Hershey Medical Center (Penn State)

4 doctors work here

Rated 7
Strongly recommend: 32%Neutral: 41%Don't recommend: 27%7
32% strongly recommend
9 reviews
Operations
8.9
8.9
Operations

Ratings of 1 indicate that a clinic was poorly operated.

Ratings of 10 indicate that a clinic operated very well.

Scheduling
8.8
8.8
Scheduling

Ratings of 1 mean it was difficult to schedule appointments with this clinic.

Ratings of 10 mean it was easy to schedule appointments.

Billing Department
7
7
Billing Department

Ratings of 1 indicate an unsatisfactory billing department.

Ratings of 10 indicate an excellent billing department.

Nursing Team
8.9
8.9
Nursing Team

Ratings of 1 indicate an unsatisfactory nursing team.

Ratings of 10 indicate an excellent nursing team.

Attention to Detail
8
8
Attention to Detail

Attention to detail is on a 1 - 10 scale, and is scored based on the rate, and severity, of errors committed by the clinic according to the patients.

For example, a severe error might be failing to inform a patient of critical information, while a small error might be failing to call a patient with results.

CDC Success Rates

This is the most recent data from the CDC. The CDC cautions that it should not be used to compare doctors and clinics. This data represents the outcomes of IVF cycles when using a person's own eggs.

For more information please see our FAQs.

Where you see a “?” on the chart, a clinic has done fewer than 20 cycles in this category and age range, so the CDC says showing percentages from this small data set would be misleading and unreliable.

Annual Cycles
96
National Avg
738
This Clinic
National Avg
00%
20%
40%
60%
<35
35-37
38-40
>40

Available Resources

Genetic counseling
Genetic counseling
Acupuncture
Acupuncture
Mental health counseling
Mental health counseling
Nutrition counseling
Nutrition counseling
Administration of shots
Administration of shots
Coordinating at-home nursing is not offered
Coordinating at-home nursing is not offered
Selling medication
Selling medication
Providing backup medication
Providing backup medication

This clinic has 2 offices

Hershey
35 Hope Drive, Suite 202/204
Hershey, PA 17033
York
130 Leader Heights Rd
York, PA 17403

9 patient reviews

Verified
Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

2019 - 2020, Unsuccessful
NPS
4
NPS
6
Age 24 - 25
Tubal Blockage
Income $50K - $99K
Nurse or HC Services
1st of 4 Docs
1 Fertility Medications With Other Docs
Doesn't Recommend
Doesn't Recommend
Unsuccessful
[Dr. Stephanie Estes] is nice and listens to concerns but if you question too much she gets frustrated. She seems almost like she’s done this a lot and is numb to the pain of mentally getting unexpected results and having losses...Very personal care, until you question things based on evidence based research. Then you get attitude and a cold shoulder and told you can seek care elsewhere if you don’t trust the way they are treating you.
[Hershey Medical Center] Very old school clinic that does not offer the newest technologies. No PGS or any embryo testing. If you bring up additional supplements or books like “it starts with an egg” they will tell you they don’t really believe in that stuff and IVF is “either going to work or it’s not.”...Very personal care, until you question things based on evidence based research.
How was your experience with Stephanie Estes at Hershey Medical Center (Penn State)?
Dr. Estes is nice and listens to concerns but if you question too much she gets frustrated. She seems almost like she’s done this a lot and is numb to the pain of mentally getting unexpected results and having losses.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Stephanie Estes at Hershey Medical Center (Penn State)?
If you do not take things personally and are tough minded, you will be fine.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Stephanie Estes at Hershey Medical Center (Penn State)?
Very personal care, until you question things based on evidence based research. Then you get attitude and a cold shoulder and told you can seek care elsewhere if you don’t trust the way they are treating you.
Describe the protocols Stephanie Estes used in your cycles at Hershey Medical Center (Penn State) and their degree of success.
Lupron start, proceeding to gonal F. Cycle yielded no results because it was cancelled mid cycle due to covid-19.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Hershey Medical Center (Penn State).
One nurse, Jamie was fantastic. Another newer nurse, however, is not my favorite. Jamie is kind and knows her stuff, however Lindsey is newer and does not seem to have the same reputation of being as well liked as Jamie.
Describe your experience with Hershey Medical Center (Penn State).
Very old school clinic that does not offer the newest technologies. No PGS or any embryo testing. If you bring up additional supplements or books like “it starts with an egg” they will tell you they don’t really believe in that stuff and IVF is “either going to work or it’s not.”
Describe the costs associated with your care under Stephanie Estes at Hershey Medical Center (Penn State).
Copays for every clinic visit even when there’s multiple in same week and only 5 minutes was spent there. Insurance covers IVF up to 15K once deductible is met.
What specific things went wrong at Hershey Medical Center (Penn State)?
  • Provided conflicting information
  • Lost or damaged samples
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Hershey Medical Center (Penn State).
One provider told us to continue to try to get pregnant while we waited to start IVF even knowing we have two blocked tubes. So we tried per our provider and got pregnant, only to find out it’s ectopic. When we came in for follow up the other provider in the clinic asked us why we were having unprotected sex even knowing my tubes were blocked because ectopic pregnancies are common with this. We were just following what the first provider said. And it ended it a sad loss. The second provider instructed us to no longer have unprotected sex to prevent this from happening again.
4
Doctor
Stephanie Estes
NPS
Humanity
3 of 5
Communication
3 of 5
Frequency Seen
5 of 5
Trustworthiness
4 of 5
Compassion
3 of 5
Explained risks
4 of 5
Adaptability
3 of 5
6
Clinic
Hershey Medical Center (Penn State)
Hershey
NPS
Operations
4 of 5
Scheduling
4 of 5
Billing Department
1 of 5
Nursing Staff
4 of 5
Clinic Atmosphere
1 of 5
Educational Resources
6 of 5
Verified
Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

