Dr Stein was completely familiar with LGBTQ needs...is extremely knowledgeable...was very no-nonsense, not at all touchy-feely or hand-holding...you leave confident that he knows what he's doing...did 3 natural IUI cycles, 3 IUI cycles with clomid, and 1 IVF cycle (the last was ultimately successful)
RMA knows what it's doing and it has a system...enjoyed their availability early in the morning before work...let me set my preference for a monitoring appointment...were efficient and provided timely updates, sent out medication requests, etc. without issue...team of nurses that managed my care
How was your experience with Daniel Stein at RMA of New York?
Dr. Stein is extremely knowledgeable and (to my relief) he was very no-nonsense, not at all touchy-feely or hand-holding, which is exactly what I wanted. You go to a consult with him and you leave confident that he knows what he's doing, that he's seen it before, and that you'll get there in the end. Visits with him went quickly and efficiently. No complaints.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Daniel Stein at RMA of New York?
If you have more esoteric/specific questions you really want to ask, know them in advance - he'll always answer quickly and thoroughly, but he may not necessarily go out of his way to explain something that isn't necessary. Meetings will be quick and efficient.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Daniel Stein at RMA of New York?
While Dr Stein's manner is blunt and straightforward, with a very "business as usual" manner, it is in a way that demonstrates that he knows what he's doing. At no point did I feel like he didn't think of me as a person.
Describe the protocols Daniel Stein used in your cycles at RMA of New York and their degree of success.
I did 3 natural IUI cycles, 3 IUI cycles with clomid, and 1 IVF cycle (the last was ultimately successful). Since I didn't have any known fertility issues, it made sense to start with natural cycles, then switch to medicated once the first ones didn't work (and also to help prepare the application for insurance for the IVF cycle). Dr Stein noted that IUI cycles were a matter of chance, but was thoughtful about getting appropriate scans and an MRI before going to the IVF cycle. The IVF cycle was one retrieval and then one FET, and it was successful.
How competent was Daniel Stein at LGBTQ+ care?
Dr Stein was completely familiar with LGBTQ needs and has family in a similar position. I felt very comfortable with him.
Describe your experience with your nurse at RMA of New York. (Assigned nurse: Jackie)
Dr Stein had a team of nurses that managed my care - Jackie was the one I spoke with most often, but there were others so that I never lacked coverage even when Jackie was out on break. By and large, they were efficient and provided timely updates, sent out medication requests, etc. without issue.
Describe your experience with RMA of New York.
RMA knows what it's doing and it has a system; you're one of a crowd, but they know exactly what to do with the crowd. If you're like me, you find this comforting! I really enjoyed their availability early in the morning before work, and they were always willing to let me set my preference for a monitoring appointment.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Daniel Stein at RMA of New York.
Dr Stein and his team were extremely knowledgeable about my insurance, so everything was covered in a timely fashion. Copays etc. did add up over time, but at no point did it get to be overwhelming or excessive (the donor sperm cost much more!!)
Describe Daniel Stein's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at RMA of New York.
No strong opinions - we were both in agreement to transfer a single embryo to reduce risk of multiples.
sometimes I felt like my doctor [Dr. Daniel Stein] didn't even remember who I was. I asked things as follow up to questions from the previous weekly visit and he had no idea that he had seen me before. It wasn't ideal, but it also didn't bother me much...prescribed me Letrozole for 5 days and a trigger shot midway through my cycle, and in two months I was pregnant! I appreciate his professional recommendation and his honesty when it came to the right treatment for me. The nurses and staff were also very nice and I never had to wait too long during monitoring hours.
The nurse [at RMA of New York] was my least favorite part of the treatment. I had an accident while I was on the treatment and called her with a concern of having lost the baby, but she showed zero emotions. I wasn't expecting her to support me as if I was her best friend, but I would've appreciated more reassurance that my baby could be fine...The biggest strength is that they know what they're doing.The doctors and nurses are very professional, and they will recommend a treatment that will help you with your specific fertility issue. Although not necessarily a weakness, but just mostly a reality of life, they're there to provide a service and might not always give you the emotional support that an excited and anxious potentially mom-to-be is expecting.
How was your experience with Daniel Stein at RMA of New York?
Dr. Stein is an amazing doctor and I would highly recommend him to anyone looking for answers to their fertility problems. The first time I visited him, he evaluated me and told me that my issue was very simple and that I shouldn't do a treatment that was too invasive. I appreciated this feedback because I've heard of stories where the doctors go straight for IVF even though simpler treatments would work just as well. Dr. Stein prescribed me Letrozole for 5 days and a trigger shot midway through my cycle, and in two months I was pregnant! I appreciate his professional recommendation and his honesty when it came to the right treatment for me.
The nurses and staff were also very nice and I never had to wait too long during monitoring hours.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Daniel Stein at RMA of New York?
Just know that the clinic is very busy so don't expect the doctor or nurses to spend a lot of time with you. They will answer questions, but they will mostly go through their general activities and inform you if everything is ok or not.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Daniel Stein at RMA of New York?
I enjoyed how quickly the RMA team dealt with patients, however, sometimes I felt like my doctor didn't even remember who I was. I asked things as follow up to questions from the previous weekly visit and he had no idea that he had seen me before. It wasn't ideal, but it also didn't bother me much. I understand he has lots of patients and my main concern was the end goal, which worked out in just two cycles of the treatment.
Describe your experience with your nurse at RMA of New York. (Assigned nurse: Krista)
The nurse was my least favorite part of the treatment. I had an accident while I was on the treatment and called her with a concern of having lost the baby, but she showed zero emotions. I wasn't expecting her to support me as if I was her best friend, but I would've appreciated more reassurance that my baby could be fine... enough reassurance to calm me up until my next doctor visit.
Describe your experience with RMA of New York.
The biggest strength is that they know what they're doing.The doctors and nurses are very professional, and they will recommend a treatment that will help you with your specific fertility issue. Although not necessarily a weakness, but just mostly a reality of life, they're there to provide a service and might not always give you the emotional support that an excited and anxious potentially mom-to-be is expecting.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Daniel Stein at RMA of New York.
$50 copay for visits, plus $60-$80 for letrozole pills and trigger shot.
Dr. Stein is very direct and to the point. I wouldn't ever describe him as warm, but he listened to my concerns and answered all my questions, spoke with me on the phone when I asked for a call, and has been quick responding to my emails... he's thorough, aggressive in treatment, and does listen to questions and walk you through next steps.... He can certainly be very candid - I have a uterine factor issues which precludes me from carrying a child, and he was quite blase to say "you are super healthy, except for the bad uterus!".
Monitoring hours are from 7 - 8:30 am, but they definitely saw people after the end time (I'd always see women running in super late). The good thing about RMA is they have locations all over the city, so it's pretty convenient... RMA is, for the most part, extremely organized. I felt well-cared for 99% of the time - nurses always called when the said they would, I never had to wait longer than 10 minutes for monitoring (and that would be when the waiting room was packed!), and everyone really seems to know what they're doing. Every fellow/doctor I saw while monitoring was incredible, and the people who performed my retrieval seemed great.
How was your experience with Daniel Stein at RMA of New York?
He can certainly be very candid - I have a uterine factor issues which precludes me from carrying a child, and he was quite blase to say "you are super healthy, except for the bad uterus!". This really didn't hurt my feelings - I've known about my condition for a long time, but if a patient were more sensitive, I suppose this could be a weakness of his. His pros outweigh the "con" in my mind - he's thorough, aggressive in treatment, and does listen to questions and walk you through next steps. My first cycle was fine - I ended up getting 12 eggs, 7 mature, 6 fertilized. Of those 6, 3 made it to blast and all 3 were "chromosomally" normal. That's a great yield, but for this next round, we're taking a different approach to try and get more mature eggs and hopefully have more embryos to work with.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Daniel Stein at RMA of New York?
Be prepared with a list of questions and paper/pen. He can be quick when he walks you through problems/next steps/etc. Very open to answering questions, but if you don't have any prepared, the meeting might be over before you had time to think of them.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Daniel Stein at RMA of New York?
