[Dr. Burwinkel] was honest and right to the point. Made me feel relaxed when he was doing procedures...For the IUI, he performed all ultrasounds. Put me on 2-3 doses of Femara and ovidrel. For pregnancy he did ultrasound and he found baby had no heartbeat...He apologized to me and said was not our fault repeatedly. It meant a lot to me he said that. But would like to see more compassion
Only con [of Institute for Reproductive Health] is the phone system. Have to wait for call back. The West Chester office is great. Everyone is very friendly there. Also good for early morning appts and blood work...Excellent nursing team. Wish good luck to you for appointments hug you when you cry and call to check up on you...[approx cost] 4000 for 4 IUI
How was your experience with Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
In 2021, I received fertility treatments from him and Dr. A. He was honest and right to the point. Made me feel relaxed when he was doing procedures. This year I got pregnant naturally and had a miscarriage. At first, when we asked him question that when we didn’t see heartbeat, he was saying kind of arrogantly that it should have by now. He was alright about the incident as far as assuring. He gave options to do D and C, take medication or let it naturally miscarry. We came the next day for him to check it out and the sac was getting smaller. He apologized to me and said was not our fault repeatedly. It meant a lot to me he said that. But would like to see more compassion. Not as hugging type like Awadalla or Scheiber or the nursing staff.
Overall a kind, matter-of-fact and calming doctor.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Bring list of questions. Can come off as arrogant but he has the best interest in patients so don’t take anything he says personally. Good bedside manner but not the joking kind of guy so be careful what you say to him
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Attempted 4 IUI’s last year (2021). Failed. He was caring but right to the point. Knowledgeable and patient. Recently had a miscarriage. We found that out in West Chester at 8 weeks. Would have love to see more compassion, but he assured me it wasn’t my fault and that he was sorry. He gave us options to do D and C and he explained it.
Describe the protocols Thomas Burwinkel used in your cycles at Institute for Reproductive Health and their degree of success.
For the IUI, he performed all ultrasounds. Put me on 2-3 doses of Femara and ovidrel.
For pregnancy he did ultrasound and he found baby had no heartbeat.
Explained the d and C but Awadalla performed that
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Institute for Reproductive Health.
Excellent nursing team. Wish good luck to you for appointments hug you when you cry and call to check up on you.
Describe your experience with Institute for Reproductive Health.
Only con is the phone system. Have to wait for call back.
The West Chester office is great. Everyone is very friendly there. Also good for early morning appts and blood work. It is in the neighbourhood that I grew up in.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health.
4000 for 4 IUI and insurance covered last appts
Describe Thomas Burwinkel's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Institute for Reproductive Health.
Dr. Burwinkel is thoughtful when you ask to set aside time to discuss treatments. Baseline appointments or mid-cycle appointments are not long enough to have full-conversations about your progress. If you feel the need to switch to a different treatment, you must advocate for yourself. The doctors will listen at this clinic and are not pushy.
[the Institute for Reproductive Health] Nursing staff is where this office excels. The biggest issue is that you have to call to leave a voicemail and they will call you back... If you do not like a doctor, ask for a different primary doctor. However note that since there is a revolving door of doctors, you will likely end up seeing all of the doctors in the clinic at some point. There are no female doctors in this clinic, which I am surprised by.
How was your experience with Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Dr. Burwinkel is thoughtful when you ask to set aside time to discuss treatments. Baseline appointments or mid-cycle appointments are not long enough to have full-conversations about your progress. If you feel the need to switch to a different treatment, you must advocate for yourself. The doctors will listen at this clinic and are not pushy.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Advocate for yourself. Come in with any questions you have ready, written down, so that you can be prepared to ask. Ask for teledoc or in-person appointments to get a check-in on your progress periodically.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Appointments are always brief, a few minutes at most. If I don't have questions ready at hand, then the treatment is determined without much consultation or discussion. Hard to not feel like a number when the appointments feel so transactional.
Describe the protocols Thomas Burwinkel used in your cycles at Institute for Reproductive Health and their degree of success.
I have secondary infertility due to diminished ovarian reserve. AMH is low. We had one IUI with another clinic, after multiple attempts at femara/medicated cycles. Then switched to this clinic and have had four IUIs, including one converted from a cancelled IVF cycle. We increased our treatment to femara + injectables after the first IUI after the failed IVF cycle. This was to help further encourage egg growth. We have not had success thus far but are continuing with IUI since no other factors for infertility preclude us and IVF cycle proved to be unsuccessful in wielding enough eggs for a retrieval.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Institute for Reproductive Health.
Nursing staff is where this office excels. The biggest issue is that you have to call to leave a voicemail and they will call you back. But at least there are not long wait lines, and they are very prompt with returning portal messages or voicemails.
Describe your experience with Institute for Reproductive Health.
I dont think this is specific to this fertility clinic, but you need to advocate for yourself. If you do not like a doctor, ask for a different primary doctor.
However note that since there is a revolving door of doctors, you will likely end up seeing all of the doctors in the clinic at some point.
There are no female doctors in this clinic, which I am surprised by.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health.
Costs have mostly been covered by insurance to-date, but funding will soon be exhausted.
Describe Thomas Burwinkel's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Institute for Reproductive Health.
Dr Burwinkel was great, our trouble was we only saw him for iui consultation only. Other doctors in practice performed all the procedures making it hard to communicate and have questions answered. He was very clear and confident and had us really excited and hopeful when we began treatment but ultimately got bounced around the practice leaving us with stress and concern...
The [Institute for Reproductive Health] clinic seems well organized and polite, however you don’t get many questions answered and you deal with several doctors. I think maybe the bouncing between doctors provides that lack of communication. They are seemingly very busy, and you become just a time slot after initial consult...Overall I’d say cost inferred was around 7000 dollars including testing, consultation, semen analysis, and IUI.
How was your experience with Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Dr Burwinkel was great, our trouble was we only saw him for iui consultation only. Other doctors in practice performed all the procedures making it hard to communicate and have questions answered. He was very clear and confident and had us really excited and hopeful when we began treatment but ultimately got bounced around the practice leaving us with stress and concern.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Tell them early you would like to deal with a single doctor for treatment to maintain good communication and trust.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
We initially met with the dr and he had high hopes and he expressed extreme confidence and optimism in IUI treatment. After two try’s and being bounced around between dr’s in the practice we had a lot of questions unanswered and gradually we felt as if we became more of a number at that point.
Describe the protocols Thomas Burwinkel used in your cycles at Institute for Reproductive Health and their degree of success.
Dr burwinkel stated everything looked great and was confident we would have success with IUI treatment in initial consult, we did a semen analysis with positive results, following that my wife’s cycles were tracked and had two unsuccessful IUI procedures. The only testing my wife received there was measuring of linings and number of eggs. We were told all numbers looked great. I would have like to seen more testing and results for my wife compared to what our research told us. We went with this clinic on the recommendation of several friends that had success. I was happy with the initial consult with the DR. But everything following that felt like they just wanted us to keep wasting our money trying unsuccessful IUI treatments with no explanations. They simply kept calling us to reschedule more...
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Institute for Reproductive Health.
Nursing staff was always polite and helpful but seemingly all faith and knowledge laid within the doctors.
Describe your experience with Institute for Reproductive Health.
The clinic seems well organized and polite, however you don’t get many questions answered and you deal with several doctors. I think maybe the bouncing between doctors provides that lack of communication. They are seemingly very busy, and you become just a time slot after initial consult.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health.
Overall I’d say cost inferred was around 7000 dollars including testing, consultation, semen analysis, and IUI.
What specific things went wrong at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Institute for Reproductive Health.
Trouble getting refills on medications prescribed for procedures. We were told to get with our obgyn if we had questions even though they were providing treatment.
every time he [Dr. Burwinkel] sees me he knows who I am and my history and not just because he looked at my chart 5 minutes before my appointment. He is direct and tells me what I need to hear, but does it in a way that is kind and compassionate...opened my mind to the possibility of egg donation after a couple of egg retrievals with less than desirable results but let me know that they would continue to try with my eggs as long as I was willing. He also was honest with us when we asked about a Gestational Carrier, stating that it was our best shot for the one genetically normal embryo we have frozen. Because of Dr. B, we hope to transfer to a gestational carrier in November with our own embryo and hope to transfer to me in December with a donor embryo. I cannot say enough good things about Dr. B. I truly believe we are on our current course because of him and I have 100% faith that he is leading us in the right direction.
if you are not one of the extremely complicated cases, you will not have an assigned nurse or coordinator. IRH has a team of standard treatment nurses and a team of IVF nurses. Overall, I would say that the team of IRH nurses are pretty amazing...They do an amazing job, but it's a high volume clinic so your journey will be so much smoother if you are on top of everything and help them be the care team you need...things *could* have gone wrong if I hadn't been paying attention.
How was your experience with Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
I have seen every doctor at IRH over the last two years and over that time, I have become the most comfortable with Dr. B and as a result, switched over to him as my primary physician in early 2019.
I am someone who needs my doctor to explain the details of my diagnosis and treatment in order to feel confident in our plan of action. If the details are not explained to me, I get very anxious. Dr. B learned this about me very quickly and takes the time to explain everything to us as well as answer all of my questions. When we ask for additional consult appointments just to talk about next steps, he is always accommodating and takes the time to ensure all of our questions are answered.