2019 - 2020, Successful
NPS
10
NPS
10
Age 29 - 30
1 IVF
Endometriosis
PCOS
Income $50K - $99K
2nd of 3 Docs
6 Fertility Medications With Other Docs
Strongly Recommends
Strongly Recommends
Successful
With Dr. Dodson I have always felt like a human and not a number...He cares not only about your infertility issues but your overall health and wellbeing...We did lurpon start IVF. We had retrieval in Sept 2019...There were 10 eggs retrieved which resulted in 4 blastocysts. The blastocysts were frozen...Unfortunately miscarried at 9 weeks...he has also personally called me at home to see how I was doing after my miscarriage.
She [nurse of Hershey Medical Center] was always available to answer any questions. She was great comfort during our miscarriage...There were 10 eggs retrieved which resulted in 4 blastocysts...There is a set "cost" for retrieval that is paid upfront at the beginning of the cycle. We were self pay so it was around $8,000. After freezing the embryos and having an embryo transfer is was about $12,000 not including medications...[clinic weakness] hard to get ahold of Infertility billing.
How was your experience with William Dodson at Hershey Medical Center (Penn State)?
Dr. Dodson is a very kind person. He cares not only about your infertility issues but your overall health and wellbeing. He will answer any and all questions you may have. Dr. Dodson has also personally called me at home to see how I was doing after my miscarriage.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of William Dodson at Hershey Medical Center (Penn State)?
Know Dr. Dodson will not judge you and is only looking out for your best interest in every situation.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with William Dodson at Hershey Medical Center (Penn State)?
With Dr. Dodson I have always felt like a human and not a number. He has always taken time to listen to any concerns, explain everything in great detail.
Describe the protocols William Dodson used in your cycles at Hershey Medical Center (Penn State) and their degree of success.
We did lurpon start IVF. We had retrieval in Sept 2019. There were 10 eggs retrieved which resulted in 4 blastocysts. The blastocysts were frozen. Had Embryo transfer in October 2019. Unfortunately miscarried at 9 weeks. We did a transfer Feb 2020 which did not work. We lost the other two embryos we had during the thawing process.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Hershey Medical Center (Penn State). (Assigned nurse: Jayme)
Jayme is an amazing nurse. She was always available to answer any questions. She was great comfort during our miscarriage.
Describe your experience with Hershey Medical Center (Penn State).
Strengths: care, doctors knowledge, caring nurses, easy scheduling, works 365 days a year. Weakness: hard to get ahold of Infertility billing. For me it's a 1.5 hr drive one way, was hard when had to be at the office for bloodwork and ultrasounds everyother day or everyday while working.
Describe the costs associated with your care under William Dodson at Hershey Medical Center (Penn State).
There is a set "cost" for retrieval that is paid upfront at the beginning of the cycle. We were self pay so it was around $8,000. After freezing the embryos and having an embryo transfer is was about $12,000 not including medications
10
Doctor
William Dodson
NPS
Humanity
5 of 5
Communication
5 of 5
Frequency Seen
5 of 5
Trustworthiness
5 of 5
Compassion
5 of 5
Explained risks
5 of 5
Adaptability
5 of 5
10
Clinic
Hershey Medical Center (Penn State)
Hershey
NPS
Operations
5 of 5
Scheduling
5 of 5
Billing Department
4 of 5
Nursing Staff
5 of 5
Clinic Atmosphere
6 of 5
Educational Resources
7 of 5
Verified
Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