Dr. Stein is very direct and to the point. I wouldn't ever describe him as warm, but he listened to my concerns and answered all my questions, spoke with me on the phone when I asked for a call, and has been quick responding to my emails (I am undergoing a second round with him this spring). He'll tell it like it is without sugarcoating, but honestly that's the type of person I want in charge of my care.
Describe the protocols Daniel Stein used in your cycles at RMA of New York and their degree of success.
We used an antagonist protocol. Because we'll be using a GC, I was basically treated like an egg donor. Had to undergo FDA testing, genetic testing, etc before starting. I'm only 30, but egg quality/quantity was seemingly not an issue to begin with - we just wanted to retrieve eggs, make embryos, and freeze them for future use. It turned out my reserve is more diminished than AMH originally indicated, so I was put on doses more commonly used with 40 year olds. Can't remember specific doses, but all were quite high - 225 Gonal H, 3 or 4 menopurs a day in the beginning. Given that 5/12 eggs were immature, we're changing it a little this time to try and get more mature eggs. I was not put on birth control the first cycle, which apparently can promote consistency in follicular growth, so less of a chance of some follicles beating others.
Describe your experience with your nurse at RMA of New York. (Assigned nurse: Kiran was my coordinator. I was seen by a few of his nurses.)
The IVF coordinator I worked with - Kiran - is/was lovely. She's quick to respond over email, call, etc, and always had a great disposition, even when unmatched by mine. My only frustration came from the coordination between Kiran, the nurses, doctor, and 3rd party reproduction team a few times. Because there are so many cooks in the kitchen, communication failed a few times. IE, I was told that I'd be starting another cycle in April this spring, and learned (quite late) that it wouldn't be able to take place until May. This wouldn't have bothered me except that no one really told me - I had to find out myself. All a result of each team member thinking that someone else was going to tell me. I don't think this would be a problem for most, but if you're using a GC, you'll have to work with 3rd party repro and IVF, and those two need to communicate just a little bit better.
Describe your experience with RMA of New York.
RMA is, for the most part, extremely organized. I felt well-cared for 99% of the time - nurses always called when the said they would, I never had to wait longer than 10 minutes for monitoring (and that would be when the waiting room was packed!), and everyone really seems to know what they're doing. Every fellow/doctor I saw while monitoring was incredible, and the people who performed my retrieval seemed great. Very pleased with the outcome of the cycle, and I'm sure I have to credit the clinic and the doctors/embryologists for their great work. That said - it is a big place. As I mentioned earlier, if your situation is slightly out of the ordinary and you need to work across a few teams, it sometimes feels like you need to stay on top of everyone. I was a little surprised that it took nurses/coordinators a while to realize that I was waiting for their next steps, only to learn they all thought I was in touch with one of them the whole time. You do need to be organized with multiple teams. If you're just working with one coordinator though, I think RMA has it fully in hand.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at RMA of New York.
Monitoring hours are from 7 - 8:30 am, but they definitely saw people after the end time (I'd always see women running in super late). The good thing about RMA is they have locations all over the city, so it's pretty convenient (ie, I had a meeting one morning on the east side. RMA UES is not my primary location, but I could be monitored there and then went right to my work meeting after). Sometimes the waiting room was crowded (usually on weekends, when only one location is open), but honestly there were always chairs and you always got in and out very quickly. I still felt like I had time to talk to the doctors and nurses on busy days, too. Overall a pretty easy experience.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Daniel Stein at RMA of New York.
The total cost of embryo freezing was about $17,000. Embryo testing was about $150/embryo plus a fee. We had 3 embryos tested and it was $600. I've heard others with much higher expenses (RMA uses a third party company).
Most of my regular visits were covered by insurance, but I have had to pay about...$500 or so (maybe more) in testing, which was partially covered by insurance.
Describe Daniel Stein's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at RMA of New York.
We haven't crossed this bridge, but my doctor and the clinic do not believe in multiple embryo transfers unless the mother is over a certain age or there's another medical reason to do so.
What specific things went wrong at RMA of New York?
Provided conflicting information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at RMA of New York.
Just minor - this round, I was told by a nurse to start birth control, and that I would be starting stims in mid April. Cut to a few days before I thought this was starting, and I learned from the coordinator that I wouldn't be able to go ahead with the cycle until May. This was mostly due to the fact that I had travel scheduled that could potentially conflict with a retrieval date had I started stims in April. However, I'd communicated this travel with everyone, and the nurse I spoke to earlier said "this won't be a problem." There was just a miscommunication. Not the end of the world for me, but given we pay so much for this service, isn't something I'd be happy to experience again.
[Dr. Daniel Stein] very professional and efficient, but he is caring and kind. Very knowledgeable. He remembers the details of my case...He's very busy, but we does take the time to answer questions, say hello...performed a saline sonogram which found the cause of my difficulty getting pregnant
The nurses and staff are great [at RMA of New York] Sometimes the Coordinators need to be reminded of things, we've had a little back and forth on paperwork and once I didn't have enough medicine, but it was fixed quickly...RMANY has a financial person that lays out the costs very clearly ahead of time
How was your experience with Daniel Stein at RMA of New York?
As mentioned before, he's very professional and efficient, but he is caring and kind. Very knowledgeable. He remembers the details of my case, which i greatly appreciate as a patient. He's kind and friendly if I poke my head into his office when his door is open.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Daniel Stein at RMA of New York?
Dr Stein is not overly bubbly, he is kind but will tell you like it is. He's been a great doctor to me and I've a wonderful child and hopefully another soon, thanks to his intervention.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Daniel Stein at RMA of New York?
Dr Stein is very professional. He's not super warm, but he is kind and caring. He remembers details about my case, which helps me to feel valued. He's very busy, but we does take the time to answer questions, say hello and if I pop my head into his office once in a while, he's then quite friendly.
Describe the protocols Daniel Stein used in your cycles at RMA of New York and their degree of success.
The most important thing, Dr Stein performed a saline sonogram which found the cause of my difficulty getting pregnant and the cause of my losses. He was then able to perform surgery in my uterus and I was able to have a successful pregnancy after.
Describe your experience with your nurse at RMA of New York.
The nursing staff is kind and caring. The follow up calls after monitoring are helpful and reassuring.
Describe your experience with RMA of New York.
The nurses and staff are great. Sometimes the Coordinators need to be reminded of things, we've had a little back and forth on paperwork and once I didn't have enough medicine, but it was fixed quickly. Overall, the Westside location is warm and caring.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Daniel Stein at RMA of New York.
Very reasonable. My insurance covered a lot of it. RMANY has a financial person that lays out the costs very clearly ahead of time, which I appreciated. My ivf cycle, testing, etc all ended up under $6,000, if I remember correctly. We pay about $1400/year for our egg storage, paid in half year segments. I just had a second transfer and it was under $300 with insurance.
Describe Daniel Stein's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at RMA of New York.
Dr Stein does single embryo transfers, which after learning the risks of pregnancy with multiples, I'm grateful for the single.
What specific things went wrong at RMA of New York?
Lost paperwork
Describe the specific things that went wrong at RMA of New York.
Once I was short 1 day of my medication through my Coordinator. I recommend counting or measuring out your medicine ahead of time.
[Dr. Daniel Stein's] approach focused on the facts but still very empathetic in discussing my history and hopeful in discussing my options...understood the feelings I was battling with and was very reassuring...recommended I try for three more months naturally and then come in for IVF if I have no luck or experience another loss
[RMA of New York] facilities were clean and comfortable, the staff was helpful and well informed, and the process was efficient. I never waited long at any point. Filling out the forms they email you ahead of time helps speed up the in office process...nursing staff was very kind and helpful
How was your experience with Daniel Stein at RMA of New York?