I am also a very direct person who wants an honest assessment of the situation, even if it's tough to hear. When I'm told overly positive things repeatedly and then experience disappointment, that makes me distrustful. I realize that this helps some patients, but it is not something that works for me. This is why Dr. B is a perfect fit for me. We have had to have quite a few tough discussions over the course of my treatment (he diagnosed 2 of my 3 miscarriages, had a discussion about donor eggs, as well as discussed use of a gestational carrier) and he has been fantastic. He has a way of being direct about the tough things, but is compassionate and helps you understand the full picture. Dr. B opened my mind to the possibility of egg donation after a couple of egg retrievals with less than desirable results but let me know that they would continue to try with my eggs as long as I was willing. He also was honest with us when we asked about a Gestational Carrier, stating that it was our best shot for the one genetically normal embryo we have frozen.
Because of Dr. B, we hope to transfer to a gestational carrier in November with our own embryo and hope to transfer to me in December with a donor embryo.
I cannot say enough good things about Dr. B. I truly believe we are on our current course because of him and I have 100% faith that he is leading us in the right direction.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
If you are somebody who wants all the details of your diagnosis and treatment plan, likes to ask questions, and wants someone who will give you honesty, ask for Dr. B to be your primary doctor (or Dr. S).
If you get overwhelmed by the details and want a doctor that will give you more general encouragement, ask for Dr. A to be your primary doctor.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
I switched to Dr. B in early 2019 because after 2 years of care at IRH, I realized that I had established the best rapport with Dr. B and that he spoke my language. He takes the time to explain my diagnosis and treatment cycle to me, which is extremely important for me personally. I never feel like he is in too much of a hurry to answer my questions. I also know that every time he sees me he knows who I am and my history and not just because he looked at my chart 5 minutes before my appointment. He is direct and tells me what I need to hear, but does it in a way that is kind and compassionate.
Describe the protocols Thomas Burwinkel used in your cycles at Institute for Reproductive Health and their degree of success.
Egg Retrieval 1 with Dr. B (3 Overall): 225 Gonal F, 150 Menopur, Cetrotide = 7 Eggs Retrieved, 2 Blastocysts, 1 PGS Normal Embryo. With this cycle, he added an extra vial of Menopur to attempt to get a 4:1 Ratio of FSH to LH in hopes of retrieving more eggs. The strategy worked as I had only ever had 3 eggs retrieved previously.
Egg Retrieval 2 with Dr B (4th Retrieval Overall): Femara 5MG Per Day Cycle Days 3-7, 225 Gonal F & 150 Menopur Starting Day 3, Cetrotide (NOTE: Dr. S recommended this cycle) = 9 Eggs Retrieved, 3 Blastocysts, 0 PGS Normal Embryos. With this cycle, Femara was added in hopes of getting more quality eggs.
Egg Retrieval 3 with Dr B (5th Retrieval Overall): F 225 Gonal F & 150 Menopur Starting Day 3, Cetrotide: 4 Eggs Retrieved, 1 Blastocyst, 0 PGS Normal Embryos. With this cycle, we started out with less than an ideal follicle pattern, so our expectations weren't as high out of the gate. The thought was to go back to the retrieval where we got a good embryo and I 100% agreed with this strategy. If I had to go back and do it again, I would do the same protocol.
Dr. B also ordered all of my recurrent loss testing after my 3rd miscarriage (which was with a PGS Normal Embryo). He tested for Thyroid Levels, Blood Clotting Disorders, and Auto Immune Disorders. He also recommended a uterine biopsy for an ERA Test for Embryo Transfer Timing & Receptiva Test for Endometriosis. Blood Tests came back with slightly elevated Prolactin & TSH. While he did not believe this is my primary issue, he started me on Levothyroxine. The ERA test came back normal. The Receptiva Test came back positive for inflammation associated with endometriosis. The strategy here was to test me for everything under the sun since I had been pregnant 3 times and all 3 resulted in miscarriage, with the last one being a PGS Normal embryo. Even if we hadn't diagnosed anything, at least we could have eliminated them as possibilities. This was a strategy that I was 100% on board with and would do over again.
Treatment for endometriosis consisted of 2 months of Lupron Depot Injections, which put your ovaries into a temporary state of menopause in an effort to get rid of the inflammation associated with endometriosis. We have decided to repeat the biopsy after treatment is completed before attempting an embryo transfer with donor eggs. This repeat test was particularly important to me because I don't want to do an embryo transfer without knowing that the Receptiva Test is negative and I was thrilled that Dr. B was supportive of repeating the test.
Our Egg Donor Cycle is currently in process. Our Egg Donor (a known donor) is doing Gonal F and Cetrotide with doses to be determined. Dr. B recommended considering an egg donor after our 1st egg retrieval (2nd cycle as 1st was cancelled) yielded only 3 eggs and no PGS Normal Embryos. We did 4 more egg retrievals after that resulting in only 2 PGS Normal Embryos. So, after 5 egg retrievals and only 1 Frozen PGS Normal Embryo left, we decided it was time to move onto the egg donor waiting in the wings. His suggestion earlier on in the process allowed us to get our egg donor lined up but to continue with our own retrievals until we were ready to move onto the egg donor. We elected to do PGS Testing on our Donor Embryos, which is unusual, but given my history with loss, we were only interested in proceeding with embryos confirmed to be genetically normal. Again, Dr. B was supportive of our wishes and helped us formulate the plan.
Finally, we are doing a frozen embryo transfer cycle with our 1 remaining PGS Normal Embryo and a Gestational Carrier (known carrier/friend). Our Carrier took several weeks of Lupron Injections to down regulate her ovaries and will take normal estrace/progersterone protocol for a frozen embryo transfer. When we brought up our concerns about how few of our own embryos we had, Dr. B was in agreement that a Gestational Carrier was our best chance of success. He recognized our priorities and we appreciated his candor and honesty in his recommendation.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Institute for Reproductive Health. (Assigned nurse: Sarah Price)
First, I want to note that generally speaking, patients are not assigned a primary nurse or care coordinator at IRH. Sarah Price and Lizzie West are in charge of the Egg Donor and Gestational Carrier programs at IRH. Since we are coordinating care of both an Egg Donor and a Gestational Carrier in addition to my treatment cycles in a relatively small window, our treatment plan is extremely complicated. Given her position as coordinating egg donors and gestational carriers, Sarah Price stepped up became our primary nurse.
With that being said, I cannot say enough great things about Sarah. She has been absolutely amazing. She is exceptionally supportive, extremely organized, walks me through all the details, answers all of my questions (there are a lot), and truly makes me feel like she is invested in our success. She has truly gone above and beyond for us and I am so incredibly grateful for her help.
As stated above though, if you are not one of the extremely complicated cases, you will not have an assigned nurse or coordinator. IRH has a team of standard treatment nurses and a team of IVF nurses. Overall, I would say that the team of IRH nurses are pretty amazing. They're knowledgeable, patient, and supportive.
One thing I would definitely recommend is to write down the names of the nurses who have been particularly helpful to you. While you don't get to pick the nurses that you see at your appointments, it is helpful to know the ones that have worked well with you in the past.
In addition to Sarah, who I mentioned above, some of my absolute favorite nurses are Mindy who has drawn my blood a zillion times and always takes great care of me, Devin who did my Lupron Depot injection (which is intramuscular) and I didn't even feel it, Jackie who was my nurse several times for egg retrievals and even called to congratulate me when we found out we had a normal embryo, Katie who was my nurse for several egg retrievals and is absolutely amazing, and Sarah (a different Sarah than above) who has walked me through the instructions for some of our tougher cycles.
There are plenty of other great nurses there. These are just some of the ones who have been exceptional during my treatment.
Describe your experience with Institute for Reproductive Health.
Strengths: Convenient Locations, Prompt Call Backs, Compassionate, Knowledgeable, and Supportive Staff, relatively short wait times, clear instructions and treatment plans.
Weaknesses: High Volume so it can feel like you're a number (some of that is on you though - if you seek out the right doctors and nurses you won't), you won't get a live person when you call (but they will call you back same day)
Recommendation for patients: Your experience will be better if you are proactive and take ownership of your journey. If you have questions ask them. If you have a preferred doctor or doctors, try to schedule with them as much as possible. If you want an extra consult to talk about your treatment, schedule one. If you're nervous about something, don't wait, call them. Keep track of your medications, follow up with them to make sure things are being done timely, etc. They do an amazing job, but it's a high volume clinic so your journey will be so much smoother if you are on top of everything and help them be the care team you need.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health.
This really depends on whether you are out of pocket or insured.
IVF with PGS Testing Out of Pocket (all in for meds etc): $24,000
Embryo Transfer: $4500
Screening for Gestational Carrier and Husband: $2700
Screening for Me (to use Gestational Carrier): $1700
Multi Cycle Package for PGS Testing: $2150
With insurance it is significantly cheaper. Once we hit our deductible, IVF without an embryo transfer was about $600. The PGS Testing is $2150 in addition to the $600 but we should potentially get reimbursed for that from insurance. These costs are really going to vary depending on your insurance coverage.
Describe Thomas Burwinkel's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Institute for Reproductive Health.
All of the doctors at our clinic typically prefer single embryo transfers. We have always used PGS tested embryos, and in those cases, they will only transfer 1 embryo.
What specific things went wrong at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Provided conflicting information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Institute for Reproductive Health.
I wouldn't say that things have gone wrong necessarily. It's more that things *could* have gone wrong if I hadn't been paying attention. For Example:
(1) If I hadn't kept a meticulous inventory of my IVF medication, we would have been scrambling mid cycle to get additional medication (I know this is relatively common, but I prefer not to have to deal with it)
(2) I would have lost a month of my treatment because we didn't have the proper prior authorization for my Lupron Depot Injections. This wasn't necessarily their fault - actually it was more the pharmacy - but if I hadn't been persistent, we would not have gotten the medication on time.
(3) At one of our Pre-Retrieval instructions sessions, a nurse gave us conflicting instructions for a PGS cycle. It actually really freaked me out because it was our first retrieval. I called back and requested to have someone walk us through it again to ensure I understood and everything got clarified.
