fertility treatment. When I was undergoing treatment with him, I lived two hours away and it was well worth all of the driving back and forth to have a doctor that I could trust to be honest and forthright.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California?
Everyone at Fertility & Surgical Associates was very compassionate and kind. When I had my miscarriage, Dr Buyulos spent a lot of time answering all of my questions and reassuring me that I still had every reason to believe that I would get the outcome I was hoping for. Even after having my twins, I have still been able to call Dr Buyulos on several occasions to get follow up information.
Describe your experience with Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
They are there seven days a week and all blood work and ultrasounds are done in house. All of the nursing staff I dealt with were RNs and had considerable knowledge and experience.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
The cost was high because my insurance did not cover much of the treatment, but I don't think fees were higher than usual or customary. Dr Buyalos and his staff made every effort to help me find ways to minimize or defray costs, where possible. For example, they would let me know about any programs being offered by one of the drug manufacturers.
10
Doctor
Rick Buyalos
Humanity
Communication
Frequency Seen
Trustworthiness
Compassion
Explained risks
Adaptability
10
Clinic
Fertility & Surgical Associates of California
Santa Monica
Operations
Scheduling
Billing Department
Nursing Staff
Clinic Atmosphere
Educational Resources
Review of
Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

2021 - 2022, Successful
10
10
Age 42 - 43
IVF
European
Income $200K - $499K
3rd of 3 Docs
Strongly Recommends
Strongly Recommends
Successful
Review of
Dr Buyalos is kind and compassionate and he always made my husband and me feel like we matter and are cared for...He is an amazing human and a compassionate and a highly educated, experienced and skilled doctor. He was always transparent and reassuring. He gave me so much hope, and has met all the expectations...After our first cycle that resulted in no normal embryos, Dr Buyalos adjusted the protocol...
FSA has great staff, and highly competitive prices. Everyone was friendly and eager to be if service, from the receptionists, billing, nurses, to the anesthesiologist and embryologist. All 3 doctors are amazing...All the staff was kind, efficient and professional...Highly competitive costs. The lowest costs of the 3 clinics I was treated in and the lowest of 4 other clinics I considered for treatment...
How was your experience with Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California?
Dr Buyalos was my third doctor. I was previously treated by Dr Boostanfar at HRC Westlake and Dr Gleicher at CHR NYC. I also met with and consulted 4 other doctors, Dr Kumar at WFI, Dr Vermesh at CFG, Dr Najmabadi at CRHG, and Dr Zein at UCLA. Dr Buyalos was absolutely the best choice. He is an amazing human and a compassionate and a highly educated, experienced and skilled doctor. He was always transparent and reassuring. He gave me so much hope, and has met all the expectations. We are deeply grateful for him.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California?
You can absolutely trust Dr Buyalos.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California?
Dr Buyalos is kind and compassionate and he always made my husband and me feel like we matter and are cared for.
Describe the protocols Rick Buyalos used in your cycles at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California and their degree of success.
I had 2 ICSI cycles with Dr Buyalos (after 3 fresh and 1 frozen cycle at other clinics). After our first cycle that resulted in no normal embryos, Dr Buyalos adjusted the protocol.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California. (Assigned nurse: Tanisha, Jamie )
All the staff was kind, efficient and professional.
Describe your experience with Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
FSA has great staff, and highly competitive prices. Everyone was friendly and eager to be if service, from the receptionists, billing, nurses, to the anesthesiologist and embryologist. All 3 doctors are amazing.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
Highly competitive costs. The lowest costs of the 3 clinics I was treated in and the lowest of 4 other clinics I considered for treatment.
Describe Rick Buyalos's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
We did a single embryo transfer of a PGS tested blastocyst.
10
Doctor
Rick Buyalos
Humanity
Communication
Frequency Seen
Trustworthiness
Compassion
Explained risks
Adaptability
10
Clinic
Fertility & Surgical Associates of California
Thousand Oaks
Operations
Scheduling
Billing Department
Nursing Staff
Clinic Atmosphere
Educational Resources
Review of
Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

2019, Successful
10
10
Age 36
11 IVF
East Asian
Income $200K - $499K
Strongly Recommends
Strongly Recommends
Successful
Review of
[Dr. Buyalos] carefully asked about our previous situation, and then told us that he thought the egg retrieval time might not be correct, leading to failure. According to our situation, he worked out the most suitable medicine for us. Every time he checked, he was there, and he continued to encourage us and give us confidence...single embryo transfer at one time is highly recommended.