I read prior reviews and was a bit nervous as they mentioned Dr. Stein having a less than warm demeanor and I knew there was a good chance I would get emotional during my consultation. That was not my experience at all. I found his approach focused on the facts but still very empathetic in discussing my history and hopeful in discussing my options. He understood the feelings I was battling with and was very reassuring. He explained my options, gave his recommendations, and then let me make the decision. I left feeling more confident and relieved to have a plan.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Daniel Stein at RMA of New York?
I would say this to any patient of any doctor, but I have a good idea of your goals and come with questions.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Daniel Stein at RMA of New York?
Dr. Stein was very understanding of my past difficulties and did his best to be reassuring while also explaining the science behind it all
Describe the protocols Daniel Stein used in your cycles at RMA of New York and their degree of success.
It was just a consultation, and after discussing my history he recommended I try for three more months naturally and then come in for IVF if I have no luck or experience another loss. He felt any treatment in between would not be helpful as I apparently can get pregnant, it's more so getting a healthy egg. Based on my age and goals, he felt trying for three more months was appropriate while still giving IVF enough time if it ends up being needed.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at RMA of New York.
The nursing staff was very kind and helpful. I didn't have extended interaction as this was only a consultation and shirt examination, but I left with a positive impression.
Describe your experience with RMA of New York.
Again, this was only a consultation. But I felt the facilities were clean and comfortable, the staff was helpful and well informed, and the process was efficient. I never waited long at any point. Filling out the forms they email you ahead of time helps speed up the in office process.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Daniel Stein at RMA of New York.
Because this was an initial consultation and it was covered under my plan, there has been no cost yet.
I don't think that Dr. Stein treated me as an individual or customized my treatment based on my history...My interactions with him were limited...never provided any rationales. For my first two transfers, he did them the same way...has poor bedside manner...he could have avoided the positive build-up and sharp letdown
The waiting times [at RMA of New York] for morning monitoring are incredibly long and the hours are short (compared to other practices)...I would be waiting 1 hour + for bloodwork and ultrasound...Nurses would call to deliver results. They did their jobs as best they could. I had more interactions with them than I ever did my doctor so I came to rely on them
How was your experience with Daniel Stein at RMA of New York?
I don't think that Dr. Stein treated me as an individual or customized my treatment based on my history. After my first failed transfer, he gave me the same protocol the second time. My interactions with him were limited; most of the communications were through his nurses. He does not respond to emails and call-backs are impossible. I could never get through to him as my doctor.
He would forget discussions we had (even after reminders), which was incredibly frustrating.
He has poor bedside manner. I would describe his style as terse/matter of fact as opposed to compassionate.
For one of my transfers, my hcg level was really low and though I was *technically* pregnant, I was asked to come back for a scan. When Dr. Stein came in the room, he went straight to my paperwork and looked at the bloodwork and congratulated me on the pregnancy. He used his calendar to tell me then due date and how far along I was. He then did the scan and discovered no sac and matter-of-factly told me it was probably ectopic. The encounter was very upsetting. Had he taken the time to review my file in advance and understand the purpose of my visit, he could have avoided the positive build-up and sharp letdown.
I would not recommend him at all and I would suggest that even if you have the least bit of reservations about him, you consider another practice. My biggest regret is not switching elsewhere sooner.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Daniel Stein at RMA of New York?
If you prefer a sympathetic doctor or one who customizes treatment, look elsewhere.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Daniel Stein at RMA of New York?
Even though I saw Dr. Stein for over two years and had 2 retrievals and 3 transfers, I don't think he could distinguish me from any other patient. It felt like I was just another chart in his file.
Describe the protocols Daniel Stein used in your cycles at RMA of New York and their degree of success.
He never provided any rationales. For my first two transfers, he did them the same way (medicated; with progesterone shots). Both were unsuccessful. For the third, he finally changed the protocol but wasn't convinced it would work (it didn't). When I switched practices, they did a natural transfer given my history, and I got pregnant on the first try.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at RMA of New York.
Nurses would call to deliver results. They did their jobs as best they could. I had more interactions with them than I ever did my doctor so I came to rely on them.
Describe your experience with RMA of New York.
The waiting times for morning monitoring are incredibly long and the hours are short (compared to other practices). There were times I would be waiting 1 hour + for bloodwork and ultrasound, especially on the weekend. They are not efficient.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at RMA of New York.
They just assign you an appointment time so it may not work with your schedule. To change it, you have to call or email the office. I switched to another practice later (Columbia) and you can schedule appointments yourself through the portal which is much more convenient.
[Dr. Daniel Stein was] condescending, gruff and rude...told me he would be reachable by email- but he either forgot or more than 48 hours late in responding...was extremely rude on the phone and on email...provided no options for us or discuss anything...knew I had panic disorder and did not warn me about the effects of this medicine or offer alternatives
Strengths [of RMA of New York]- good location, accessible, some staff are kind and helpful (Mohini is one of them)...Weakness- disorganised, unhelpful, no interest in patient care, billing is also all over the place and can cause a lot of stress...never returned calls
How was your experience with Daniel Stein at RMA of New York?
Doctor Stein is what you expect from a male doctor of a certain age- condescending, gruff and rude. Not to mention also ageist - i would have imagined at 40, i was not an atypical patient.
He told me he would be reachable by email- but he either forgot or more than 48 hours late in responding. He was extremely rude on the phone and on email.
He provided no options for us or discuss anything.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Daniel Stein at RMA of New York?
Please find a different doctor. Fertility treatments cost money and are extremely stressful experiences- you definitely need a supportive doctor,
Dr. Stein is not that doctor.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Daniel Stein at RMA of New York?
1. The first in-person appointment in -person, I had an ultrasound. The doctor saw one follicle - gave me the news and rushed out of the room without waiting to ask if I had questions. He said it was bad news and didn’t share details.
Fertility treatments are difficult and this kind of insensitivity and rudeness wasn’t at all what I expected.
2. He also did not warn me about the probe and abruptly inserted it without saying - it is cold, will cause pause etc. it felt intrusive.
3. Extremely rude on the phone when I asked to speak with him to discuss my results. Condescending when I asked him questions.
Describe the protocols Daniel Stein used in your cycles at RMA of New York and their degree of success.
Ivf- injections along with 150 mg Clomid (it is considered a very high dose and I weigh 113 pounds — i had several panic attacks on the medication. The doctor and his team knew I had panic disorder and did not warn me about the effects of this medicine or offer alternatives.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at RMA of New York.
They never returned calls. After trying several times, waiting in person and leaving messages with the reception, i called and emailed and after pushing really had, I was able to meet with one of them before I started my ivf injections.
They were helpful when I insisted on speaking with them in person.
But the same issues continued throughout the ivf cycle, I filed a complaint with the a management.
Describe your experience with RMA of New York.
Strengths- good location, accessible, some staff are kind and helpful (Mohini is one of them).
Weakness- disorganised, unhelpful, no interest in patient care, billing is also all over the place and can cause a lot of stress.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Daniel Stein at RMA of New York.
Billing is ongoing.
What specific things went wrong at RMA of New York?
Dr. Stein treated me since 2019 at age 30 with a low AMH...left him as a 35 year old going on three children...was always cautious and set expectations...explained the risks and supported my decision to go forward...He listened to me and we would regroup always to discuss next steps
RMA is the best clinic in NY....nursing staff is SO organized! They always called with tons of information and instructions and were always available for questions...They were excited with good news and compassionate with not so good news...They do have many patients but that just goes to show you that they have a great reputation
How was your experience with Daniel Stein at RMA of New York?
Oh where do I start...Dr. Stein is the best thing that ever happened to me and my family. I came to him as a 30 year old with no hope and left him as a 35 year old going on three children. The bottom line is that he is just smart and you need to trust him. He does not give up and takes every patient very seriously. As with all fertility treatments, there are set backs even if minor, and you just have to go forward. Dr. Stein was great at communicating this and going for my wish to have three children. He has changed my life. He was always cautious and set expectations. My first retrieval I only got one embryo and he was insistent that I do one more retrieval before transferring. This was very amazing advice as I got four embryos the next round. I was able to have two kids back to back for this. One of the best decisions that I have ever made (but at the time I was dreading another retrieval). I am glad I trusted him and went with his advice. For my third child, we did one more retrieval and this was four years since the last one. I ended up having my best round yet! My AMH was a lot lower but Dr. Stein explained the risks and supported my decision to go forward. It's been a wild ride but I am glad Dr. Stein was there the whole time.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Daniel Stein at RMA of New York?