2018, Unknown Success
NPS
9
NPS
8
Age 30
PCOS
European
Income $100K - $199K
Teacher
2nd of 2 Docs
Fertility Medications With Other Docs
Strongly Recommends
Neutral
Success w/ Doc Too early to know
While we are new patients, we can not thank Dr.Estes enough for her care and consideration as we start this journey with a new practice. She has taken the time to listen to us I’m a short period of time, and ultimately has given us a lot of hope moving forward. While she won’t sugarcoat the facts, her kind disposition and open communication makes the information more palatable. After having a poor experience elsewhere, we made the decision to see Dr.Estes and now drive over 2 hours each way for appointments with her.
We [Hershey Medical Ctr] are still quite new to the practice, but have been very happy thus far. The physical setup is spacious and welcoming, as some clinics have a more sterile appearance. The rooms were clean and orderly. I didn’t care for the reception area as sensitive information can be overheard by those in neighboring cubicles as well as those walking in the front door.... I was not impressed with the nurse we saw in the practice, (just a personality thing, really) but communication via phone and email with the nursing staff has been wonderful!
How was your experience with Stephanie Estes at Hershey Medical Center (Penn State)?
While we are new patients, we can not thank Dr.Estes enough for her care and consideration as we start this journey with a new practice. She has taken the time to listen to us I’m a short period of time, and ultimately has given us a lot of hope moving forward. While she won’t sugarcoat the facts, her kind disposition and open communication makes the information more palatable. After having a poor experience elsewhere, we made the decision to see Dr.Estes and now drive over 2 hours each way for appointments with her. She made us feel at ease, and treated us as individuals, rather than numbers on her caseload. We are so thankful to have found her!
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Stephanie Estes at Hershey Medical Center (Penn State)?
Bring a notepad or something to jot down notes. She is very knowledgeable but the process is overwhelming and it will help make sure nothing is overlooked.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Stephanie Estes at Hershey Medical Center (Penn State)?
After an incredibly disheartening experience with another dr, I was referred by a friend to Dr.Estes. I drive over 2hrs each way to see her, because she genuinely listens to and cares about her patients. Infertility is stressful enough- finding the right providers can make all the difference.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Hershey Medical Center (Penn State).
I was not impressed with the nurse we saw in the practice, (just a personality thing, really) but communication via phone and email with the nursing staff has been wonderful!
Describe your experience with Hershey Medical Center (Penn State).
We are still quite new to the practice, but have been very happy thus far. The physical setup is spacious and welcoming, as some clinics have a more sterile appearance. The rooms were clean and orderly. I didn’t care for the reception area as sensitive information can be overheard by those in neighboring cubicles as well as those walking in the front door.
9
Doctor
Stephanie Estes
NPS
Humanity
5 of 5
Communication
5 of 5
Frequency Seen
5 of 5
Trustworthiness
5 of 5
Compassion
5 of 5
Explained risks
4 of 5
Adaptability
4 of 5
8
Clinic
Hershey Medical Center (Penn State)
Hershey
NPS
Operations
3 of 5
Scheduling
3 of 5
Billing Department
3 of 5
Nursing Staff
3 of 5
Clinic Atmosphere
4 of 5
Educational Resources
5 of 5
2015 - 2017, Successful
NPS
10
NPS
10
Age 27 - 29
Endometriosis
European
Income $100K - $199K
1st of 3 Docs
3 IUI With Other Docs
2 IVF With Other Docs
Strongly Recommends
Strongly Recommends
Successful
Dr. Estes is very straightforward and gives you the facts, but also delivers with compassion. She is really intelligent and I felt confident that she knew what she was doing throughout all of my treatment. At first she did come across as less emotional at times, however as I got to know her better and she got more involved I felt she was definitely emotionally invested in our case. I felt more and more confident with her as time went on and especially after my failed IVF cycle, because she was very honest and did not sugarcoat anything. She came up with a new treatment plan and was confident that we would eventually find success, and she was right.
Strengths [for Hershey Medical Center]: It is a small enough practice that you are treated like an individual but you still feel that they are experienced and knowledgeable enough that you are getting top quality care.... They are open 365 days a year and rotate the schedule so you will see any one of the three of them on any given day. The doctors do all of the ultrasounds and procedures, and you either get called by a nurse or directly by the doctor with your treatment changes later in the day during monitoring... Cons: They do not have PGS testing.
How was your experience with Stephanie Estes at Hershey Medical Center (Penn State)?
Dr. Estes is very straightforward and gives you the facts, but also delivers with compassion. She is really intelligent and I felt confident that she knew what she was doing throughout all of my treatment. At first she did come across as less emotional at times, however as I got to know her better and she got more involved I felt she was definitely emotionally invested in our case. I felt more and more confident with her as time went on and especially after my failed IVF cycle, because she was very honest and did not sugarcoat anything. She came up with a new treatment plan and was confident that we would eventually find success, and she was right.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Stephanie Estes at Hershey Medical Center (Penn State)?
Don't be offset if she initially comes across as less "warm", once you get to know her you will see that she truly cares about your success and will do everything in her power to achieve it, and she is definitely good at what she does!
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Stephanie Estes at Hershey Medical Center (Penn State)?
The clinic is relatively small, so I felt like the doctor and nurses knew me and my specific diagnosis and history very well. I was not treated like a number. It was relatively easy and convenient to get appointments, the monitoring clinic is open every morning 365 days a year and the nurses always returned my phone calls that day or the next if it was after hours. Often the doctors themselves would be the ones to call with the treatment plan, to answer questions/return phone calls or to discuss results.
Describe the protocols Stephanie Estes used in your cycles at Hershey Medical Center (Penn State) and their degree of success.
For my first IVF cycle we did the long lupron protocol, however I got overstimulated and ended up with mild OHSS (which was somewhat unexpected given my endometriosis). We froze everything and later did a frozen transfer once I was recovered. This was unsuccessful. For my second IVF cycle, she came up with a new plan to keep me from getting overstimulated but still obtaining as many eggs as possible safely. We used the antagonist protocol and I was very closely monitored so that she and the other two doctors in the practice made sure I did not get overstimulated and had better quality results. At the three day mark after retrieval, we only had 2 viable embryos so she changed the plan to do a day 3 fresh transfer (instead of day 5), and this was successful (I am now 14 weeks pregnant).
Describe your experience with your nurse at Hershey Medical Center (Penn State). (Assigned nurse: There are only a few - Joni, Jamie, Michelle)
Joni, Jamie, and Michelle were all excellent, they got to know my husband and I and our specific case very well and they were so compassionate. They were genuinely rooting for us the whole way. During both of my egg retrievals and at all the monitoring appointments they put me at ease. They always called back in a timely manner and were very clear when giving directions. They went above and beyond to try to find the cheapest medications possible, they even looked at multiple specialty pharmacies to find the best price for me when my fertility med coverage ran out.
Describe your experience with Hershey Medical Center (Penn State).
Strengths: It is a small enough practice that you are treated like an individual but you still feel that they are experienced and knowledgeable enough that you are getting top quality care. There are only three doctors in the practice, all three were wonderful, but my primary doctor was Dr. Estes and she was my favorite. I definitely felt confident that all three were taking good care of me during all of my treatments. They are open 365 days a year and rotate the schedule so you will see any one of the three of them on any given day. The doctors do all of the ultrasounds and procedures, and you either get called by a nurse or directly by the doctor with your treatment changes later in the day during monitoring. The whole team meets every Friday to discuss all the cases going into the weekend, so the weekend team is always up to date on your current status. Their success rates are higher than a lot of the bigger clinics in my area, yet they were the most convenient (a lot of other clinics are not open on weekends, so you would have to travel to another location for monitoring, and also for procedures like egg retrievals and transfers). They are an academic institution so you don't feel like they are forcing you into certain treatments for the money, you feel like they are truly trying to do whatever it takes to find success. Also because I am an HMC employee, I paid a very small amount for all my treatments (including laparoscopic surgery for endometriosis, 3 IUIs, 2 IVFs), because our doctors advocated and were able to give their employees infertility insurance coverage. Cons: They do not have PGS testing. This did not end up affecting our treatment because we wouldn't have done it even if it were available. However, if we did need it we would have had to change clinics. We were almost in this situation when I tested positive as a cystic fibrosis carrier - my husband tested negative, but if he had been positive too we likely would have left our clinic to get PGS testing somewhere else. Luckily this didn't end up affecting us but may affect other couples depending on their situations.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Stephanie Estes at Hershey Medical Center (Penn State).
The costs were minimal because through my employee insurance I had $10,000 lifetime prescription coverage and $15,000 lifetime procedure/test/lab draw etc. coverage. One thing I would have liked to know prior, however, was how quickly my prescription coverage would run out (for example, gonal-F alone during my first cycle cost over $5000 which was over half my lifetime coverage). However, it was a huge blessing to have the coverage that we had.
Describe Stephanie Estes's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Hershey Medical Center (Penn State).
I don't think my doctors use a cookie-cutter approach to this controversial topic. They looked at me and my situation individually and we decided together whether to transfer one or two embryos based on the quality of embryos we were working with during each cycle. For my first IVF cycle we were given the choice of one or two embryos after being given the risks vs. benefits, and transferred two because one had been lower quality. This cycle did not result in a positive pregnancy test. During my second IVF cycle, because we had such low fertilization rates again and only had two embryos at day 3, we again decided to transfer two together based on her advice and risks vs. benefits.
10
Doctor
Stephanie Estes
NPS
Humanity
5 of 5
Communication
4 of 5
Frequency Seen
4 of 5
Trustworthiness
5 of 5
Compassion
5 of 5
Explained risks
5 of 5
Adaptability
5 of 5
10
Clinic
Hershey Medical Center (Penn State)
Hershey
NPS
Operations
5 of 5
Scheduling
4 of 5
Billing Department
5 of 5
Nursing Staff
5 of 5
Clinic Atmosphere
4 of 5
Educational Resources
7 of 5
Verified
Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

