Verified
This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.
2019, Unsuccessful
Review of
She [Dr. Shastri] didnt remember me and the fact I only had 1 ovary...Out of all the five doctors I have consulted for ivd, she is the worst in terms of her knowledge and her willingness to seek the best solution for a patient...For reasons I found rather dubious, I was not cleared by anesthesia, and Dr Shastri dropped me as a patient and told me I could not cycle at RMA...
RMA will only do 5 day transfers and rarely will they do a fresh transfer. They tend to trigger earlier like when the largest follicle is at 19 mm (on a mini ivf protocol) and there is only one measurement of the follicle...financial coordinator [at RMA of NJ] was terrible...She told me 3x that I didnt have coverage on ICSI and embryo freezing...I verified with my insurance 2x and then when I talked to someone else at the financial office at RMA, I was told Noelia didnt even verify my benefits....
How was your experience with Shefali Shastri at RMA of New Jersey?
I really wanted to like Dr Shastri as she came recommended by a friend who had success and her sister is close friends with Dr Shastri. Dr. Shastri and I even discussed the chocolate thali at a restaurant in Goa, India. Out of all the five doctors I have consulted for ivd, she is the worst in terms of her knowledge and her willingness to seek the best solution for a patient.
When I had my initial consult, she would rattle off stats and claim that RMA’s lab was better than Cornell’s based on the SART data. When I later pressed her since she did her fellowship there, she admitted with agitation that Cornell and RMA have different philosophies. When I asked about whether a low dose protocol of Menopur and Gonal F was better, she confidently stated that the higher dosage was better. Dr Davis at Weill Cornell believes that it’s a 50/50 shot whether a high/ low dose protocol would work for DOR, and after many rounds, the low dose protocol worked better for me. Also, Dr Shastri ordered liquid HCG to replace Menopur (despite having a ton) and the HCG only had a 30 day shelf life. Right before the pandemic, I was about to start stim medications because RMA did not shut down during the pandemic. For reasons I found rather dubious, I was not cleared by anesthesia, and Dr Shastri dropped me as a patient and told me I could not cycle at RMA. However, thanks to my nurse, another Dr at the same Somerset office took me as a patient and said I could do an egg retrieval without anesthesia. So either Dr Shastri was incompetent or she was clearly too lazy to determine a solution for a patient.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Shefali Shastri at RMA of New Jersey?
If I was paying out of pocket or had a difficult fertility case, I would steer clear of Dr Shastri. If I had to see Dr Shastri, I would make sure I would get a second or even a third opinion. With her, you definitely need to verify everything she says.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Shefali Shastri at RMA of New Jersey?
She didnt remember me and the fact I only had 1 ovary. She came recommended from a friend whose sister is best friends with Dr Shastri. She would describe scenarios that clearly had no relevance to me and would forget that I have 1 ovary.
Describe the protocols Shefali Shastri used in your cycles at RMA of New Jersey and their degree of success.
I would prep with estrogen patches first before my period, then 300 or more of gonal F because I would do liquid HCG instead of Menopur. No clomid priming.
Describe your experience with your nurse at RMA of New Jersey. (Assigned nurse: Michelle Benedetto)
She was great. Responsive. Got me under the care of a dr when Dr Shastri offered no solution.
Describe your experience with RMA of New Jersey.
RMA will only do 5 day transfers and rarely will they do a fresh transfer. They tend to trigger earlier like when the largest follicle is at 19 mm (on a mini ivf protocol) and there is only one measurement of the follicle. Weill cornell triggers at 21 mm (they take an average of 2 measurements). RMA tends to push donor eggs sooner than Weill Cornell
Describe the costs associated with your care under Shefali Shastri at RMA of New Jersey.
Luckily I had insurance coverage that RMA took. However, Dr Shastri’s financial coordinator was terrible Noelia Woeldin. She told me 3x that I didnt have coverage on ICSI and embryo freezing, which Weill Cornell said I did. I verified with my insurance 2x and then when I talked to someone else at the financial office at RMA, I was told Noelia didnt even verify my benefits. I hate to be nasty but I told her to do her job. Her response after verification was “”I had good benefits.”
Describe Shefali Shastri's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at RMA of New Jersey.
Single embryo transfer genetically tested
What specific things went wrong at RMA of New Jersey?
- Failed to send your chart to another clinic
- Failed to convey critical information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at RMA of New Jersey.
Dr Shastri failed to give me an alternative when I didnt get cleared by anesthesia
Review of