LISTEN TO HIM! He knows what he is doing! He takes every patient very seriously and is very ambitious.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Daniel Stein at RMA of New York?
Dr. Stein treated me since 2019 at age 30 with a low AMH. I made it very clear that I wanted at least three kids. He agreed with my goal and kept advocating and fighting for me. He listened to me and we would regroup always to discuss next steps. He understood how important my goals were.
Describe the protocols Daniel Stein used in your cycles at RMA of New York and their degree of success.
We started with 3 IUIs which we would have needed anyway for insurance to cover. They did not work. We then proceeded with egg retrieval. We did two to maximize embryos. We did our first transfer and it worked! We did not test the embryos (which was not Dr. Stein's advice). We did have a chemical for the next one but then a month later we got pregnant with the third transfer. For my third child, we did one more retrieval and did test and now I am pregnant with number 3.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at RMA of New York.
Amazing and I have been with them at this point for years. The nursing staff is SO organized! They always called with tons of information and instructions and were always available for questions. They supported my journey (at this point I was an office regular). They were excited with good news and compassionate with not so good news.
Describe your experience with RMA of New York.
RMA is the best clinic in NY. If I lived outside of NY, I would literally stay in a hotel just to do treatment at RMA. They just know what they are doing and have all the experience. They have seen it all. That is what you want for fertility treatment. They do have many patients but that just goes to show you that they have a great reputation. Nothing slips through the cracks. No weaknesses!!!
Describe the costs associated with your care under Daniel Stein at RMA of New York.
Insurance covered mostly everything. I think we came out of pocket around $12,000 over five years. 6 Transfers, 3 IUIs, 3 Retrievals, tons of appointments....pretty good
Describe Daniel Stein's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at RMA of New York.
I met with Dr. Stein for a consultation to find out my current fertility status...I felt the entire visit was a high pressure sales pitch...was very patronizing and paternalistic...same day I received a call from Dr. Stein urging me to start the egg retrieval process immediately...completed my ultrasound which showed I had a low follicle count.
My experience with [RMA of New York] has been limited to a single consultation appointment, a phone call regarding billing, and then several unanswered and unreturned calls since...has been 6 months and I am now receiving outstanding bill requests...$525 for an egg freezing consultation
How was your experience with Daniel Stein at RMA of New York?
I only met with Dr. Stein once as a consultation. My experience was very negative and actually made me hesitant to pursue treatment at all. (Fortunately I did go to a different clinic and had a totally positive and affirming experience).
In initial discussion I found Dr. Stein to be blunt. I did not feel like he was always listening to me for understanding, but rather, listening just enough to start thinking of his own response. He was very patronizing and paternalistic. For example- he offered (without me asking) that he "made" both of his daughters freeze their eggs at a younger age than I was to ensure the eggs were good quality.
While I felt uncomfortable with him as a doctor and already had plans in my head to get a second opinion, I did consent to ultrasound to determine my follicle count. When it was determined that my count was low for my age I was told that not only did I need to freeze eggs, I needed to freeze embryos, "yesterday," and was escorted, still in tears and shock from the news, to meet with a care and financial coordinator. I declined to discuss financial counseling or schedule any appointments- as I needed to process the news.
The same day I received a call from Dr. Stein urging me to start the egg retrieval process immediately. It essentially made me feel as though if I didn't pursue freezing immediately it would be impossible.
Overall the experience made me feel as though Dr. Stein is motivated by financial gains and was incredibly stressful.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Daniel Stein at RMA of New York?
Consider his reviews before working with him.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Daniel Stein at RMA of New York?
I met with Dr. Stein for a consultation to find out my current fertility status to provide information on if I wanted to pursue egg freezing in the future.
Dr. Stein immediately took that and ran with it. I felt the entire visit was a high pressure sales pitch. That feeling only compounded when he completed my ultrasound which showed I had a low follicle count. I was told not only should I freeze my eggs, but that I needed to freeze embryos "yesterday." While still in tears about the unexpected news I was walked into another office to start a pitch about medication and financing. I declined the counseling and left the appointment. Later in the day I received a call from Dr. Stein urging me to start the process as soon as possible. I felt these tactics preyed on my emotions to make a while simultaneously disregarding them by walking me into a finance office while in tears.
Describe the protocols Daniel Stein used in your cycles at RMA of New York and their degree of success.
Only completed a consult.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at RMA of New York.
I did not have an opportunity to interact with the nursing staff outside of a single blood draw. The nurse who performed it was professional.
Describe your experience with RMA of New York.
My experience with the clinic has been limited to a single consultation appointment, a phone call regarding billing, and then several unanswered and unreturned calls since.
During my visit the credit card machine was broken, so I was unable to make a copayment and the office stated they would bill me later for this. Later, I received a bill of over $800 for my single fertility consultation, which should have been covered by insurance. The bill resulted from being coded as an egg freezing consultation (not covered), despite intent to be seen for a fertility assessment. After several attempts to reach the billing department I finally was able to explain that discussion of egg freezing was initiated by the doctor after he told me I had low follicle count and I was in an emotional state, unaware that the visit type had changed. I was assured after some advocacy that the visit would be recoded.
It has been 6 months and I am now receiving outstanding bill requests. I have made several calls to the office but am never able to reach the finance department. I have been told each time that an urgent message will be left for return call, but have not received a response since initiating outreach in early February.
If you chose to pursue treatment at RMA be aware that it has a profit driven culture. Be aware of the intent of your visit, what your insurance covers and does not, and do not accidentally fall into a situation where the office will later upcharge. Be aware that there is a lack of transparency and communication from the finance department and you will likely need to act as an advocate throughout your experience.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Daniel Stein at RMA of New York.
$525 for an egg freezing consultation (despite scheduling the appt for fertility assessment which is covered by insurance. Clinic agreed to change coding and then stopped responding to outreach when they didn't follow through).
Additional costs for diagnostic testing which were covered as fertility assessment
What specific things went wrong at RMA of New York?
Lost paperwork
Describe the specific things that went wrong at RMA of New York.
I had a negative experience with Dr. Stein.
I felt like a number. I felt that the doctor and practice are very profit driven and use high pressure tactics to pressure patients to pursue costly procedures.
I found the experience to be incredibly stressful.
I have since continued to experience billing issues and have not been able to speak to anyone in their finance department despite several attempts to contact them and leaving several messages I was assured were marked "urgent" for return call.
He may not be the most outwardly warm doctor, but he is absolutely the best and absolutely cares about you as a patient...If you go with Stein; you can expect him to do all your procedures and have high confidence in success. I am so, so grateful for him. Please trust me- not all doctors at RMA are great, but Stein is AMAZING...use his email to contact him- he always answers quickly and listens to your concerns...If you stick with Stein, you will get a baby
Yes they [RMA of New York] have a lot of volume- I look at it as a good thing because they’ve seen it all. I am not a routine case, and they were able to treat me because of their experience. The multiple locations and early morning monitoring hours was very convenient...not all doctors at RMA are great, but Stein is AMAZING...The clinic only allows 1 embryo transfers...The clinic was run efficiently with minimal wait times and dependable instructions during monitoring. It made the experience reliable and not stressful since they were on top of everything
How was your experience with Daniel Stein at RMA of New York?
He may not be the most outwardly warm doctor, but he is absolutely the best and absolutely cares about you as a patient. Everyone else we went to told us we had no chance- Stein worked with us every step of the way and got us our positive FET on our 4th attempt.
*clarificarion: he would have done every procedure. I asked to change doctors for my third transfer due to scheduling issues and that was my fault. The other doctor was terrible and the transfer was painful. If you go with Stein; you can expect him to do all your procedures and have high confidence in success.