The whole [Fertility & Surgical Associates of CA] team is friendly, responsible, professional and patient. It may take some time to wait, because the doctors are very busy, but everything is worth it. No matter where you are, if you encounter difficulties, we recommend coming here. Except for doctors and nurses, their laboratories are of very high standard and have strong skills.
How was your experience with Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California?
We came to the clinic recommended by a friend. We met Dr. B two years ago, but for personal reasons, I found other clinics and other doctors for the first two cycles of our cycle. Those two cycles made us feel very frustrated and even lost confidence. Later, we decided to contact Dr. B. He carefully asked about our previous situation, and then told us that he thought the egg retrieval time might not be correct, leading to failure. According to our situation, he worked out the most suitable medicine for us. Every time he checked, he was there, and he continued to encourage us and give us confidence. This makes us feel very helpful.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California?
Give yourself confidence and trust Dr.B. He can do his best, so please believe in yourself and the clinic. It's worth waiting.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California?
He is very friendly, responsible and knowledgeable. Every time we see him, we feel very relax and we highly trusted Dr. B. In addition, he is very patient. This is very important.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California. (Assigned nurse: Tanisha & Sora)
The whole team is friendly, responsible, professional and patient.
Describe your experience with Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
The whole team is friendly, responsible, professional and patient. It may take some time to wait, because the doctors are very busy, but everything is worth it. No matter where you are, if you encounter difficulties, we recommend coming here. Except for doctors and nurses, their laboratories are of very high standard and have strong skills.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
15-20K
Describe Rick Buyalos's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
single embryo transfer at one time is highly recommended.
10
Doctor
Rick Buyalos
Humanity
Communication
Frequency Seen
Trustworthiness
Compassion
Explained risks
Adaptability
10
Clinic
Fertility & Surgical Associates of California
Thousand Oaks
Operations
Scheduling
Billing Department
Nursing Staff
Clinic Atmosphere
Educational Resources
Review of
Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

2018, Unsuccessful
9
9
Age 32
3 IUI
Male Factor
Unexplained
European
Income $100K - $199K
Accountant
Strongly Recommends
Strongly Recommends
Unsuccessful
Review of
Dr Buyalos is compassionate and thorough and takes the time needed to explain everything involved in treatment. Although we are still in the process of receiving the results we want, we continue to only want to do treatment with Dr B... Although I have not exhibited any fertility issues, we maximized our time and money by adding the ovarian stimulation. We did not get pregnant in the 3 IUI's we did with Dr B. My husband was diagnosed with a varicocele and instead of pursuing more treatment, we decided to get his varicocele repaired since it was covered by insurance.
Every nurse we worked with [at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California] was compassionate and answered all my questions, encouraged me to relax and suggested safe ways for me to do so while in treatment...I paid approximately $1k per IUI...The clinic is definitely a well oiled machine; there is heavy staffing even on weekends and response time was always really good. The answering service was also great and call-backs were done so in a timely manner
How was your experience with Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California?
Dr Buyalos is compassionate and thorough and takes the time needed to explain everything involved in treatment. Although we are still in the process of receiving the results we want, we continue to only want to do treatment with Dr B
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California?
Advocate for yourself and ask a lot of questions
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California?
Questions were answered and calls were returned promptly, the nurses answered all my questions in great detail and I never felt rushed in any of my appointments
Describe the protocols Rick Buyalos used in your cycles at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California and their degree of success.