(4) A prior authorization was not submitted timely and we had to miss a month for our retrieval cycle (no harm done - we did a uterine biopsy instead, but it still did result in the change of our treatment cycle).
So, like I said in my previous response, it is in the patient's best interest to make sure they are an informed patient and proactive in the management of their treatment. Only you know your history the best, so be proactive and help them give you the best treatment possible.
Dr. Burwinkel is very kind and caring. His bedside manner was great and he always ensured I understood the treatment process. When I had questions, he took time to listen. He took the time to answer each of my questions and never acted rushed. For my egg retrieval, he came to see me before and after the procedure. He always made sure I was comfortable throughout the process.
Strengths [of Inst for Repro Health] are that the appointments are not long, staff are compassionate, they have a great bedside manner and there is an open line of communication. Weaknesses are that you might not always see the same doctor if they are not in that day ... The nursing staff was amazing. They always responded to questions left on the nurse line, provided reassurance and ensured my comfort .
How was your experience with Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Dr. Burwinkel is very kind and caring. His bedside manner was great and he always ensured I understood the treatment process. When I had questions, he took time to listen. He took the time to answer each of my questions and never acted rushed. For my egg retrieval, he came to see me before and after the procedure. He always made sure I was comfortable throughout the process.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
I would definitely recommend him and never be afraid to ask questions.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Dr. Burkwinkel has a great bedside manner and takes time to talk to patients.
Describe the protocols Thomas Burwinkel used in your cycles at Institute for Reproductive Health and their degree of success.
Dr. Burwinkel used femera and ovidrel with my IUIs. I always responded positively but never got pregnant. He used menopur, gonal f, cetrotide and ovidrel for my IVF. I also responded well and had 25 mature eggs. I was given dostinex after my retrieval to help against hyperstimulation. I did not end up with hyperstimulation and was able to have a fresh transfer.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Institute for Reproductive Health.
The nursing staff was amazing. They always responded to questions left on the nurse line, provided reassurance and ensured my comfort .
Describe your experience with Institute for Reproductive Health.
Strengths are that the appointments are not long, staff are compassionate, they have a great bedside manner and there is an open line of communication.
Weaknesses are that you might not always see the same doctor if they are not in that day.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health.
$15000 for 3 IUIs and 1 IVF
Describe Thomas Burwinkel's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Institute for Reproductive Health.
I was not happy with the thought of an eset at first but Dr. Burwinkel explained the risk of embryos splitting and multiples with more than one embryo being transferred. I am now grateful because I got pregnant with a healthy single baby from my first IVF.
I don’t have a lot of hands on with the [nursing] staff as Dr B [Burwinkel] is very hands on and takes control of all my appointments. ... Before we started IUI, he ordered a test to look at my uterus and ovaries to make sure they were clear and looked good. ... Dr B is always very involved in all my appointments. He will call me Himself to discuss any and al questions I have. He gives me his honest opinion and I never feel he is forcing decisions on me. Never once has he pushed for something to help numbers. I truly feel he knows how hard this journey is and wants to help us get our baby.
There is one dr that is nice but I feel she just wants to be in and out. I chalked it up to I’m not her “patient “ so I just don’t see her anymore. I do like they [Institute for Reproductive Health] have multiple locations. They always call back super fast (typically same day) and I’ve never had any issues scheduling my appointments. I feel really comfortable going in to talk to Dr B and know he’s going to be straightforward with me.
How was your experience with Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
I was at another clinic and the dr never came in to speak with me or complete my ultrasounds or testings. I decided to change to this clinic and saw one other dr in the practice but voices that is rather keep all appointments with Dr B and he’s been great at making sure he keeps up with our treatment. He takes his time and I’ve never one time felt rushed. He chit chats with my husband which makes my husband feel more comfortable coming to my appointments with me. He always acknowledges my feelings and sets me up for how things can or may go. I love that he’s very blunt and to the point. I don’t want a dr to sugar coat anything with how much we are investing into our journey. I don’t want false hope! I always look forward to seeing Dr B and hearing what plans he has for our treatment. After every IUI he days he prays this is our time and I really feel he means it!
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Don’t expect him to beat around the bush. Very forthcoming
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Dr B is always very involved in all my appointments. He will call me Himself to discuss any and al questions I have. He gives me his honest opinion and I never feel he is forcing decisions on me. Never once has he pushed for something to help numbers. I truly feel he knows how hard this journey is and wants to help us get our baby.
Describe the protocols Thomas Burwinkel used in your cycles at Institute for Reproductive Health and their degree of success.
Before we started IUI, he ordered a test to look at my uterus and ovaries to make sure they were clear and looked good. During this he found polyps in my uterus and he removed them successfully during surgery. He then scheduled my first IUI using letrozole and then did an ultrasound to check my follicles and gave me the date for my trigger shot. This was the same approach on each IUI. Ultimately my IUIs weren’t successful but endometriosis has a role in that outcome. He also did a progesterone check 1 week after my last IUI per my request to help ease my mind.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Institute for Reproductive Health.
I don’t have a lot of hands on with the staff as Dr B is very hands on and takes control of all my appointments. The times I have interacted with the nursing staff they are very polite and professional. They always make sure to wish us luck as we leave our appointments
Describe your experience with Institute for Reproductive Health.
I was at another clinic closer to me and decided to move to this clinic and so far I’m very happy I did. It’s very clean, quiet, and helps to calm my nerves. The staff has always been great. There is one dr that is nice but I feel she just wants to be in and out. I chalked it up to I’m not her “patient “ so I just don’t see her anymore. I do like they have multiple locations. They always call back super fast (typically same day) and I’ve never had any issues scheduling my appointments. I feel really comfortable going in to talk to Dr B and know he’s going to be straightforward with me.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health.
So far my insurance has covered everything for my IUIs and most of my meds. I’m not sure what the out of pocket costs are.
Describe Thomas Burwinkel's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Institute for Reproductive Health.
We have only had an IVF consult so far, but he likes to do a single transfer starting out. He is open to multiple transfers if at least two IVF transfers were unsuccessful.
Dr Burwinkel is more dry and matter of fact, but seems to be very caring. He is very open to answering all of your questions and talking through steps....He performed emergency surgery for an ovarian torsion caused by OHSS from the fertility drugs. He was kind and caring before surgery and at my follow up....I have lean PCOS and am very healthy and active. I had previously taken five rounds of unmonitored clomid with my gynecologist, and they did not show ovulation when looking at my basal body temperature.
There are three locations [Institute for Reproductive Health] and one is close to me. This one does not do procedures, but is there for blood work, ultrasounds, and follow ups. The clinic is small, but it is nice and clean and organized. The nurses who greet you are very welcoming and discreet.... Each ultrasound cost me $50 due to being coded as PCOS. Lab work for one cycle was $255 (not covered). My genetic test was covered due to meeting my deductible, but it would have cost me several hundred dollars.
How was your experience with Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Dr Burwinkel is more dry and matter of fact, but seems to be very caring. He is very open to answering all of your questions and talking through steps. We are just now starting the IVF process, but I have heard nothing but good things about him as a doctor from others who have successfully gone through IVF.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Know that he is very dry and matter of fact, but does seem to care for his patients and their success!
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
He performed emergency surgery for an ovarian torsion caused by OHSS from the fertility drugs. He was kind and caring before surgery and at my follow up.
Describe the protocols Thomas Burwinkel used in your cycles at Institute for Reproductive Health and their degree of success.
I have lean PCOS and am very healthy and active. I had previously taken five rounds of unmonitored clomid with my gynecologist, and they did not show ovulation when looking at my basal body temperature. Dr. Burwinkel suggested trying Letrozole and then Ovidrel to trigger ovulation along with timed intercourse for three months before moving on to IUI or IVF. During this first cycle with these drugs, he performed an emergency laparoscopy on me due to an ovarian torsion. He believes it was caused from the combination of infertility meds. He managed to save the ovary (it was twisted three times). He has me waiting two full cycles and then we are looking at IVF to hopefully be able to retrieve eggs from the ovary that was twisted and then remove it if it causes another torsion.
Describe your experience with Institute for Reproductive Health.
There are three locations and one is close to me. This one does not do procedures, but is there for blood work, ultrasounds, and follow ups. The clinic is small, but it is nice and clean and organized. The nurses who greet you are very welcoming and discreet.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health.
Each ultrasound cost me $50 due to being coded as PCOS. Lab work for one cycle was $255 (not covered). My genetic test was covered due to meeting my deductible, but it would have cost me several hundred dollars. My emergency surgery is costing me around 2000.
I know a lot of clinics want you at a specific BMI or weight before they even consider tresteing you, and I was worried about that the most before meeting Dr. Burwinkel but that definitely wasn’t the case! He had a game plan and we started treatment right away!...He knows this is hard, he gets it and he understands. He will hear you out and give you the answers you need!... always seemed to be able pick up right where we had left off from previous meetings and appointments. I never had to refresh his memory about previous discussions or treatments.
The nurses [at Institute for Reproductive Health] were very compassionate and understand of situations. They know why we’re there and they seem to care very much in making you comfortable and helping with your success in any way they can...The main negative with IRH to me was the fact that my doctor I was referred to, I only saw two-three times of the many appointments I had. I feel I’m not able to have as good of a relationship with one doctor because you don’t know which doctor you’re going to get that day for your visit or procedure (IUI in my case). I even had a nurse practitioner a couple of times because the clinic was double booked. I wasn’t happy I couldn’t build a closer relationship with the doctors since it feels like you’re always getting passed around.