I am so, so grateful for him. Please trust me- not all doctors at RMA are great, but Stein is AMAZING.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Daniel Stein at RMA of New York?
Make sure he does your transfer! Quality of transfer changes doctor to doctor. It was extremely clear that he is extremely skilled at this.
Also, use his email to contact him- he always answers quickly and listens to your concerns
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Daniel Stein at RMA of New York?
I was a number in a good way. The clinic was run efficiently with minimal wait times and dependable instructions during monitoring. It made the experience reliable and not stressful since they were on top of everything
Describe the protocols Daniel Stein used in your cycles at RMA of New York and their degree of success.
After 2 failed transfers with untested embryos (I’m 30 and general consensus was testing wasn’t necessary), he did a battery of tests including PGT. He also did extended Lupron depot for my endometriosis. After 2 months, the third transfer was done by the other doctor who really inexperienced/highly painful (because of my request which I regretted immensely) and then the 4th with him was successful. If you stick with Stein, you will get a baby 💚
Describe your experience with RMA of New York.
Yes they have a lot of volume- I look at it as a good thing because they’ve seen it all. I am not a routine case, and they were able to treat me because of their experience. The multiple locations and early morning monitoring hours was very convenient
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at RMA of New York.
Very easy and convenient with no wait times
Describe the costs associated with your care under Daniel Stein at RMA of New York.
A lot lol
Describe Daniel Stein's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at RMA of New York.
Under his [Dr. Daniel Stein] care, we thawed my eggs, made embryos and did our first FET in March. It worked and I am now 9 weeks pregnant and cannot thank Dr. Stein and the RMA team enough for their expertise, professionalism, and kind demeanor...Don't expect to see Dr. Stein every visit - he is there for the important stuff but you will see nearly everyone during your monitoring
RMA of NY only practices eSET. They will not do multiples...LOVE that they have a financial coordinator who handled my insurance. I do wish you could request your monitoring appt time online vs always having to call them on a weekly basis but they were pretty good about getting me the time I needed each week.
How was your experience with Daniel Stein at RMA of New York?
have been a patient of Dr. Stein's since 2018 when I decided to freeze my eggs at 34 y/o. Now at 38, I was diagnosed with PCOS so back to Dr. Stein we went! Under his care, we thawed my eggs, made embryos and did our first FET in March. It worked and I am now 9 weeks pregnant and cannot thank Dr. Stein and the RMA team enough for their expertise, professionalism, and kind demeanor. I am so happy I decided to freeze my eggs with Dr. Stein's recommendation when I did and found out recently that RMA of NY has one of the best, if not the best, success rates for successful pregnancies from frozen eggs. We will definitely be back for our second child and will forever be grateful for making our dreams of having children possible for us.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Daniel Stein at RMA of New York?
Don't expect to see Dr. Stein every visit - he is there for the important stuff but you will see nearly everyone during your monitoring
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Daniel Stein at RMA of New York?
I was always greeted in a warm and professional manner and never felt like just another number.
Describe the protocols Daniel Stein used in your cycles at RMA of New York and their degree of success.
After being diagnosed at 38 with PCOS, we went straight to IVF and Dr. Stein did not recommend IUI or any other treatment.
Describe your experience with your nurse at RMA of New York. (Assigned nurse: Jackie )
Jackie called me weekly - I never met her in person but she always gave me my results and talked me through my next steps.
Describe your experience with RMA of New York.
LOVE that they have a financial coordinator who handled my insurance. I do wish you could request your monitoring appt time online vs always having to call them on a weekly basis but they were pretty good about getting me the time I needed each week.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Daniel Stein at RMA of New York.
For my original egg freezing in 2018, we paid out of pocket about 14k as this wasn't covered by insurance. For our IVF cycle with ICSI, insurance covered us less 10% out of pocket to RMA. I think we paid less than $1500 all in to date.
Describe Daniel Stein's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at RMA of New York.
RMA of NY only practices eSET. They will not do multiples.
[Dr. Stein is] Personable, great bedside manner. Sometimes doesn’t fully explain things and seems a bit rushed during appointments. Wish for more transparency and greater communication. Overall a more than competent doctor whom I trust with my care...My main complaint is they didn’t focus as much on my partner from the start so I feel like we missed out on two opportunities to fertilize more eggs
For two retrievals with insurance coverage it was roughly $20k, including medications for both myself and my partner...[ RMA of NY has a ] Strong performance record and location flexibility. Weak on organization and coordination when working with several doctors for complex cases. This has led to delays in my care, which is extremely stressful when trying to conceive and every delay means an entire month is wasted.
How was your experience with Daniel Stein at RMA of New York?
Personable, great bedside manner. Sometimes doesn’t fully explain things and seems a bit rushed during appointments. Wish for more transparency and greater communication. Overall a more than competent doctor whom I trust with my care.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Daniel Stein at RMA of New York?
Come prepared with all of your questions and don’t be afraid to push back if something doesn’t make sense.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Daniel Stein at RMA of New York?
Uses my first time, personable bedside manner.
Describe the protocols Daniel Stein used in your cycles at RMA of New York and their degree of success.
First round resulted in two embryos. Adjusted medication and added a third to help my follicles grow at a better rate. Unfortunately this still resulted in nearly the identical number of mature eggs being retrieved but I ended up with 0 embryos. My main complaint is they didn’t focus as much on my partner from the start so I feel like we missed out on two opportunities to fertilize more eggs. This was a costly miscalculation and I wish I had pushed back more for them to examine everything from all sides. First transfer was genetically tested but unsuccessful. Doctor believes the poor embryo quality to be a factor and says they can’t improve my egg quality and will focus on improving sperm quality instead, which has included medication for the both of us and a TESE procedure for him. Fingers crossed.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at RMA of New York.
Very smart and extremely busy. Sometimes slow to return calls but always on top of their game.
Describe your experience with RMA of New York.
Strong performance record and location flexibility. Weak on organization and coordination when working with several doctors for complex cases. This has led to delays in my care, which is extremely stressful when trying to conceive and every delay means an entire month is wasted.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Daniel Stein at RMA of New York.
For two retrievals with insurance coverage it was roughly $20k, including medications for both myself and my partner. Billing department does a good job of outlining the costs ahead of time.
What specific things went wrong at RMA of New York?
Dr. Stein is amazing and I would highly recommend him to anyone dealing with infertility. He is confident and experienced, but also kind and compassionate. He thoroughly explained all options and covered all my concerns...He is absolutely not pushy towards IVF, unlike some other clinics. I had 3 other initial consultations at top NYC fertility clinics, and I picked Dr Stein without a doubt....
the staff at RMA are prompt and professional. Their pricing is really fair and one of the best in New York (despite them being one of the most popular and busiest clinics). And we never had any issues with billing. The financial team tried their best to cover everything they could through my insurance (which was not the case at some other clinics). Nurses always called me back promptly if I had any questions and were flexible with scheduling. Covid protocol was great and wait times were always short.
How was your experience with Daniel Stein at RMA of New York?
I am beyond thankful for Dr. Stein and RMA of NY. I am currently pregnant through my very first round of IUI with a healthy baby.
Dr. Stein is amazing and I would highly recommend him to anyone dealing with infertility. He is confident and experienced, but also kind and compassionate. He thoroughly explained all options and covered all my concerns. He got me pregnant quickly, and I truly wish it happens for all other patients.
The first time I visited him, he looked at some of my test results from a few months ago in Canada. The RE there told me my numbers are low and made me feel hopeless. Dr Stein said my numbers are good for my age and I may not need any invasive infertility treatments. Then he did an ultrasound on the initial consultation and told me I am ovulating within the next 24 hours. Then he told me "do the work tonight and you may not need to come back here again". Well, I did go back, but his positive and calm attitude is what really sold me. He is absolutely not pushy towards IVF, unlike some other clinics.