Dr Buyalos had me prepare for IUI by taking Clomid, Menopur injections and a trigger shot. Then after IUI I took progesterone. One of my cycles I had to add in Estrace due to thin lining. Although I have not exhibited any fertility issues, we maximized our time and money by adding the ovarian stimulation. We did not get pregnant in the 3 IUI's we did with Dr B. My husband was diagnosed with a varicocele and instead of pursuing more treatment, we decided to get his varicocele repaired since it was covered by insurance.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California. (Assigned nurse: Hilary)
Every nurse we worked with was compassionate and answered all my questions, encouraged me to relax and suggested safe ways for me to do so while in treatment
Describe your experience with Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
The clinic is definitely a well oiled machine; there is heavy staffing even on weekends and response time was always really good. The answering service was also great and call-backs were done so in a timely manner
Describe the costs associated with your care under Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
I paid approximately $1k per IUI
Describe Rick Buyalos's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
n/a
9
Doctor
Rick Buyalos
Humanity
Communication
Frequency Seen
Trustworthiness
Compassion
Explained risks
Adaptability
9
Clinic
Fertility & Surgical Associates of California
Encino
Operations
Scheduling
Billing Department
Nursing Staff
Clinic Atmosphere
Educational Resources
Review of
LGBTQ
Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

2018, Unknown Success
10
10
Age 39
1 Fertility Medications
Uterine Fibroids
European
Ashkenazi Jewish
Income $50K - $99K
1st of 2 Docs
LGBTQ
Strongly Recommends
Strongly Recommends
Success w/ Doc Too early to know
Review of
Dr. Buyalos is the most wonderful caring man. He was the first fertility doctor to do an MRI on my pelvis finding a huge fibroid containing my entire uterine cavity. He said I had that fibroid for years and no other doctor would do an MRI.... The first protocol was that Buyalos said that my eggs are 10 years younger than me. But he wanted to an MRI on my pelvis and I had surgery by Buyalos on June 29th to remove a 3lb fibroid
There is absolutely no weakness in getting an appointment right away. This clinic [Fertility & Surgical Assoc of CA] is well known in the area for the best at getting women pregnant. They have a lab on site everything transfer is done on site.... The nurses are kind cute and they offer you Gatorade. Each nurse i had was gentle and treated me like a human. They got in quick and effortlessly.... they treat you like your their own family.... I owe $575 right now and the first round of IVF is $9500
How was your experience with Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California?
Dr. Buyalos is. Known around the area to get women pregnant. The nurses are kind cute and they offer you Gatorade. Each nurse i had was gentle and treated me like a human. They got in quick and effortlessly.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California?
Dr. Buyalos will figure the real reason your not getting pregnant the first time you see him. He made me get an MRI on my pelvis and low and behold no baby could grow in there. He’s very well known in our community for getting women pregnant.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California?
Dr. Buyalos is the most wonderful caring man. He was the first fertility doctor to do an MRI on my pelvis finding a huge fibroid containing my entire uterine cavity. He said I had that fibroid for years and no other doctor would do an MRI.
Describe the protocols Rick Buyalos used in your cycles at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California and their degree of success.
The first protocol was that Buyalos said that my eggs are 10 years younger than me. But he wanted to an MRI on my pelvis and I had surgery by Buyalos on June 29th to remove a 3lb fibroid
Describe your experience with your nurse at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California. (Assigned nurse: Melinda)
They all have strengths. And they are all attractive too which doesn’t hurt. But they treat you like your their own family.
Describe your experience with Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
There is absolutely no weakness in getting an appointment right away. This clinic is well known in the area for the best at getting women pregnant. They have a lab on site everything transfer is done on site.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
I owe $575 right now and the first round of IVF is $9500
Describe Rick Buyalos's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
Prefer one embryo at a time
10
Doctor
Rick Buyalos
Humanity
Communication
Frequency Seen
Trustworthiness
Compassion
Explained risks
Adaptability
10
Clinic
Fertility & Surgical Associates of California
Thousand Oaks
Operations
Scheduling
Billing Department
Nursing Staff
Clinic Atmosphere
Educational Resources
Review of
Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

2013 - 2017, Successful
10
10
Age 29 - 33
3 IVF
Unexplained
European
2nd of 2 Docs
Strongly Recommends
Strongly Recommends
Successful
Review of
After our initial consultation I had restored confidence in the IVF process. I saw Dr B [Dr. Rick Buyalos] at every appointment, he performed every ultrasound and was extremely warm and compassionate every step of the way. He included my husband in on everything, remembered our names after our first visit, which really made me feel welcome. He's an amazing doctor and just really takes time to be there for each of his patients.
The only problem I had was with staff [at Fertility & Surgical Associates was] returning my phone calls. If I didn't hear back I would call again. A little frustrating but I get it, this clinic is busy...Dr B would call me personally to talk to me about my cycle. After my first failed transfer with him he was so encouraging and positive. I've never had a doctor take as much time as he has on me.
How was your experience with Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California?