How was your experience with Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Dr. Burwinkel is one of the best doctors that I have ever had. He actually listens to what you have to say, and he doesn’t belittle or make you feel you’re questions or feelings are silly, stupid, or unimportant. He’s optimistic and has a great bedside manner and attitude. I was diagnosed with PCOS (before Dr. Burwinkel) and my weight is a problem resulting from my diagnosis. I know a lot of clinics want you at a specific BMI or weight before they even consider tresteing you, and I was worried about that the most before meeting Dr. Burwinkel but that definitely wasn’t the case! He had a game plan and we started treatment right away! I have nothing bad to say about Dr. Burwinkel! Every meeting I’ve had with him has been as perfect as I could imagine.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Don’t be afraid to ask your questions, no matter how silly or stupid you may think it is! He knows this is hard, he gets it and he understands. He will hear you out and give you the answers you need!
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Dr. Burwinkle always seemed to be able pick up right where we had left off from previous meetings and appointments. I never had to refresh his memory about previous discussions or treatments.
Describe the protocols Thomas Burwinkel used in your cycles at Institute for Reproductive Health and their degree of success.
With Dr. Burwinkle I was prescribed 1400mg of metformin daily. He then prescribed me to take 5mg (two pills) of letrozole on days 3-7 of my cycle. We then would schedule a scan to check follicle progress on day 11-13 of my cycle. Depending on the progress and maturation of the follicles, I was told when to take my ovidrel trigger shot to induce ovulation. 36 hours after the trigger shot we had our IUI. The first cycle I had one mature follicle and I took my trigger shot approx day 16-18 of my cycle. The second cycle I had to be prescribed more letrozole in the middle of my cycle due to my follicles not being as mature when the doctor wanted. I had to come back for a second scan and was given my trigger shot around day 18-19. The third cycle I had one good mature follicle, and a second one that may or may not have been mature by ovulation day. None of my cycles resulted in any type of pregnancy or success.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Institute for Reproductive Health.
The nurses were very compassionate and understand of situations. They know why we’re there and they seem to care very much in making you comfortable and helping with your success in any way they can.
Describe your experience with Institute for Reproductive Health.
The clinic is very organized. The whole staff is understanding and always in a pleasant mood. It’s a comfortable and inviting atmosphere. You can tell everyone enjoys their jobs and making a difference in people’s lives. The main negative with IRH to me was the fact that my doctor I was referred to, I only saw two-three times of the many appointments I had. I feel I’m not able to have as good of a relationship with one doctor because you don’t know which doctor you’re going to get that day for your visit or procedure (IUI in my case). I even had a nurse practitioner a couple of times because the clinic was double booked. I wasn’t happy I couldn’t build a closer relationship with the doctors since it feels like you’re always getting passed around.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health.
Dr. Burwinkel is definitely a straight shooter. He's not one for false promises of success or sugar coating a point. However, this doesn't mean he's without empathy. He's provided wonderful care through my unsuccessful pregnancies and has always given me clear next steps for things we'll try next time.... Dr. Burwinkel has typically made a lot of time to answer all of my questions, but sometimes is busy and clearly trying to get through his patient list as quickly as possible.
The biggest strength [Institute for Repro Health] is the people - everyone is so friendly that it really puts my mind at ease. But the biggest weakness is the telephone system. Being basic therapy and never being able to get through to an actual person is irritating. Running late for an appointment? There's no way to let the staff know.... Nursing staff actually seem to care about patients. I don't feel like "just another number" when I talk to them.
How was your experience with Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Dr. Burwinkel is definitely a straight shooter. He's not one for false promises of success or sugar coating a point. However, this doesn't mean he's without empathy. He's provided wonderful care through my unsuccessful pregnancies and has always given me clear next steps for things we'll try next time.
In 2018, we had success with his treatment and welcomed our daughter into the world.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Be completely honest about your history and situation in your consultation. He can't help to the best of his abilities without full and complete information.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Dr. Burwinkel has typically made a lot of time to answer all of my questions, but sometimes is busy and clearly trying to get through his patient list as quickly as possible.
Describe the protocols Thomas Burwinkel used in your cycles at Institute for Reproductive Health and their degree of success.
Metformin for PCOS, folic acid/COQ-10 supplements for healthy eggs, Letrozole to boost egg health at time of ovulation, Ovidrel to stimulate ovulation. (RPL, basic therapy only)
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Institute for Reproductive Health.
Nursing staff actually seem to care about patients. I don't feel like "just another number" when I talk to them. They give the easiest and most painless blood draws I've ever experienced, and they actually seem interested in getting to know patients beyond what's on the chart.
Describe your experience with Institute for Reproductive Health.
The biggest strength is the people - everyone is so friendly that it really puts my mind at ease. But the biggest weakness is the telephone system. Being basic therapy and never being able to get through to an actual person is irritating. Running late for an appointment? There's no way to let the staff know. Trying to decide if you need to go to urgent care/ER or if you might be overreacting? Leave a message and they'll call back "sometime". Both of these are situations I've experienced and it has been incredibly frustrating each time. Being a non-IVF patient is like being a second class citizen - you're not really important in their grand scheme of things.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health.
Dr. Burwinkle is friendly and knowledgeable, but he also seems to be in a hurry, so when I ask questions I feel he is rushed....Dr. Burwinkel did my first DE transfer and explained what he was doing as he did it, but then I had some questions (as I was laying on the table) and he seemed in a hurry to get out of there. Just not as warm bedside manner as I experienced in the past at my previous clinic.... My first DE cycle (negative, currently on FET cycle). E2 3x a day and Prometrium 3x a day plus a low dose aspirin 1x a day.
Strengths: the lab [Institute for Reproductive Health] accepts frozen donor eggs, the nurses are very friendly and compassionate, it's conveniently located. Cons: I don't like the Dr.'s as much as the doctors at my previous clinic and their phone menu is long and confusing when you call in.... The only "failure" I had on the nurses part was that I was waiting for the results of my beta, and I had to call at the end of the day to get the results. The nurse who called back said that she was sorry that she had not called earlier with the results. Also, the bedside manner of Dr. Burwinkel is not as good as the Dr's at my old clinic.
How was your experience with Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Dr. Burwinkel is friendly, but not as attentive as I would like. Dr. Burwinkel did my first DE transfer and explained what he was doing as he did it, but then I had some questions (as I was laying on the table) and he seemed in a hurry to get out of there. Just not as warm bedside manner as I experienced in the past at my previous clinic.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Make sure you ask lots of questions, because you may not see him every visit. Make sure you have a clear understanding of where you are in your cycle and what comes next.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Dr. Burwinkle is friendly and knowledgeable, but he also seems to be in a hurry, so when I ask questions I feel he is rushed.
Describe the protocols Thomas Burwinkel used in your cycles at Institute for Reproductive Health and their degree of success.
My first DE cycle (negative, currently on FET cycle). E2 3x a day and Prometrium 3x a day plus a low dose aspirin 1x a day. Dr. Burwinkel never explained to me the rationale. It was the nurses who gave me my treatment plan.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Institute for Reproductive Health.
The nurses here are great, just as friendly and helpful.
Describe your experience with Institute for Reproductive Health.
Strengths: the lab accepts frozen donor eggs, the nurses are very friendly and compassionate, it's conveniently located. Cons: I don't like the Dr.'s as much as the doctors at my previous clinic and their phone menu is long and confusing when you call in.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health.
My insurance covers some of the cost, and all of my claims are still currently pending, so I am not sure what I will need to pay out of pocket. One donor egg cycle is 16K, but I will be billed a reduced amount.
Describe Thomas Burwinkel's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Institute for Reproductive Health.
We only had two blasts from our first cohort of eggs, so we implanted one and froze the other. I recall telling the nurse that I only wanted one implanted, and she said that she will note that on my chart. So, I'm not sure how they feel about implanting two.
What specific things went wrong at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Failed to call with results
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Institute for Reproductive Health.
The only "failure" I had on the nurses part was that I was waiting for the results of my beta, and I had to call at the end of the day to get the results. The nurse who called back said that she was sorry that she had not called earlier with the results. Also, the bedside manner of Dr. Burwinkel is not as good as the Dr's at my old clinic.
He [Dr. Burwinkel] did well in explaining the course of treatment, but when the course of treatment didn't work, we felt as if the course of treatment was never changed. MFI wasn't deeply explored or even suggested we should see a reproductive urologist, we took that initiative on our own. After the chemical pregnancy, we went back to our obgyn and she found that I had FVL and MTHFR as reasons why we could be miscarrying.
The misinformation [from Institute for Reproductive Health] occured when our second ivf cycle failed and the next steps that were suggested were to PGS with the next retrieval cycle. However, after our failed FET a year later the next steps weren't to use PGS testing, but instead we needed donor eggs to proceed with IVF. Nonetheless, a natural pregnancy occurred less then three months after the FET chemical pregnancy.
How was your experience with Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Dr. Burwinkel's strengths are he is very kind, his bedside manner is great. His cons are not taking time to explain why decisions would change so quickly. He did well in explaining the course of treatment, but when the course of treatment didn't work, we felt as if the course of treatment was never changed. MFI wasn't deeply explored or even suggested we should see a reproductive urologist, we took that initiative on our own. After the chemical pregnancy, we went back to our obgyn and she found that I had FVL and MTHFR as reasons why we could be miscarrying.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Ask lots of questions. Be educated on what options are available to you with all scenarios.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
We felt like a number because information after our first failed IVF retrieval and transfer, completely changed from our chemical pregnancy FET a year later. After the chemical pregnancy only, it was mentioned that we needed to consider donor eggs, yet went on two months later to conceive naturally.
Describe the protocols Thomas Burwinkel used in your cycles at Institute for Reproductive Health and their degree of success.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Institute for Reproductive Health.