2015 - 2016, Successful
NPS
10
NPS
10
Age 30 - 31
1 IVF
Male Factor
PCOS
Unexplained
European
Income $50K - $99K
Teacher
2nd of 2 Docs
1 IUI With Other Docs
Strongly Recommends
Strongly Recommends
Successful
Dr. Dodson spoke to me about myself instead of about my case. He tailored treatments to me and to what I wanted. He understood that I wanted to understand as much as I could about it... He was understanding about my feelings and emotions and he included me and my husband in all decisions. He really has done his research and has so much experience in this field...We did some testing of my husband first and determined that he did have very low count but rather than trying to determine why he had low count, we just went straight forward with IVF that we didn't waste any more time. We almost held back on the transfer because I was so close to hyperstimulated, but they backed my medicine up a little bit so that I would not hyper stimulate.
Both of the nurses [at Hershey Medical Center] were very communicative and held me and hugged me when I was crying. I was able to talk to them very often and could call them all the way from State College when I was having questions or problems...Use the nurses as much as you can because they have so much knowledge and compassion...It was pretty expensive but they had a program where if you did not have insurance to cover it then you would get a 30% discount. We are still paying it off but they are very nice about it.
How was your experience with William Dodson at Hershey Medical Center (Penn State)?
Dr. Dodson knew that I was devastated from our previous attempts in State College and our unsuccessful IUI. He was understanding about my feelings and emotions and he included me and my husband in all decisions. He really has done his research and has so much experience in this field.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of William Dodson at Hershey Medical Center (Penn State)?
Tresses expertise but also advocated for yourself. Don't wait too long.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with William Dodson at Hershey Medical Center (Penn State)?
Dr. Dodson spoke to me about myself instead of about my case. He tailored treatments to me and to what I wanted. He understood that I wanted to understand as much as I could about it. When our first transfer resulted in me losing the embryos before I even could get a positive pregnancy test they hugged me and cried with me.
Describe the protocols William Dodson used in your cycles at Hershey Medical Center (Penn State) and their degree of success.
We did some testing of my husband first and determined that he did have very low count but rather than trying to determine why he had low count, we just went straight forward with IVF that we didn't waste any more time. We almost held back on the transfer because I was so close to hyperstimulated, but they backed my medicine up a little bit so that I would not hyper stimulate.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Hershey Medical Center (Penn State). (Assigned nurse: Joni and Jess)
Both of the nurses were very communicative and held me and hugged me when I was crying. I was able to talk to them very often and could call them all the way from State College when I was having questions or problems.
Describe your experience with Hershey Medical Center (Penn State).
Use the nurses as much as you can because they have so much knowledge and compassion.
Describe the costs associated with your care under William Dodson at Hershey Medical Center (Penn State).
It was pretty expensive but they had a program where if you did not have insurance to cover it then you would get a 30% discount. We are still paying it off but they are very nice about it.
Describe William Dodson's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Hershey Medical Center (Penn State).
He would transfer one or two embryos but that was all that he wanted to do too keep the baby and me safe. I was okay with that and would only ever want to transfer 2 anyway.
10
Doctor
William Dodson
NPS
Humanity
5 of 5
Communication
5 of 5
Frequency Seen
4 of 5
Trustworthiness
5 of 5
Compassion
5 of 5
Explained risks
5 of 5
Adaptability
5 of 5
10
Clinic
Hershey Medical Center (Penn State)
Hershey
NPS
Operations
5 of 5
Scheduling
5 of 5
Billing Department
4 of 5
Nursing Staff
5 of 5
Clinic Atmosphere
5 of 5
Educational Resources
7 of 5
Verified
Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