I had 3 other initial consultations at top NYC fertility clinics, and I picked Dr Stein without a doubt. He is also really careful about the health of mother and baby, and didn't want to risk doing any treatments before our genetic screening results were ready.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Daniel Stein at RMA of New York?
If you are trying to get pregnant, see him. He is one of the best REs. I would advise to ask any questions you have. He is great at explaining and giving you information.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Daniel Stein at RMA of New York?
Dr. Stein personalized my treatment every step of the way. He kept me informed and was always very thorough and specific.
Describe the protocols Daniel Stein used in your cycles at RMA of New York and their degree of success.
He suggested IUI as the first treatment and I got pregnant on the very first cycle. I was closely monitored and I think the timing of insemination was perfect.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at RMA of New York.
I loved Elisa (Dr Stein's nurse) and also Jasmine at Madison location who sometimes got my blood and prepared me on day of IUI.
Clinic's availability during weekends and holidays is excellent. The clinic is very Covid aware (checks temperatures and you have to fill forms each time). Phone calls are answered in a timely manner.
Describe your experience with RMA of New York.
Also, the staff at RMA are prompt and professional. Their pricing is really fair and one of the best in New York (despite them being one of the most popular and busiest clinics). And we never had any issues with billing. The financial team tried their best to cover everything they could through my insurance (which was not the case at some other clinics).
Nurses always called me back promptly if I had any questions and were flexible with scheduling.
Covid protocol was great and wait times were always short.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Daniel Stein at RMA of New York.
Their pricing is really fair and one of the best in New York (despite them being one of the most popular and busiest clinics). And we never had any issues with billing. The financial team tried their best to cover everything they could through my insurance (which was not the case at some other clinics).
Describe Daniel Stein's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at RMA of New York.
I had serious concerns about how other people at the clinic treated me. He [Dr. Daniel Stein] was always very responsive and thoughtful...I had success with our first transfer which I hadn’t expected. I was 41 when I gave birth. He definitely helped us get to where we wanted to be very quickly. I had a bad experience with the clinic and he was very responsive and made me feel heard and supported...I had a pretty high AMH for my age (2.56 at 41) but he still used pretty high doses of meds I think. I stimmed for 11 days and got 46 eggs which shocked me. 35 fertilized and 31 made it to day one; 10 embryos made it to day 5 and of those half tested PGS normal.
I had serious concerns about [some staff] at the clinic [RMA of New York] treated me...Know that the clinic itself has pitfalls particularly the east side office. But they are very effective. Overall worth it because he [Dr. Stein] is a kind and effective doctor but have eyes open that the east side office is unpleasant at best and you have to go there for retrievals and transfers and on weekends...My final visit was around 9 weeks. The Dr and one nurse said I could be in touch through the end of the first trimester. But when I had a threatened miscarriage at 11 weeks they were unresponsive and unhelpful. They claimed later this is just how fertility clinics operate due to the high cost of malpractice insurance. I have since found out people about who were helped by their clinics after 9 weeks.
How was your experience with Daniel Stein at RMA of New York?
I had success with our first transfer which I hadn’t expected. I was 41 when I gave birth. He definitely helped us get to where we wanted to be very quickly. I had a bad experience with the clinic and he was very responsive and made me feel heard and supported.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Daniel Stein at RMA of New York?
Know that the clinic itself has pitfalls particularly the east side office. But they are very effective. Overall worth it because he is a kind and effective doctor but have eyes open that the east side office is unpleasant at best and you have to go there for retrievals and transfers and on weekends.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Daniel Stein at RMA of New York?
I had serious concerns about how other people at the clinic treated me. He was always very responsive and thoughtful
Describe the protocols Daniel Stein used in your cycles at RMA of New York and their degree of success.
I don’t remember dosages. I had a pretty high AMH for my age (2.56 at 41) but he still used pretty high doses of meds I think. I stimmed for 11 days and got 46 eggs which shocked me. 35 fertilized and 31 made it to day one; 10 embryos made it to day 5 and of those half tested PGS normal.
Describe your experience with RMA of New York.
“They get the job done” someone told me and they were right. Weakness of the clinic is that the east side office is unhelpful and unresponsive. I had a very bad experience when I went there at 11 weeks after waking up to a gush of blood. I had called the on call doctor who never called me back. Because it was a Saturday I went to the east side-the only open location. They had me wait for a while then said nobody could see or speak with me because I was too far along (had been told conflicting info earlier in my treatment). At this point I’d been going to RMA for over a year and this was shocking and very upsetting. I insisted on speaking with someone and the clinician who told me “legally we can’t see you” wouldn’t tell me her name and was very antagonistic. So I went to an ER and found out I had a threatened miscarriage.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at RMA of New York.
I preferred the soho office. Hours were later, it was smaller, and the atmosphere was more friendly.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Daniel Stein at RMA of New York.
We paid less than 10k out of pocket including copays
What specific things went wrong at RMA of New York?
Provided conflicting information
Failed to convey critical information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at RMA of New York.
My final visit was around 9 weeks. The Dr and one nurse said I could be in touch through the end of the first trimester. But when I had a threatened miscarriage at 11 weeks they were unresponsive and unhelpful. They claimed later this is just how fertility clinics operate due to the high cost of malpractice insurance. I have since found out people about who were helped by their clinics after 9 weeks.
Dr Stein took time to speak with us at our initial consultation and explain all options and then again at the follow up before moving to ivf. He doesn’t speak to you at each step and you won’t see him unless there is a specific reason. I did sometimes feel a bit like a number and my main communication is though the nurses and coordinator...He suggested that we move to ivf after 3 rounds but I just wasn’t ready.
[RMA of NY is] Organized, efficient many locations, nice staff. The financial coordinators are hit or miss but I can tell they care and are responsive. They also seem to be reasonablely priced comparatively. My insurance had a 10k cap that I which I would have know about prior to all the medicated rounds, which the coordinators didn’t inform me about...[our assigned nurse] was great however she was not always the one who called, other nurses were mostly also helpful.
How was your experience with Daniel Stein at RMA of New York?
Dr Stein has many years of clinical experience and I felt in good hands. He’s to the point and let’s you know what he thinks the best treatment is and chances and has been very optimistic with us even when things clearly were not going as we hoped. I went through 3 rounds of letrozol then 2 rounds of clomid and iui. He suggested that we move to ivf after 3 rounds but I just wasn’t ready. When we did decide to move to ivf I did gonal f- menapure, and another drug for ~9 days as I had tons of follicles before retrieval. Dr Klein I believe did my retrieval (this is dependent on timing) and got 40+ eggs, 36 fertilized, 26 to day 5, and resulted in 18 genetically normal embryos . We had to wait a month or so as the clinic was closed over the holiday which was a bit annoying prior to starting the transfer cycle. When we did start he found that I had a bacterial infection - endometris which I guess is somewhat common. I did the first round of antibiotics which didn’t work, did another biopsy and then a 2nd round of antibiotics - which were brutal and both made me pretty sick. They don’t test again after the second round which I sorta wish they would. So that were we are for the past few months, covid hit during this time which obviously is delaying timing.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Daniel Stein at RMA of New York?
If your expecting hand holding every step of the way this isn’t the doctor you.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Daniel Stein at RMA of New York?
Dr Stein took time to speak with us at our initial consultation and explain all options and then again at the follow up before moving to ivf. He doesn’t speak to you at each step and you won’t see him unless there is a specific reason. I did sometimes feel a bit like a number and my main communication is though the nurses and coordinator.
Describe the protocols Daniel Stein used in your cycles at RMA of New York and their degree of success.
Ivf agonist protocol - 9 days, had many follicles - retrieved 40+ eggs, resulting in 18 day 5 embryos ( genetically tested)
Describe your experience with your nurse at RMA of New York. (Assigned nurse: Eliza )
Eliza was great however she was not always the one who called, other nurses were mostly also helpful.
Describe your experience with RMA of New York.
Organized, efficient many locations, nice staff. The financial coordinators are hit or miss but I can tell they care and are responsive. They also seem to be reasonablely priced comparatively. My insurance had a 10k cap that I which I would have know about prior to all the medicated rounds, which the coordinators didn’t inform me about.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at RMA of New York.