The nursing staff was great. They were a big part of the reason we stayed there for 2.5 years.
Describe your experience with Institute for Reproductive Health.
Overall, I think the clinic is great. However, it would be nice to have a specific nurse in the clinic assigned to your case. Given the size of their practice this would be hard. Regardless, the nurses I saw from education days, IUIs, retrievals, and transfers were wonderful.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health.
Our first two cycles we were blessed with insurance coverage, however our copay on each cycle was 1,000. Medications for the two cycles ran us 7,000. FET cost us 4,500, medications were covered under insurance.
Describe Thomas Burwinkel's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Institute for Reproductive Health.
IVF #1- single embryo transfer at age 29
IVF #2- double embryo transfer at age 30
FET- single embryo transfer, only had one embryo left
What specific things went wrong at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Provided conflicting information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Institute for Reproductive Health.
The misinformation occured when our second ivf cycle failed and the next steps that were suggested were to PGS with the next retrieval cycle. However, after our failed FET a year later the next steps weren't to use PGS testing, but instead we needed donor eggs to proceed with IVF. Nonetheless, a natural pregnancy occurred less then three months after the FET chemical pregnancy.
I owe my chance at becoming a mother to Dr. Burwinkel. From our first visit he treated myself and my husband with respect and always gave us the most honest information. He never promised that he would make me a mother, but told me that he would do anything to help me become one. He answered every question that I had, and I had a lot of them. Every treatment was fully explained. I never felt as if I was unaware of what was happening to my body. He was compassionate with each loss that we experienced and gave us the facts each time there was a setback. When we were finally able to have a full term pregnancy and I gave birth to my little boy in April 2018.
I love the IRH nursing staff. They showed as much compassion as the doctors do. Many times I saw the nurses more often, due to blood draws. They are just as informed as the doctors and always answered any questions that I had.... Every time I walked into IRH, I felt as if people knew who I was. There was a receptionist who greeted us upon entry. We never had a long wait time in the waiting room, they valued our time as employed adults.
How was your experience with Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
I owe my chance at becoming a mother to Dr. Burwinkel. From our first visit he treated myself and my husband with respect and always gave us the most honest information. He never promised that he would make me a mother, but told me that he would do anything to help me become one. He answered every question that I had, and I had a lot of them. Every treatment was fully explained. I never felt as if I was unaware of what was happening to my body. He was compassionate with each loss that we experienced and gave us the facts each time there was a setback. When we were finally able to have a full term pregnancy and I gave birth to my little boy in April 2018.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Do your own research and never be afraid to ask questions.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Every time I walked into IRH, I felt as if people knew who I was. There was a receptionist who greeted us upon entry. We never had a long wait time in the waiting room, they valued our time as employed adults. Dr. Burwinkel and staff always greeted us by name and remember what it was that we were here for. He celebrated with us in successful treatment and mourned with us with each loss of pregnancy.
Describe the protocols Thomas Burwinkel used in your cycles at Institute for Reproductive Health and their degree of success.
I took Letrozole (similar to Clomid), we did the injection to release my eggs and then did IUI. I had four rounds of IUI. Two resulted in miscarriages and one was a viable pregnancy.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Institute for Reproductive Health.
I love the IRH nursing staff. They showed as much compassion as the doctors do. Many times I saw the nurses more often, due to blood draws. They are just as informed as the doctors and always answered any questions that I had.
Describe your experience with Institute for Reproductive Health.
IRH has no weaknesses. I would, and have, recommended IRH to anyone who is going through fertility problems. I never had an issue with scheduling or appointments. The wait time in the waiting room and the treatment room was minimal. My husband and I were very lucky to be able to cover the cost of our fertility treatments; however, I know that they are great with working with families on payment plans if they cannot cover the cost at once.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health.
Fertility treatment is not cheap. Each round of IUI cost about $900 including pills, shots, doctor appointments, and procedures. In addition to the IUIs, I had to have laparoscopic surgery for the chemical pregnancy and a D&C for the miscarriages. Each of these procedures was an additional cost.
Although he [Dr. Burkinkel] is surely a well educated and competent RE, he lacks a degree of compassion or at least how to convey this. I question the degree of individuality considered in my protocol and counseling prior to the egg retrieval. Also, when I had no viable embryos after day 5, there was no follow up visit or trouble shooting for a second attempt. ... It would have been helpful to have an in person follow up to discuss what options existed.
They [Institute for Reproductive Health] are quick to start treating and to start treatment. However, in some cases, a more thorough and thoughtful approach is more valuable than timeliness. ...It is very busy clinic, and I felt like I was lost in the shuffle, when I did not have favorable results. ... For preretrieval ultrasound and retrieval it was roughly $8k.
How was your experience with Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Although he is surely a well educated and competent RE, he lacks a degree of compassion or at least how to convey this. It is very busy clinic, and I felt like I was lost in the shuffle, when I did not have favorable results.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
You’d have to be your own advocate and know your own process. I’m sure he can construct a protocol and execute it.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
I question the degree of individuality considered in my protocol and counseling prior to the egg retrieval. Also, when I had no viable embryos after day 5, there was no follow up visit or trouble shooting for a second attempt. At the time, I was in disbelief that we did not have anything to show from the cycle and couldn’t process everything. It would have been helpful to have an in person follow up to discuss what options existed.
Describe the protocols Thomas Burwinkel used in your cycles at Institute for Reproductive Health and their degree of success.
I cannot recall exact dosages, but I believe pretty standard protocol for egg retrieval.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Institute for Reproductive Health. (Assigned nurse: Penny)
Penny was very honest, informative and well organized. She was attentive and very good about addressing questions and concerns.
Describe your experience with Institute for Reproductive Health.
I believe a very high success rate. Many of my friends have had good luck with this clinic. They are quick to start treating and to start treatment. However, in some cases, a more thorough and thoughtful approach is more valuable than timeliness.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health.
For preretrieval ultrasound and retrieval it was roughly $8k.
Describe Thomas Burwinkel's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Institute for Reproductive Health.
I did not make it to a transfer.
What specific things went wrong at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Failed to call with results
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Institute for Reproductive Health.
The stimulation and retrieval went smoothly. It was more the before and after counseling process. More specifically, I had no idea egg quality was such a critical and also, according to recent studies, an modifiable factor. This is something I would have made changes to my lifestyle for months before my IVF attempt in preparation. I truly believe this could have changed my outcomes. Especially with my chromosomal abnormality that already sets me up for poor egg quality. I’m not sure if Dr. Burwinkel was well versed in these types of issues or did not buy into the concept of improving egg quality.
We were not informed of the options [by Dr. Thomas Burwinkel] before our procedures, specifically ICSI and transfer strategy for optimal results... We had no idea we would be faced with the choices [for how many to transfer] while i was in the transfer procedure. These important details of how many and odds should be discussed in advance...I saw him only twice during my care. I did not feel as though he was treating me but rather the entire staff at IRH. Had we had a consistent set of information and communication we would have made different choices. I feel I wasted time and money going there.
The care at IRH is set up to be treated like a number. There was no personal care and i'm not even sure they knew my name. I had to repeat my issues, why we were there and our current status multiple times...We were not informed of the options before our procedures, specifically ICSI and transfer strategy for optimal results. When asking questions it was hard to get consistent answers across nurses.
How was your experience with Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
I am sure Dr. Burwinkel is a find physician but I wouldn't know too much since I saw him only twice during my care. I did not feel as though he was treating me but rather the entire staff at IRH. Had we had a consistent set of information and communication we would have made different choices. I feel I wasted time and money going there.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Know what you need and expect in your fertility treatment before you go.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
The care at IRH is set up to be treated like a number. There was no personal care and i'm not even sure they knew my name. I had to repeat my issues, why we were there and our current status multiple times.
Describe your experience with Institute for Reproductive Health.
The clinic definitely has strength in numbers based on the number of patients they have, however you are treated like that, a number. I believe their intention is great but not having any email access and only voicemail makes for a challenging communication exchange throughout the day. Not being able to contact them in any other way but voicemail is next to impossible in my line of work. We couldn't get our questions answered in a timely fashion based on this.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health.
The costs were pretty straight forward. They provided a pricing sheet up front for all of the procedures but there was no coordination with my insurance company beyond the pre authorization paperwork. I had to contact the insurance company in order to determine what would be covered. I was never able to get a straight answer from either party. It was unclear to me how much I would owe. In total with my company's coverage ($5,000) and I paid $6K out of pocket for a round of IVF and single transfer. We had no embryos left to freeze and did not do ICSI.
Describe Thomas Burwinkel's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Institute for Reproductive Health.
It would have been nice to discuss this strategy and options before the transfer. We had no idea we would be faced with the choices while i was in the transfer procedure. These important details of how many and odds should be discussed in advance.
What specific things went wrong at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Lost paperwork
Failed to call with results
Failed to send your chart to another clinic
Lost results
Provided conflicting information
Failed to convey critical information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Institute for Reproductive Health.
We were not informed of the options before our procedures, specifically ICSI and transfer strategy for optimal results. When asking questions it was hard to get consistent answers across nurses.
I really enjoyed Dr. Burwinkel’s bedside manner however, a couple times I felt like he wasn’t 100% informed on who I was in particular...started back on treatment which was a timed intercourse cycle and when I came in for an ultrasound to check for follicles, he just looked at my uterus with the ultrasound and didn’t measure any follicles. He made it seem like he thought this was a post-op follow up and didn’t really provide the correct information for me for my trigger timing. I started to lose confidence after that visit but continued with him for multiple other cycles, eventually leading me to IVF.