Dr B has been amazing throughout our IVF journey. I was unsuccessful 3 times with another doctor and wasn't feeling very confident when I walked into his office. After our initial consultation I had restored confidence in the IVF process. I saw Dr B at every appointment, he performed every ultrasound and was extremely warm and compassionate every step of the way. He included my husband in on everything, remembered our names after our first visit, which really made me feel welcome. He's an amazing doctor and just really takes time to be there for each of his patients.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California?
If you aren't clear on something he said, speak up. He is more than happy to go over whatever it is you are not clear on.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California?
Dr B would call me personally to talk to me about my cycle. After my first failed transfer with him he was so encouraging and positive. I've never had a doctor take as much time as he has on me.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California. (Assigned nurse: Teri)
Teri is no longer with this clinic but was an amazing support during our first 2 cycles at this office.
Describe your experience with Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
The only problem I had was with staff returning my phone calls. If I didn't hear back I would call again. A little frustrating but I get it, this clinic is busy.
Describe Rick Buyalos's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
Dr B gave us the option to transfer 1 or 2 embryo's. He gave us the risks and benefits on all the possible outcomes.
10
Doctor
Rick Buyalos
Humanity
Communication
Frequency Seen
Trustworthiness
Compassion
Explained risks
Adaptability
10
Clinic
Fertility & Surgical Associates of California
Santa Monica
Operations
Scheduling
Billing Department
Nursing Staff
Clinic Atmosphere
Educational Resources
Review of
2016, Successful
10
10
Age 41
2 IVF
PCOS
East Asian
Income $100K - $199K
Business Executive
2nd of 2 Docs
Strongly Recommends
Strongly Recommends
Successful
Review of
I think he [Dr. Buyalos] is experienced and extremely professional...Dr. B is very polite and patient to me, and explained every concerns and questions I've raised in detail. He always make me feel relaxed...After consulting Dr. B, I felt Dr. B is very experienced and explained me the process that I would do even if I had former experience. He made every efforts to help me. I think he is experienced and extremely professional. I saw the difference of my experience! It is amazing. With Dr. B's treatment, I had 35 eggs and 7 normal embryos, including 4 A grade and 3 B grade embryo! I really appreciate Dr. B!...
[Fert & Surg Asso of CA - Enc staff is] very nice and patient...Strengths: professional Doctors ...
How was your experience with Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California?
According to my experience, I did my first cycle in other clinic and my result was very bad. I have PCOS. The first cycle that I did in other clinic resulted in 25 eggs and 4 embryos, but only 1 C-grade normal embryo. I don't want to use that embryo. Then I found FSAC through online searching. After consulting Dr. B, I felt Dr. B is very experienced and explained me the process that I would do even if I had former experience. He made every efforts to help me. I think he is experienced and extremely professional. I saw the difference of my experience! It is amazing. With Dr. B's treatment, I had 35 eggs and 7 normal embryos, including 4 A grade and 3 B grade embryo! I really appreciate Dr. B!
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California?
Trust him and take his advice.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California?
Dr. B is very polite and patient to me, and explained every concerns and questions I've raised in detail. He always make me feel relaxed.
Describe the protocols Rick Buyalos used in your cycles at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California and their degree of success.
I first use the birth control pills, and gonal-F,menupur omnitriop, cetrotide I rember. Then it is egg retrieval. I retrieved 35 eggs. and 7 embryo. Later I used birth control, estrace, doxy both my husband and me, endometrin for the embryo transfer. Dr. B advised to put just 1 embryo and I just pregnant!
Describe your experience with your nurse at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California. (Assigned nurse: Heather)
very nice and patient
Describe your experience with Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
Strengths: professional Doctors Weakness: a little bit far away
Describe the costs associated with your care under Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
more than 20K
10
Doctor
Rick Buyalos
Humanity
Communication
Frequency Seen
Trustworthiness
Compassion
Explained risks
Adaptability
10
Clinic
Fertility & Surgical Associates of California
Encino
Operations
Scheduling
Billing Department
Nursing Staff
Clinic Atmosphere
Educational Resources
Review of
Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

2014 - 2017, Unsuccessful
10
10
Age 31 - 34
1 IVF
Diminished Ovarian Reserve
Other
Income $0 - $49K
Strongly Recommends
Strongly Recommends
Unsuccessful
Review of
Very kind and compassionate. I recommend him to anyone. Gave very thorough info. He explained our 'issues' in detail and didn't allow us to leave until we fully udnsersyood and had no more questions...I had 2 ivf cycles. First was a successf, 2nd was not. Clomid was on first and injections for estrogen and progesterone. 2nd was progesterone suppositories and oral meds for estrogen
Very thorough and friendly, clean environment [at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California]. They always remember me when I come in and I really like that. Not a fan of the lady that checks us out at the end. I don't know her name but she isn't friendly...I believe overall round 1 was about $20,000 and round 2 was about $7,000. Both round we paid cash as our insurance covers zero for ivf...Appointments were usually on time. I had a few times they needed to reschedule but overall it was perfectly ok. My clinic was actually the Thousand Oaks office but it didn't give me that option.