2015, Unsuccessful
NPS
0
NPS
0
Age 33
1 Fertility Medications
Unexplained
European
Income $200K - $499K
Business Executive
1st of 3 Docs
1 IVF With Other Docs
Doesn't Recommend
Doesn't Recommend
Unsuccessful
He [Dr Legro] was nice and had good bedside manners but I think he missed adding in Ganirelix early enough in my cycle causing my estrogen to drop, which resulted in them canceling my cycle. I was very distraught, angry, and disappointed after this happened. I'm glad I found a new doctor who I fully trust. This is just speculative but I think the doctor forgot to tell me to start taking Ganirelix. My estrogen levels dropped on day 11 and they cancelled my cycle. I worry that it was either a lab error with my blood tests that day or the Ganirelix was added too late. On day 9 I had started seeing another dr at the practice and she said "I see you're taking Ganirelix" but I had not been instructed by the doctor the previous day to start taking it. In addition, I had my own estrogen test completed the next day and my estrogen was quadruple what it was on day 11 when it dropped so it also could've been a lab error.
I felt like a lab rat while I was at Hershey. There were always a lot of people in the waiting room and we were all taken back and treated the same. I felt like he didn't pay careful attention to my specific protocol. They get so many patients and they get used to treating everyone the same. I was an IVF patient and I got the feeling the most people were there for IUI....I started out seeing Dr. Dodson. He's the one that "sold" us on IVF. He developed my protocol but I never saw him during my cycle. My protocol was 100 IU of Follistim. Ganirelix was added in but not until day 9, which seemed very late to me. I think this is the reason my estrogen dropped and my cycle was cancelled. The trigger shot was going to be ovidrel but I never got to that point.
How was your experience with Richard Legro at Hershey Medical Center (Penn State)?
He was nice and had good bedside manners but I think he missed adding in Ganirelix early enough in my cycle causing my estrogen to drop, which resulted in them canceling my cycle. I was very distraught, angry, and disappointed after this happened. I'm glad I found a new doctor who I fully trust.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Richard Legro at Hershey Medical Center (Penn State)?
Make sure you're asking questions and double checking your next steps.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Richard Legro at Hershey Medical Center (Penn State)?
I felt like a lab rat while I was at Hershey. There were always a lot of people in the waiting room and we were all taken back and treated the same. I felt like he didn't pay careful attention to my specific protocol. They get so many patients and they get used to treating everyone the same. I was an IVF patient and I got the feeling the most people were there for IUI.
Describe the protocols Richard Legro used in your cycles at Hershey Medical Center (Penn State) and their degree of success.
I started out seeing Dr. Dodson. He's the one that "sold" us on IVF. He developed my protocol but I never saw him during my cycle. My protocol was 100 IU of Follistim. Ganirelix was added in but not until day 9, which seemed very late to me. I think this is the reason my estrogen dropped and my cycle was cancelled. The trigger shot was going to be ovidrel but I never got to that point.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Hershey Medical Center (Penn State). (Assigned nurse: Joni)
Joni was very nice. I enjoyed working with her.
Describe your experience with Hershey Medical Center (Penn State).
I didn't like that monitoring appointments were a free-for-all. It was on first come, first serve basis. The mornings there were always busy and the waiting room is not cozy at all. I felt like I was in a hospital waiting room...actually, that's basically what it was.
What specific things went wrong at Hershey Medical Center (Penn State)?
  • Provided conflicting information
  • Failed to convey critical information
  • Canceled a cycle due to clinic error
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Hershey Medical Center (Penn State).
This is just speculative but I think the doctor forgot to tell me to start taking Ganirelix. My estrogen levels dropped on day 11 and they cancelled my cycle. I worry that it was either a lab error with my blood tests that day or the Ganirelix was added too late. On day 9 I had started seeing another dr at the practice and she said "I see you're taking Ganirelix" but I had not been instructed by the doctor the previous day to start taking it. In addition, I had my own estrogen test completed the next day and my estrogen was quadruple what it was on day 11 when it dropped so it also could've been a lab error.
0
Doctor
Richard Legro
NPS
Humanity
2 of 5
Communication
1 of 5
Frequency Seen
3 of 5
Trustworthiness
2 of 5
Compassion
2 of 5
Explained risks
5 of 5
Adaptability
3 of 5
0
Clinic
Hershey Medical Center (Penn State)
Hershey
NPS
Operations
4 of 5
Scheduling
3 of 5
Billing Department
5 of 5
Nursing Staff
4 of 5
Clinic Atmosphere
1 of 5
Educational Resources
7 of 5
Verified
Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