The nurses [at Institute for Reproductive Health] were always nice and caring. They didn’t however provide a lot of detailed information...The clinic is large with multiple providers which can be good or bad. They always have someone to take care of you, it just may not be someone who is super familiar with you in particular. It is easy to get an appointment and their multiple locations are helpful. For the most part they are compassionate but I did have one provider who somewhat scolded me that I needed to make IVF a “priortiy.” This was after I had gone through several less invasive procedures and a previous egg retrieval and transfer over the course of a year and a half. I was also continuing to work full time and drive 90 minutes one way just to get to my appointment. I think I was making it a priority and was kind of offended by how that was mentioned to me.
How was your experience with Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Dr. Burwinkel has 2 partners that cover him when he is off which is really nice. However, after my first IVF cycle did not result in pregnancy and few eggs/embryos with nothing to freeze, the protocol was not really changed. I don’t know if this was because his partner was covering but I never understood why a similar protocol would have different results. When I had even fewer eggs retrieved and only 1 embryo, I started to wonder if something else was wrong with me as I knew I had a high AMH and should have a lot of eggs. That transfer did result in pregnancy but ended in a second trimester miscarriage due to Down’s syndrome. When I saw Dr. Burwinkel following my miscarriage, he was very compassionate but was unable to come up with a plan for me to get more, better quality embryos in a future cycle. I think I lost all confidence at that time.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Provide details and keep patients informed.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
I really enjoyed Dr. Burwinkel’s bedside manner however, a couple times I felt like he wasn’t 100% informed on who I was in particular. I had to have surgery and saw him for a post-op appointment which was fine. I then started back on treatment which was a timed intercourse cycle and when I came in for an ultrasound to check for follicles, he just looked at my uterus with the ultrasound and didn’t measure any follicles. He made it seem like he thought this was a post-op follow up and didn’t really provide the correct information for me for my trigger timing. I started to lose confidence after that visit but continued with him for multiple other cycles, eventually leading me to IVF.
Describe the protocols Thomas Burwinkel used in your cycles at Institute for Reproductive Health and their degree of success.
My first IVF cycle was done with Follistim which was initially started at a moderate dose. When my estrogen jumped up, the dose was greatly reduced which later caused my estrogen to drop and I was offered to the chance to cancel the cycle. Since I had insurance coverage, I decided to proceed. I had 5 eggs retrieved. On day 1, none had fertilized so we did rescue ICSI that resulted in 2 embryos which were both transferred on day 3. This resulted in no pregnancy. For my second cycle, the Follistim was pretty much the same. I did take letrozole in the beginning with this cycle. Again my estrogen quickly increased so my Follistim was decreased and again my estrogen dropped and resulted in fewer eggs. I did have one 3 day embryo with ICSI which resulted in pregnancy, but later a miscarriage.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Institute for Reproductive Health.
The nurses were always nice and caring. They didn’t however provide a lot of detailed information.
Describe your experience with Institute for Reproductive Health.
The clinic is large with multiple providers which can be good or bad. They always have someone to take care of you, it just may not be someone who is super familiar with you in particular. It is easy to get an appointment and their multiple locations are helpful. For the most part they are compassionate but I did have one provider who somewhat scolded me that I needed to make IVF a “priortiy.” This was after I had gone through several less invasive procedures and a previous egg retrieval and transfer over the course of a year and a half. I was also continuing to work full time and drive 90 minutes one way just to get to my appointment. I think I was making it a priority and was kind of offended by how that was mentioned to me.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health.
I had insurance coverage so I can only guess for the cab pay price. I believe IVF with ICSI and hatching is around $12,000 a cycle. A transfer is about $1000.
Dr. Burwinkel is such an amazing doctor. He has gone above and beyond to help get my pregnant, and always listens to me. I had a miscarriage after an IUI in the summer of 2016. During my D&C, right before I was put under, I started crying. Dr. B. came to my side and held my hand as I was put to sleep for the procedure. I will never, ever forget the compassion he showed during that difficult time. Dr. B is always honest with me and does what is right for me and my situation. I could not ever imagine seeing another doctor or going ot another practice.
I absolutely LOVE the nursing staff [at the Institute for Reproductive Health]. They are ALL caring and compassionate and go out of their way to help us. I could not imagine going through this journey without them!... The only weakness is when you call the office, you always have to leave a voicemail. However, the nurses/staff are quick to respond.... For IVF, we did the money back guarantee program with ICSI and that was around 22k (or 70% back if no live birth).
How was your experience with Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Dr. Burwinkel is such an amazing doctor. He has gone above and beyond to help get my pregnant, and always listens to me. I had a miscarriage after an IUI in the summer of 2016. During my D&C, right before I was put under, I started crying. Dr. B. came to my side and held my hand as I was put to sleep for the procedure. I will never, ever forget the compassion he showed during that difficult time. Dr. B is always honest with me and does what is right for me and my situation. I could not ever imagine seeing another doctor or going ot another practice.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Be open and honest with Dr. B about your thoughts on your protocol. He WILL listen! Advocate for yourself, too.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
I always felt like a human and not just a number. Dr. B did what was right for me and my situation and always gave me the honest information.
Describe the protocols Thomas Burwinkel used in your cycles at Institute for Reproductive Health and their degree of success.
IUIs 1-4: 5mg Femara and Ovidrel
IUI 1 resulted in miscarriage with a D&C at 9 weeks.
IUIs 2-4 were negative.
IVF 1: 175 Follistim, then increased to 225. Ganirelix and Ovidrel--rationale, I have PCOS and did not want my to hyper stimulate. Prometrium after retrieval and through transfer. 2 Blasts, 1 transferred and did not result in pregnancy.
FET 1: Estrace 2mg a day, then PIO. Frozen embryo transferred and did not result in pregnancy.
IVF 2: 150 Follistim and 75 Menopur. The last twp days of stims, we upped the Follistim to 225. Ganirelix and Ovidrel. Added in medrol and baby asprin after the retrieval. Added PIO after retrieval. 7 total blasts. 2 transferred. Currently pregnant and waiting for my first ultrasound to determine if it's a singleton or twin pregnancy.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Institute for Reproductive Health.
I absolutely LOVE the nursing staff. They are ALL caring and compassionate and go out of their way to help us. I could not imagine going through this journey without them!
Describe your experience with Institute for Reproductive Health.
The only weakness is when you call the office, you always have to leave a voicemail. However, the nurses/staff are quick to respond.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health.
We used insurance for the IUIs, so the cost to us was around $100 per IUI. For IVF, we did the money back guarantee program with ICSI and that was around 22k (or 70% back if no live birth).
Describe Thomas Burwinkel's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Institute for Reproductive Health.
With my first IVF cycle, we did one embryo. Same with the FET because we only had 1 embryo left. After those two cycles failed, Dr. B decided to transfer two embryos moving forward. I trusted his judgement with the single and multiple embryo transfers.
The experience with doctor Burwinkle was very good. He explained everything thoroughly and was very realistic on each outcome. He answered all of our questions and concerns during each cycle and was empathetic to our situation.... He was the one who diagnosed me with PCOS he was very familiar with how that would affect my fertility.... He was very considerate of the way patients with PCOS would react to certain medications and dosages.
The clinic [Institute for Reproductive Health] was clean and easy to get to. The only downfall would be when you call, you always have to leave a voicemail and wait to be called back. I wish you could get a hold of a nurse during bisniness hours.... During my IVF cycle I needed to get more of a certain medication to continue taking but somehow it wasn’t refilled in time through my fertility pharmacy to receive it in time. The clinic was able to give me enough of the medication to keep taking and just charged it through them to my insurance to make up for the misunderstanding.
How was your experience with Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
The experience with doctor Burwinkle was very good. He explained everything thoroughly and was very realistic on each outcome. He answered all of our questions and concerns during each cycle and was empathetic to our situation. There were no real weaknesses with his treatments.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
He is a great doctor and very realistic in treatment options and outcomes.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
He was very personable and came off as caring and empathetic to our situation.
Describe the protocols Thomas Burwinkel used in your cycles at Institute for Reproductive Health and their degree of success.
He was the one who diagnosed me with PCOS he was very familiar with how that would affect my fertility. He also was the one who treated me/us for all of our attempts to conceive via timed intercourse, IUIs, And IVF.
He was very considerate of the way patients with PCOS would react to certain medications and dosages. He only used medications shown to work in women with PCOS and was able to find the balance to get the best results to not overwhelm my hormones but also get the ideal response.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Institute for Reproductive Health. (Assigned nurse: Sarah )
She was very easy to talk to and ask questions with. She was very thorough with my care plan and gave me peace of mind during each cycle.
Describe your experience with Institute for Reproductive Health.
The clinic was clean and easy to get to. The only downfall would be when you call, you always have to leave a voicemail and wait to be called back. I wish you could get a hold of a nurse during bisniness hours.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health.
They gave us a break down sheet of all the costs for treatment.
Describe Thomas Burwinkel's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Institute for Reproductive Health.
Since I was still considered young and my egg quality was good he didn’t want to transfer more than just one embryo.
What specific things went wrong at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Institute for Reproductive Health.
During my IVF cycle I needed to get more of a certain medication to continue taking but somehow it wasn’t refilled in time through my fertility pharmacy to receive it in time. The clinic was able to give me enough of the medication to keep taking and just charged it through them to my insurance to make up for the misunderstanding.
I went to see Dr Burwinkel for tests and an hsg procedure. During my hsg procedure a uterine polyp was found and it needed to be surgically removed... My surgery went perfectly and we continued on to medicated IUI...Dr Burwinkel is super informed and knowledgeable. He is very caring and definitely wants to see success in treatment for his patients... I have been extremely happy with his care and attentiveness...He really listened to our unique situation and he offered us many treatment options.