How was your experience with Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California?
Very kind and compassionate. I recommend him to anyone. Gave very thorough info. He explained our 'issues' in detail and didn't allow us to leave until we fully udnsersyood and had no more questions.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California?
Have questions ready
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California?
He cared deeply for helping us 'get a family'
Describe the protocols Rick Buyalos used in your cycles at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California and their degree of success.
I had 2 ivf cycles. First was a successf, 2nd was not. Clomid was on first and injections for estrogen and progesterone. 2nd was progesterone suppositories and oral meds for estrogen
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
Very helpful and kind. Always respectful of my time.
Describe your experience with Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
Very thorough and friendly, clean environment. They always remember me when I come in and I really like that. Not a fan of the lady that checks us out at the end. I don't know her name but she isn't friendly.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
Appointments were usually on time. I had a few times they needed to reschedule but overall it was perfectly ok. My clinic was actually the Thousand Oaks office but it didn't give me that option.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
I believe overall round 1 was about $20,000 and round 2 was about $7,000. Both round we paid cash as our insurance covers zero for ivf
Describe Rick Buyalos's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
He was fine with us transferring 2 each time
10
Doctor
Rick Buyalos
Humanity
Communication
Frequency Seen
Trustworthiness
Compassion
Explained risks
Adaptability
10
Clinic
Fertility & Surgical Associates of California
Encino
Operations
Scheduling
Billing Department
Nursing Staff
Clinic Atmosphere
Educational Resources
Review of
Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

2009 - 2016, Successful
10
10
Age 33 - 40
2 IVF
Endometriosis
PCOS
European
Ashkenazi Jewish
Income $100K - $199K
Strongly Recommends
Strongly Recommends
Successful
Review of
He [Dr. Buyalos] was very understanding and worked hard on our behalf. He was careful to identify our individual and unique circumstances and address them. He always called himself if there was a concern rather than having a nurse call. He remembered details of my case two years later...We did PGD due to a genetic condition...Dr. Buyalos treated me like a human but other staff [at Fert & Surg Asso] sometimes made me feel more like a number.
The clinic [Fert & Surg Asso of CA] is very busy but it is well organized and responsive to your needs. At times you need to be an advocate for yourself and request to see the doctor or speak to him...I worked with two different nursing teams. The first team in 2010 was more engaging, seemed more interested in my wellbeing and were more compassionate and interested in my care. At times it did feel like I was just a number both times but more so the second time around in 2016.
How was your experience with Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California?
He was very understanding and worked hard on our behalf. He was careful to identify our individual and unique circumstances and address them. He always called himself if there was a concern rather than having a nurse call. He remembered details of my case two years later.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California?
Make sure to ask all of your questions as he will respond if he knows there are concerns.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California?
Dr. Buyalos treated me like a human but other staff sometimes made me feel more like a number.
Describe the protocols Rick Buyalos used in your cycles at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California and their degree of success.
We did PGD due to a genetic condition and PGS our second cycle due to a miscarriage likely due to chromosomal abnormalities.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
I worked with two different nursing teams. The first team in 2010 was more engaging, seemed more interested in my wellbeing and were more compassionate and interested in my care. At times it did feel like I was just a number both times but more so the second time around in 2016.
Describe your experience with Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
The clinic is very busy but it is well organized and responsive to your needs. At times you need to be an advocate for yourself and request to see the doctor or speak to him.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Rick Buyalos at Fertility & Surgical Associates of California.
It was around 15,000 with treatment PGD but that was several years ago.
10
Doctor
Rick Buyalos
Humanity
Communication
Frequency Seen
Compassion
Explained risks
Adaptability
10
Clinic
Fertility & Surgical Associates of California
Santa Monica
Operations
Scheduling
Billing Department
Nursing Staff
Clinic Atmosphere
Educational Resources
Review of

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