2017 - 2018, Unsuccessful
NPS
9
NPS
10
Age 31 - 32
6 Fertility Medications
PCOS
Latinx
Income $100K - $199K
Accountant
Only Doc Seen
Strongly Recommends
Strongly Recommends
Unsuccessful
He [Dr. Richard Legro] also makes you feel comfortable and ensures you know what is expected. Also, very open to questions and making sure you understand every thing.... Baseline appt and blood work, hsg to ensure tubes were clear and unblocked prior to starting pill cycles, started with 1 pill and it didn't work cycle 1 so dosage was increased to 2 pill and that was working (I was ovulating).
The clinic [Hershey Medical Center] is a large office with several doctors to choose from. Which I see as a strength as this allows you to schedule an appointment that is not months and months in the future. I felt like the clinic was state of the art and had advanced equipment and technology. You are able to view what your doctor is seeing on a big screen on the wall during your exams. They appeared to run on scheddule most times with little delays.
How was your experience with Richard Legro at Hershey Medical Center (Penn State)?
Dr. Legro is very knowledgeable and straight-forward. He had previously done a dermoid cyst removal surgery for me in the past and i had a great experience with him then so i felt comfortable when I had to go back under his care for fertility treatments. He also makes you feel comfortable and ensures you know what is expected. Also, very open to questions and making sure you understand every thing.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Richard Legro at Hershey Medical Center (Penn State)?
Don't be afraid to ask questions.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Richard Legro at Hershey Medical Center (Penn State)?
I felt like they cared and I wasn't just another patient.
Describe the protocols Richard Legro used in your cycles at Hershey Medical Center (Penn State) and their degree of success.
Baseline appt and blood work, hsg to ensure tubes were clear and unblocked prior to starting pill cycles, started with 1 pill and it didn't work cycle 1 so dosage was increased to 2 pill and that was working (I was ovulating).
Describe your experience with your nurse at Hershey Medical Center (Penn State). (Assigned nurse: Joni McCreedy)
She was extremely helpful and warm. Felt like she really cared. Also very quick to get back to you with any questions or concerns.
Describe your experience with Hershey Medical Center (Penn State).
The clinic is a large office with several doctors to choose from. Which I see as a strength as this allows you to schedule an appointment that is not months and months in the future. I felt like the clinic was state of the art and had advanced equipment and technology. You are able to view what your doctor is seeing on a big screen on the wall during your exams. They appeared to run on scheddule most times with little delays.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Richard Legro at Hershey Medical Center (Penn State).
Once my $500 deductible was met there were no more costs. I reached the deductible with the very first visit which was a baseline appt that included diagnosis and blood work
Describe Richard Legro's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Hershey Medical Center (Penn State).
N/a
9
Doctor
Richard Legro
NPS
Humanity
4 of 5
Communication
5 of 5
Frequency Seen
4 of 5
Trustworthiness
5 of 5
Compassion
4 of 5
Explained risks
4 of 5
Adaptability
4 of 5
10
Clinic
Hershey Medical Center (Penn State)
Hershey
NPS
Operations
5 of 5
Scheduling
5 of 5
Billing Department
5 of 5
Nursing Staff
5 of 5
Clinic Atmosphere
3 of 5
Educational Resources
7 of 5
Verified
Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