[The nurses at Institute for Reproductive Health were] Very helpful and attentive and encouraging...all costs are spelled out up front and nurses have up to date cost information on procedures and drugs...The staff here is wonderful, everyone is very friendly and helpful. The only drawback is when calling you never talk to a real person. The staff is great at calling back but it is frustrating to have to leave a message and wait for a call back...nsurance pre-authorization was not completed in a timely manner and many voicemails were not returned. We were told that they had a staff person dedicated to the role of insurance pre-authorization however, we were not able to call or reach this person. Finally, after my husband called we received a call back from said staff person. This was after we were told multiple times that there was no such person or department at the clinic.
How was your experience with Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Dr Burwinkel is super informed and knowledgeable. He is very caring and definitely wants to see success in treatment for his patients. He performed a polyp removal surgery and we continued on to medicated IUI. I have been extremely happy with his care and attentiveness.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Do your research and ask lots of questions.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
He really listened to our unique situation and he offered us many treatment options.
Describe the protocols Thomas Burwinkel used in your cycles at Institute for Reproductive Health and their degree of success.
Originally I went to see Dr Burwinkel for tests and an hsg procedure. During my hsg procedure a uterine polyp was found and it needed to be surgically removed. We scheduled the surgery for 3 months later. My surgery went perfectly and we continued on to medicated IUI. I took clomid 100mg during days 3-7 and then I went in for an ultrasound, after that I did the ovidrel trigger shot and scheduled my IUI for the next day. For my second IUI we followed the same procedure, 100mg clomid on days 3-7 and then ultrasound to check follicles then trigger shot and IUI about 36 hours later.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Institute for Reproductive Health.
Very helpful and attentive and encouraging.
Describe your experience with Institute for Reproductive Health.
The staff here is wonderful, everyone is very friendly and helpful. The only drawback is when calling you never talk to a real person. The staff is great at calling back but it is frustrating to have to leave a message and wait for a call back.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health.
Our insurance covers infertility, however all costs are spelled out up front and nurses have up to date cost information on procedures and drugs. Very helpful.
What specific things went wrong at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Provided conflicting information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Institute for Reproductive Health.
Insurance pre-authorization was not completed in a timely manner and many voicemails were not returned. We were told that they had a staff person dedicated to the role of insurance pre-authorization however, we were not able to call or reach this person. Finally, after my husband called we received a call back from said staff person. This was after we were told multiple times that there was no such person or department at the clinic.
[Dr. Thomas Burwinkel] he was really compassionate and he also was very truthful from the start and took his time with us and answered all of our questions. He's awesome! He was the doctor that I saw every visit during my first IVF round, only one time during that 1st round I had to see one of his partners (it was a holiday weekend), but he told me that I was going to have to see one of his partners, so I was prepared and I was ok with that.
I am a nurse, but being a patient is totally different. The nurses there [at Institute for Reproductive Health] are sweet and always considerate of your feelings. They know what to say when your feeling nervous and overwhelmed. Very comforting... I really can't speak about any weaknesses, other than maybe billing. They submitted some things to my insurance and I'm a self pay patient, my insurance covers nothing for infertility.
How was your experience with Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Again he was really compassionate and he also was very truthful from the start and took his time with us and answered all of our questions. He's awesome! He was the doctor that I saw every visit during my first IVF round, only one time during that 1st round I had to see one of his partners (it was a holiday weekend), but he told me that I was going to have to see one of his partners, so I was prepared and I was ok with that.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Come prepared to answer some questions from him and know that he is ok with you having a voice in your treatment!
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
He has a wonderful bedside manner, he also really cares about his patients and even when things don't go the way I wanted he called me to answer my questions and to genuinely check on me.
Describe the protocols Thomas Burwinkel used in your cycles at Institute for Reproductive Health and their degree of success.
I was on birth control for 22 days, started a period and the started follistim, then added menopure, and ganarellix. Then eventually a Hcg shot and progesterone vaginal suppositories. I can't exactly remember how many days of the follistim, I think it was 12, I remember I had to increase 1 time and then had to order more of it and the menopure. My egg retrevial was intense, I was hyperstimed and he retrieved 21 eggs and I was put on some medication to help with my HSS. Out of the 21 eggs we had 5, 5 day embryos. We transferred 1 and froze the other 4. BFN on day 14, post transfer, I also started my period that day. I'm currently waiting to test, I will on Thursday, we used 2 frozen embryos on Friday March 24th. I don't think I am pregnant though.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Institute for Reproductive Health.
I am a nurse, but being a patient is totally different. The nurses there are sweet and always considerate of your feelings. They know what to say when your feeling nervous and overwhelmed. Very comforting
Describe your experience with Institute for Reproductive Health.
I really can't speak about any weaknesses, other than maybe billing. They submitted some things to my insurance and I'm a self pay patient, my insurance covers nothing for infertility. They have GREAT success with IVF so that's why I chose to go there!
Describe the costs associated with your care under Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health.
IRH has the best price for IVF in the area.
Describe Thomas Burwinkel's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Institute for Reproductive Health.
I told him whatever he thought was best I trust him and that's why I travel over an hour to see him.
Dr Burwinkel is amazing. Caring, compassionate, yet knows when to give you the hard truths. Plus, he looks at you as individuals and as a couple, not as a "diagnosis box". Each month the treatment is personalized. Ask all the questions you want! Don't be scared that he needs to be in charge. He listens and respects all of your questions and knows when it's best to push back with his own experience and knowledge.
This clinic [Cincinnati Fertility] is amazing. However, be forewarned that there are 3 locations that the doctors rotate through, so be prepared to switch between doctors. They will schedule you for who is available at the day and time you need an appointment. But it honestly didn't bother me at all because all of the doctors were absolutely amazing and caring....IVF standard - $8,200 IVF Money-back Guarantee - $18,000 (3 cycles) ICSI - $1,100 Embryo Cropreservation Initial - $200 Embryo Cryostorage Quarterly - $400
How was your experience with Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Dr Burwinkel is amazing. Caring, compassionate, yet knows when to give you the hard truths. Plus, he looks at you as individuals and as a couple, not as a "diagnosis box". Each month the treatment is personalized.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Ask all the questions you want! Don't be scared that he needs to be in charge. He listens and respects all of your questions and knows when it's best to push back with his own experience and knowledge.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Our treatment was very personalized and he took the time to get to know us and our situation.
Describe the protocols Thomas Burwinkel used in your cycles at Institute for Reproductive Health and their degree of success.
- 2.5mg Femara due to high AMH with timed intercourse, no luck (x3)
- 2.5mg Femara with IUI, no luck (x1)
- No injectible IUIs due to high AMH and significant chance of high multiples
- IVF with low-dose gonal-f, Cetrotide, and Ovidrel for trigger... Nervous about OHSS so set the expectation to only retrieve first cycle, then FET next cycle. Didn't end up needing to because the dosage was perfect and no OHSS!
Describe your experience with your nurse at Institute for Reproductive Health. (Assigned nurse: Sarah and Jackie)
They are all amazing and very, very willing to answer all questions. Feel free to call the nurses line and ask even the silliest questions!
Describe your experience with Institute for Reproductive Health.
This clinic is amazing. However, be forewarned that there are 3 locations that the doctors rotate through, so be prepared to switch between doctors. They will schedule you for who is available at the day and time you need an appointment. But it honestly didn't bother me at all because all of the doctors were absolutely amazing and caring.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health.
Just felt very comfortable even in the most uncomfortable situations. Dr Burwinkle, and his associates were able to get us through a very trying time. Infertility is stressful. We had male factor infertility which was doubly hard on my husbands psyche. The fact we had trouble conceiving was devastating to him after he found out. They made the process bareable, and helped us overcome all of our hurdles.
The location, at first, was a bit daunting to find [for IRH-Cincinnati]. But after we learned our way around and learned a few traffic tricks...we usually just made a day of it. There is a shopping center next door, several restaurants and a couple of nice hotels. We live 2 hours away and fighting with rush hour traffic was misery.... Meds were the most expensive, i think they were about 6 thousand. Our total cost was around 13 thousand. With hotel stays and time off work the process cost close to 18 thousand. All out of pocket. Our insurance does not cover treatment and due to advanced age we didnt qualify for most programs.
How was your experience with Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Just felt very comfortable even in the most uncomfortable situations.
Dr Burwinkle, and his associates were able to get us through a very trying time. Infertility is stressful. We had male factor infertility which was doubly hard on my husbands psyche. The fact we had trouble conceiving was devastating to him after he found out. They made the process bareable, and helped us overcome all of our hurdles.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Expect to cultivate patients...the ivf journey imparticular is long and tedious. The exact combination of medicines may take more than one cycle. We were lucky, but i read the book the clinic put out by Dr Awadalla to help prepare. Started a vitamin regimen to increase egg health and went on a diabetic diet to help control my pcos before we started.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Very professional, answered all questions in a timely manner.
Describe the protocols Thomas Burwinkel used in your cycles at Institute for Reproductive Health and their degree of success.
I dont remember
Describe your experience with your nurse at Institute for Reproductive Health.
Always very caring and descrete. For such a large practice we still felt important.
Describe your experience with Institute for Reproductive Health.
The location, at first, was a bit daunting to find. But after we learned our way around and learned a few traffic tricks...we usually just made a day of it. There is a shopping center next door, several restaurants and a couple of nice hotels. We live 2 hours away and fighting with rush hour traffic was misery.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health.
Meds were the most expensive, i think they were about 6 thousand. Our total cost was around 13 thousand. With hotel stays and time off work the process cost close to 18 thousand. All out of pocket. Our insurance does not cover treatment and due to advanced age we didnt qualify for most programs.