Monitoring was pretty easy and I would go to the Brooklyn office.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Daniel Stein at RMA of New York.
My insurance capes at 10k. Costs for the 5 medicated rounds I paid copays and medication cost ~ 500, ivf paid another 8k which included genetic testing (paid 3k for 26 Embyos tested, 3.5k for each transfer, additional cost for blood work and biopsy’s ~ 2k
Describe Daniel Stein's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at RMA of New York.
ESet - clinic does not seem to offer double transfers
What specific things went wrong at RMA of New York?
Lost paperwork
Describe the specific things that went wrong at RMA of New York.
Dr. Stein was encouraging, hopeful and I could tell he was intimately caring about my case and trying hard to get me to where I wanted to be...Very clear communicator, he doesn't sugar coat things and he does what he thinks is best for you as if you were his own child...he can sometimes be so straightforward that it stings a little, you have to be able to hear it and not get personally offended..
IVF retrieval process [at RMA of NY] was around $15,600 and for the embryo transfer I believe it was $3,200 and that doesn't include fees to the lab for embryo testing and it doesn't include some of my medication costs...It was a very well-oiled machine and they worked as quickly as possible to get patients in and out. I learned quickly that Mondays and Fridays were the busiest days in the West Side office so to leave myself more time.
How was your experience with Daniel Stein at RMA of New York?
Strengths: Very clear communicator, he doesn't sugar coat things and he does what he thinks is best for you as if you were his own child. He is goal orientated - his goal is to get you to a point of a healthy full term pregnancy as best as he can and he is very persistent about reminding you about that when setbacks or disappointments occur because he is laser focused on that. Extremely goal orientated.
Weakness - he can sometimes be so straightforward that it stings a little, you have to be able to hear it and not get personally offended because it truly is coming from a good place and a place of caring to get you to the finish line.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Daniel Stein at RMA of New York?
Don't have expectations of every morning monitoring you will see him as the doctors are on rotation, but they are all lovely. Also, Dr. Stein is straightforward, which means he wont sugar coat things, just know that he is trying his best to get you to the finish line, a healthy pregnancy.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Daniel Stein at RMA of New York?
Dr. Stein was encouraging, hopeful and I could tell he was intimately caring about my case and trying hard to get me to where I wanted to be. I had to learn that morning monitoring hours were not the time and place to ask detailed questions since he had many people to see, but he was happy to speak with me afterwards or at an appointment in grave detail as I am someone who wanted to know everything and feel educated about this process.
Describe the protocols Daniel Stein used in your cycles at RMA of New York and their degree of success.
We started with PCOS panel as their is a history in my family, then after those results, got on thyroid medication and did my first IUI since nothing else was of concern based on blood work that came back. First IUI resulted in a miscarriage. Then further aggressive testing was performed because that was of concern and they found blood clotting issue as well as a polyp was found in uterus. I was given a recommendation from Dr. Stein to see a hematologist and had surgery to remove polyp. Had two more IUIs which failed and then moved to IVF. Overall things were showing up as unexplained secondary infertility and recurring pregnancy loss so IVF was the next best step to get me towards a healthy pregnancy. I had a retrieval of 14 eggs, 10 made it past day one and shockingly only 2 were ended up viable to send to the lab for genetic testing. If I were to do another retrieval the nurses from RMA shared with me that Dr. Stein would change my medications to help in increasing the amount of eggs they could extract since I had such a steep drop in eggs that made it through the first week. I am now waiting to do my first embryo transfer
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at RMA of New York.
I had one nurse that I clicked with so I would ask to speak with her when I could and when she was in. The other nurses were wonderful as well and only once did a I have a nurse call me and I realized she didn't read through my file well enough before calling me. Otherwise, they were really so wonderful.
Describe your experience with RMA of New York.
Strength: Incredibly organized, attention to detail and ALWAYS trying their best to make you feel important and like a human and not another infertility case.
Weakness: I don't know if this is really a weakness, but I remembered when I first started to go and it hit me like a ton of bricks how many men and women are seeing a fertility doctor and I wasn't alone, but at the same time I was still working through my shame of being there and ran into people that I didn't want them to know I was there. The west side office is smaller which I really preferred over the east side because it was more intimate and personal
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at RMA of New York.
It was a very well-oiled machine and they worked as quickly as possible to get patients in and out. I learned quickly that Mondays and Fridays were the busiest days in the West Side office so to leave myself more time.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Daniel Stein at RMA of New York.
It was so much especially because my insurance is not that great, coverage is super minimal. IVF retrieval process was around $15,600 and for the embryo transfer I believe it was $3,200 and that doesn't include fees to the lab for embryo testing and it doesn't include some of my medication costs.
Describe Daniel Stein's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at RMA of New York.
[Dr. Daniel Stein] He responded to most of my questions when asked during appointments or after vis email, but i did feel some answers were quickly glossed over or he did not respond to all questions when emailed...[new patient advice] Do your own research, ask questions, but know he is very strict with his regimen and won’t necessarily change things if they don’t work for you.
[RMA of NY] Nursing staff was nice, but sometimes rushed through explanations or wrote the wrong thing in email while telling you another on the phonr...It is very much a factory and i think they are into their numbers and stats. I was younger without any issues for the first IVF so it worked great (we had male factor), but now I am older (probably have older eggs) and I think their protocol should be tailored more for each individual
How was your experience with Daniel Stein at RMA of New York?
He go me pregnant with my IVF ever, but he is very strict with his regimen. I felt like at that time i was younger and probably didn't need PGD/PGS but it was not really explained to me. When I returned a few years later, I responded extremely well but had very poor fertilization results, which were surprising and i was left stumped and feeling like something had been missed.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Daniel Stein at RMA of New York?
Do your own research, ask questions, but know he is very strict with his regimen and won’t necessarily change things if they don’t work for you.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Daniel Stein at RMA of New York?
He responded to most of my questions when asked during appointments or after vis email, but i did feel some answers were quickly glossed over or he did not respond to all questions when emailed. He was very empathetic when the last retrieval did not result in embryos and was available to speak with.
Describe the protocols Daniel Stein used in your cycles at RMA of New York and their degree of success.
Antagonist with BC first retrieval and Estrogen priming antagonist protocol for second retrieval.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at RMA of New York.
Nursing staff was nice, but sometimes rushed through explanations or wrote the wrong thing in email while telling you another on the phonr.
Describe your experience with RMA of New York.
It is very much a factory and i think they are into their numbers and stats. I was younger without any issues for the first IVF so it worked great (we had male factor), but now I am older (probably have older eggs) and I think their protocol should be tailored more for each individual. Also, we felt the urologist with RMA was very disinterested in our case so if you are dealing with male factor, probably best to go somewhere else.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Daniel Stein at RMA of New York.
Insurance covered first retrieval/transfer. Next round was about 15k. We also did a FET before second retrieval which cost ~3500 (failed transfer)
Describe Daniel Stein's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at RMA of New York.
He prefers eSET.
What specific things went wrong at RMA of New York?
Provided conflicting information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at RMA of New York.
I had great response the second tile and a high number of mature eggs, but none reached to day 5. I feel i could have done a day 3, but they do not offer this. We also felt that there may have been a lab issue, but none were disclosed to us. We just had a very usual result that other doctors were even perplexed by.
Dr. Stein did seem open and willing to go over the procedure. But he voiced his opinion early on about what he thought we should do. And being the doctor, the expert, that is probably a good thing. But it felt a bit like he was making the decision for us on what treatment we should do. I believe he did this because he truly felt that this was the best course of action for us and would give us the "best results." He is available at most visits and was very involved in my treatment.
All the staff here [at RMA of New York] was very nice and seemed to be on top of things. The front desk staff are great, they are fast to check you in and have your chart available to help facilitate. ... The only department I was thrilled with is the billing dept (but they have to work with insurance companies, so I get it) but I had to double check a few things with them and not sure they had my financial interest in mind.