2018 - 2019, Unsuccessful
NPS
1
NPS
3
Age 37 - 38
3 IUI
1 IVF
Poor Egg Quality
Unexplained
Income $100K - $199K
Operations
1st of 4 Docs
Doesn't Recommend
Doesn't Recommend
Unsuccessful
He [Dr. William Dodson] was kind to me while under his care, but was aloof when he made the phone call to tell me our pregnancy test was negative...has many years of experience and works by the book which is good because as emotional patients, we need his honesty. But when it came to him telling us that our test was negative...there was no closure or suggestion of next steps...Don’t expect to have small talk or be comforted when you are crying.
[Monitoring at Hershey Medical Center] was a well-oiled machine, we went in and our paperwork was ready. Our paperwork was placed in the in based on time of arrival...We were quoted $13,000; however, we paid over $17,000...Talk with financial services before you do anything. The clinic staff did not seem to be in agreement with how much self pay patients were to pay each time. The girls at the front desk were super nice.
How was your experience with William Dodson at Hershey Medical Center (Penn State)?
Dr. Dodson has many years of experience and works by the book which is good because as emotional patients, we need his honesty. But when it came to him telling us that our test was negative and there wasn’t anything we did wrong, there was no closure or suggestion of next steps.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of William Dodson at Hershey Medical Center (Penn State)?
Don’t expect to have small talk or be comforted when you are crying.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with William Dodson at Hershey Medical Center (Penn State)?
He was kind to me while under his care, but was aloof when he made the phone call to tell me our pregnancy test was negative.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Hershey Medical Center (Penn State).
Joni and Jamie were amazing. They were compassionate and kind.
Describe your experience with Hershey Medical Center (Penn State).
Talk with financial services before you do anything. The clinic staff did not seem to be in agreement with how much self pay patients were to pay each time. The girls at the front desk were super nice.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Hershey Medical Center (Penn State).
It was a well-oiled machine, we went in and our paperwork was ready. Our paperwork was placed in the in based on time of arrival.
Describe the costs associated with your care under William Dodson at Hershey Medical Center (Penn State).
We were quoted $13,000; however, we paid over $17,000.
Describe William Dodson's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Hershey Medical Center (Penn State).
He told us it would be a game day decision on how many embryos to implant.
1
Doctor
William Dodson
NPS
Humanity
4 of 5
Communication
4 of 5
Frequency Seen
4 of 5
Trustworthiness
4 of 5
Compassion
3 of 5
Explained risks
3 of 5
Adaptability
5 of 5
3
Clinic
Hershey Medical Center (Penn State)
Hershey
NPS
Operations
4 of 5
Scheduling
5 of 5
Billing Department
1 of 5
Nursing Staff
4 of 5
Clinic Atmosphere
3 of 5
Educational Resources
6 of 5
Verified
Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