Describe Thomas Burwinkel's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Institute for Reproductive Health.
They do, but due to my advanced maternal age it was decided one embryo tranfer might not be in our best interest. We opted for 2, Five day blastocyst transfers and placed the others on ice for future...we were blessed with a healthy baby boy after the first fresh transfer. And still have 2 frozen embys.
He [Dr Burwinkel] was my primary dr saw I saw him a lot and was never unhappy with any interaction with him. He's a very kind man and even printed me ultrasound pictures of my follicles when I asked him to. He always gave me a great hug the day I graduated at 8 weeks pregnant and posed for a picture with my husband and I.
I didn't like that I always had to leave a message that nurses didn't answer the line once during my treatment. They [the staff at Cincinnati Fertility] did however always return calls the same day if message was before 4pm. That is my only con. Everything else was great. I especially loved the peer support group they offer that meets once a month. I made great friends there and I'm pregnant with 3 of them now!...He [Dr Burwinkel] was always very personable and would engage in conversation about things other than our fertility. He spoke of his family and we spoke about ours and even joked about politics during embryo transfer. Very warm and friendly.
How was your experience with Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
He was my primary dr saw I saw him a lot and was never unhappy with any interaction with him. He's a very kind man and even printed me ultrasound pictures of my follicles when I asked him to. He always gave me a great hug the day I graduated at 8 weeks pregnant and posed for a picture with my husband and I.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Be a partner in the process. Do research and ask questions so you can make decisions with your dr.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
He was always very personable and would engage in conversation about things other than our fertility. He spoke of his family and we spoke about ours and even joked about politics during embryo transfer. Very warm and friendly.
Describe the protocols Thomas Burwinkel used in your cycles at Institute for Reproductive Health and their degree of success.
We started with IUI with clomid since I'd had ovulation success with that drug with my ob. When that didn't work we moved to femara with IUI. That also failed so he added gonal-F. I agreed to try that twice before moving to IVF. Both those cycles failed and we got started with IVF. Since I have pcos and high AMH he didn't use a high does and monitored me closely.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Institute for Reproductive Health.
They are all very nice and seem committed to helping you understand everything and are pulling for you to succeed.
Describe your experience with Institute for Reproductive Health.
I didn't like that I always had to leave a message that nurses didn't answer the line once during my treatment. They did however always return calls the same day if message was before 4pm. That is my only con. Everything else was great. I especially loved the peer support group they offer that meets once a month. I made great friends there and I'm pregnant with 3 of them now!
Describe the costs associated with your care under Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health.
We spent about $8K on IUI procedures. We we in the money back program and paid about $20K for that including ICSI and then $500 for freezing our embryos.
Dr. B [Thomas Burwinkel] [is very "dry" meaning, he doesn't show much emotion and is very monotone. Which might be just what some people need. My very first experience with an RE, I was obviously very nervous and had no idea what to even think. I did not feel much compassion/care from him. More as if he was like, ok the goal is to get you pregnant, so let's do this and we'll start tomorrow. Didn't give us much time to think or breathe or process what was being said.
Around $300 per IUI + $100 for Ovidrel, so around $400 each time [at Institute for Reproductive Health]. I was on a payment plan and did not know that each procedure was meant to be paid for up front, until we started talking about IVF and they said it had to all be paid in full. I asked why I was able to pay by month and they said that mine was a "unique situation", which I'm unsure of why since I never discussed my finances with them.
How was your experience with Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Dr. B is very "dry" meaning, he doesn't show much emotion and is very monotone. Which might be just what some people need. My very first experience with an RE, I was obviously very nervous and had no idea what to even think. I did not feel much compassion/care from him. More as if he was like, ok the goal is to get you pregnant, so let's do this and we'll start tomorrow. Didn't give us much time to think or breathe or process what was being said.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Just be prepared to advocate for yourself. Dr. B will listen to you and even if it seems like he's not, he is. He is a good person and a good doctor, just not the right fit for us. Be prepared to not be coddled with him. He'll tell you what needs done and move on. Which may be ok for some, it was not a good fit for me. I needed more compassion and bedside manner.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
I did not see Dr. Burwinkel for very long. It was my first experience with a fertility doctor. I felt like they cared, however, just wanted to get me in and out and made the decision for me, rather than listening to what we wanted or were concerned about. Hard to get a hold of them too. Always had to leave a message and wait for them to call back. Never got anyone to directly answer, which is very annoying.
Describe the protocols Thomas Burwinkel used in your cycles at Institute for Reproductive Health and their degree of success.
We did 3 IUIs. Started on Femara and then had an Ovidrel trigger shot and that was it.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Institute for Reproductive Health. (Assigned nurse: Kristi, I think.)
She gave me her email and responded to all of my crazy questions via email, which was good for me being a first timer and being really freaked out.
Describe your experience with Institute for Reproductive Health.
The clinic itself wasn't too bad. The one in Hyde Park was always clean and very open and welcoming. The lady at the front desk always greeted me but that was about the extent of it.
I never usually had to wait too long to be seen, either.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health.
Around $300 per IUI + $100 for Ovidrel, so around $400 each time. I was on a payment plan and did not know that each procedure was meant to be paid for up front, until we started talking about IVF and they said it had to all be paid in full. I asked why I was able to pay by month and they said that mine was a "unique situation", which I'm unsure of why since I never discussed my finances with them.
Describe Thomas Burwinkel's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Institute for Reproductive Health.
We transferred multiple embryos [with Dr. Thomas Burwinkel] and had one successful transfer and this was exactly the approach we had discussed and planned on, so I felt well prepared for this decision...He took into account our age and situation and created a plan unique to us... He shares both the risks and probabilities of success for pregnancy for my husband and I. He offered hope, but no false encouragement. We wanted a doctor who shared both the up and downside of the process honestly with us, and Dr. Burwinkel did exactly that.
The nurses [at Institute for Reproductive Health] were our every day contact and showed immense compasssion and understanding for our situation. They laughed and cried with us and shared their expertise along the way...Excellent communication through all aspects of our journey. They showed compassion and honesty along the way- which can be a difficult balance. Their process is well established, yet individualized to each family. We were met with compassion at every turn- from the financial piece to the procedures, to the follow through once we were pregnant.
How was your experience with Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Dr. Burwinkel was the Perfect doctor for us. He shares both the risks and probabilities of success for pregnancy for my husband and I. He offered hope, but no false encouragement. We wanted a doctor who shared both the up and downside of the process honestly with us, and Dr. Burwinkel did exactly that.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
If you want a doctor to treat you with compassion and honesty Dr. Burwinkel is the doctor for you! He was kind and compassionate- but shared our chances of success and our options with complete honesty- which was very important to us.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
He took into account our age and situation and created a plan unique to us.
Describe the protocols Thomas Burwinkel used in your cycles at Institute for Reproductive Health and their degree of success.
We were at a more advanced age than typical patients- so Dr. Burwinkel advanced our treatment to IVF faster than he did with other patients. We appreciated his understanding to this part of our journey.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Institute for Reproductive Health.
The nurses were our every day contact and showed immense compasssion and understanding for our situation. They laughed and cried with us and shared their expertise along the way.
Describe your experience with Institute for Reproductive Health.
Excellent communication through all aspects of our journey. They showed compassion and honesty along the way- which can be a difficult balance. Their process is well established, yet individualized to each family. We were met with compassion at every turn- from the financial piece to the procedures, to the follow through once we were pregnant.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health.
We did not have insurance coverage and I seem to remember our out of pocket costs totaling around $20,000 for all of our procedures and care.
Describe Thomas Burwinkel's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Institute for Reproductive Health.
We transferred multiple embryos and had one successful transfer and this was exactly the approach we had discussed and planned on, so I felt well prepared for this decision.
Dr. Burwinkel has been very helpful and informative during our fertility treatments. He has always answered all of the questions we’ve had with honesty and compassion. While our 3 iui procedures did not result in pregnancy, Dr. Burwinkel has been very encouraging and we are confident and hopeful that IVF will help us become parents.... He recommended single transfer when we do IVF as he didn’t believe I would carry multiples as well as some other women.
The staff [Institute for Reproductive Health] is very friendly and sensitive to delicate needs of patients struggling with infertility....The only thing I would note is that you have to leave a message every time you call. I work full time and cannot normally step away to answer the return call. This results in a lot of phone tag. It would be nice to have a direct line for callbacks.
How was your experience with Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Dr. Burwinkel has been very helpful and informative during our fertility treatments. He has always answered all of the questions we’ve had with honesty and compassion. While our 3 iui procedures did not result in pregnancy, Dr. Burwinkel has been very encouraging and we are confident and hopeful that IVF will help us become parents.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Don’t be afraid to ask lots of questions. He is so knowledgeable.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Dr. Burwinkle seems genuinely interesting in helping us become parents. He’s so friendly and even shares stories about his own family with us.
Describe the protocols Thomas Burwinkel used in your cycles at Institute for Reproductive Health and their degree of success.
We did 3 rounds of iui with letrozole and trigger shot. I did produce the desired follicles, but was not successful with conception.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Institute for Reproductive Health.
The staff is very friendly and sensitive to delicate needs of patients struggling with infertility.
Describe your experience with Institute for Reproductive Health.
The only thing I would note is that you have to leave a message every time you call. I work full time and cannot normally step away to answer the return call. This results in a lot of phone tag. It would be nice to have a direct line for callbacks.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health.
For iui, we paid about $500 each cycle plus $110 for medications. My insurance covers anything diagnostic, not does not cover the actual procedures.
Describe Thomas Burwinkel's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Institute for Reproductive Health.
He recommended single transfer when we do IVF as he didn’t believe I would carry multiples as well as some other women.