2022, Unsuccessful
NPS
10
NPS
7
Age 38
Diminished Ovarian Reserve
Endometriosis
Male Factor
European
Income $50K - $99K
2nd of 3 Docs
3 IUI With Other Docs
2 IVF With Other Docs
Donor Eggs With Other Docs
Strongly Recommends
Neutral
Unsuccessful
She [Dr. Stephanie Estes] was very understanding of my infertility. She made me understand everything I need to know to move forward with my treatment...Very compassionate about her patients. I felt she understood my pain with my DOR and endometriosis. She was the one that told me to look into donor eggs. We had conversations on everything step of the treatment...Listen on what she thinks and then make your own decision off of that.
When you have questions they [Hershey Medical Center] reply back to you with what doctors opinion. Very nice and professional office. The same office has OBGYN doctors if you don’t have one yet. Very quite waiting room. Love the environment...[nurse] Communication was with in minutes. Very nice and professional...She [Hershey Medical Center] was very understanding of my infertility. She made me understand everything I need to know to move forward with my treatment.
How was your experience with Stephanie Estes at Hershey Medical Center (Penn State)?
Very compassionate about her patients. I felt she understood my pain with my DOR and endometriosis. She was the one that told me to look into donor eggs. We had conversations on everything step of the treatment.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Stephanie Estes at Hershey Medical Center (Penn State)?
Listen on what she thinks and then make your own decision off of that.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Stephanie Estes at Hershey Medical Center (Penn State)?
She was very understanding of my infertility. She made me understand everything I need to know to move forward with my treatment.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Hershey Medical Center (Penn State).
Communication was with in minutes. Very nice and professional.
Describe your experience with Hershey Medical Center (Penn State).
When you have questions they reply back to you with what doctors opinion. Very nice and professional office. The same office has OBGYN doctors if you don’t have one yet. Very quite waiting room. Love the environment.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Stephanie Estes at Hershey Medical Center (Penn State).
Myself and husband insurance paid for more of it. We had co pays $300
10
Doctor
Stephanie Estes
NPS
Humanity
4 of 5
Communication
4 of 5
Frequency Seen
5 of 5
Trustworthiness
5 of 5
Compassion
5 of 5
Explained risks
5 of 5
Adaptability
4 of 5
7
Clinic
Hershey Medical Center (Penn State)
Hershey
NPS
Operations
5 of 5
Scheduling
5 of 5
Billing Department
4 of 5
Nursing Staff
5 of 5
Clinic Atmosphere
5 of 5
Educational Resources
7 of 5

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