How was your experience with Daniel Stein at RMA of New York?
Dr. Stein did seem open and willing to go over the procedure. But he voiced his opinion early on about what he thought we should do. And being the doctor, the expert, that is probably a good thing. But it felt a bit like he was making the decision for us on what treatment we should do. I believe he did this because he truly felt that this was the best course of action for us and would give us the "best results." He is available at most visits and was very involved in my treatment.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Daniel Stein at RMA of New York?
From the beginning go in there saying you want to know all of your options and the expected results of each options, even if Dr. Stein doesn't agree all the options are the best course of action.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Daniel Stein at RMA of New York?
My partner and I are both genetic carriers for hearing loss, which we found out while getting treatment for infertility. Dr. Stein made the decision for us to do IVF before we fully made the decision for ourselves, and that felt a bit forced/rushed. In hindsight IVF is probably the best treatment for us, but we wanted to make the decisions not our doctor. Dr. Stein is willing to explain and talk about options, but he makes his opinion known as well. Which can be good for people who need more guidance, but can come off a bit strong fro others.
Describe the protocols Daniel Stein used in your cycles at RMA of New York and their degree of success.
One of the first things we did after the initial consultation and tests was agree to a genetic test. Doing that test we found out that we are both carriers for hearing loss and that set our treatment off. We wanted to start slow, medications first and then IUI treatment, but because our kids have a 1 in 4 chance of having hearing loss Dr. Stein recommended starting right off with IVF, and we agreed. For the first part of the IVF treatment, I did two weeks of injections, going to my doctors office 10 times in those 14 days for blood work and ultrasounds. Once my hormone levels were up and my follicles were large enough I was scheduled for the egg retrieval. The results of the egg retrieval were 7 eggs, 6 were fertilized, 4 matured to the point that they could be biopsied. Of the 4 biopsied and tested 2 eggs are "perfect" and can go on to be implanted. I am now waiting to start the next phase for the egg transfer next.
Describe your experience with your nurse at RMA of New York. (Assigned nurse: Kiran Preet Kaur)
My IVF coordinator and the entire nursing staff is so wonderful! I started this treatment scared to give blood, I would faint, and everyone was so nice about it and I no longer pass out. They are all really nice and work hard to make the visits go smoothly. My coordinator was always reaching out to meet or just talk and was available when I needed something.
Describe your experience with RMA of New York.
All the staff here was very nice and seemed to be on top of things. The front desk staff are great, they are fast to check you in and have your chart available to help facilitate. The nurses and other doctors all seem to be on the same team and when I had to see another doctor instead of Dr. Stein, that doctor seemed to know me and my treatment. The only department I was thrilled with is the billing dept (but they have to work with insurance companies, so I get it) but I had to double check a few things with them and not sure they had my financial interest in mind.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at RMA of New York.
For the amount of women that had to show up for monitoring hours that clinic worked really fast and efficiently to see everyone. They did a great job.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Daniel Stein at RMA of New York.
I'm only half way done, but so far about $6,000
Describe Daniel Stein's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at RMA of New York.
My doctors office will only do the single embryo transfer on me because the embryos were tested for genetic and chromosome abnormalities, so the changes of the embryos taking are higher. I think that is a safe approach in my circumstance.
I felt confident that Dr. Stein...he set expectations clearly, but was also very reassuring and confident in the course of treatment. I felt certain throughout the process that he understood my case well, and I had better outcomes than people I know with similar diagnoses to mine whose doctors prescribed different courses of treatment...Strong preference for single embryo transfer...The few times I received news during the journey that was less than ideal, they handled it sensitive, were attentive to my emotions, and were extremely accessible
I felt confident that Dr. Stein and the nursing staff at RMA considered my case and my circumstances individually. The few times I received news during the journey that was less than ideal, they handled it sensitive, were attentive to my emotions, and were extremely accessible. They were also extremely amenable to my changes of heart when it came to my course of treatment (changed my mind a couple times about the timing of progressing to IVF - ended up starting sooner than we had initially planned)
How was your experience with Daniel Stein at RMA of New York?
Dr. Stein was very attentive and also extremely knowledgeable. From my first visit, he set expectations clearly, but was also very reassuring and confident in the course of treatment.
I felt certain throughout the process that he understood my case well, and I had better outcomes than people I know with similar diagnoses to mine whose doctors prescribed different courses of treatment.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Daniel Stein at RMA of New York?
Just trust his advice - he will give you the good news and the bad news straight.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Daniel Stein at RMA of New York?
I felt confident that Dr. Stein and the nursing staff at RMA considered my case and my circumstances individually. The few times I received news during the journey that was less than ideal, they handled it sensitive, were attentive to my emotions, and were extremely accessible.
They were also extremely amenable to my changes of heart when it came to my course of treatment (changed my mind a couple times about the timing of progressing to IVF - ended up starting sooner than we had initially planned)
Describe the protocols Daniel Stein used in your cycles at RMA of New York and their degree of success.
Metformin
2 IUI's with letrozole
Antagonist with clomid, "low and slow" stim due to PCOS / high AMH
ICSI due to PGS testing
Freeze all
Fully medicated FET w/ estrace, PIO
Describe your experience with your nurse at RMA of New York. (Assigned nurse: Stefany de Brito Ramos)
My IVF coordinator Stefany was a lifeline through the entire process, and was extremely responsive and reliable.
The nursing staff was also very attentive, communicative, knowledgeable, trustworthy, and reassuring when necessary.
Describe your experience with RMA of New York.
STRENGTHS: communication, efficiency of appointments, friendliness
WEAKNESSES: it's a large clinic. you are somewhat of a "number," but at the same time that does keep things feeling efficient. There were never delays due to clinic scheduling for starting my cycle or scheduling procedures because a large clinic means they're running 7 days a week and are always available.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Daniel Stein at RMA of New York.
We were fully covered with progyny insurance but had no trouble coordinating between the clinic and insurance
Describe Daniel Stein's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at RMA of New York.
Dr. Stein is a genius and I trust him and will always be so happy that he was in my life during a very difficult time...We did our first retrieval and only got one embryo and he advised me to do one more retrieval before the transfer. I was upset to go through this again, but he was absolutely right and we got three healthy embryos in that round! At the transfer, I got pregnant on the first time
[RMA of New York] are top of the line and offer many different services to accommodate each patient. The only weakness is sometimes the nurse would not call with results until the evening...All staff at RMA was amazing and were truly invested in my process. They were always available for phone or questions...They were crowded sometimes, but I never felt that I waited too long
How was your experience with Daniel Stein at RMA of New York?
Dr. Stein is a genius and I trust him and will always be so happy that he was in my life during a very difficult time. He never gave up on me and I was at the clinic over a year and I did not have the best attitude at the beginning. We did our first retrieval and only got one embryo and he advised me to do one more retrieval before the transfer. I was upset to go through this again, but he was absolutely right and we got three healthy embryos in that round! At the transfer, I
got pregnant on the first time. He knows what he is doing and he is honest.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Daniel Stein at RMA of New York?
Trust him and defer to him. He has so many patients and he has seen it all.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Daniel Stein at RMA of New York?
Dr. Stein clearly loves what he does and you can tell how enthusiastic he is to help each patient. He runs everything really well and just being part of the process makes you feel comfortable.
Describe the protocols Daniel Stein used in your cycles at RMA of New York and their degree of success.
We did IUI just to see if it would work since I was only 30. When we went to IVF-it was pretty standard protocol.
Describe your experience with your nurse at RMA of New York. (Assigned nurse: Kiran)
All staff at RMA was amazing and were truly invested in my process. They were always available for phone or questions. It was a dramatic time for me and they were there to guide me. I am going to miss them!
Describe your experience with RMA of New York.
RMA. is the best and I would recommend them to anyone. They have so many patients so that really is telling. I got the result I wanted and it seems that a lot of people do. They are top of the line and offer many different services to accommodate each patient.
The only weakness is sometimes the nurse would not call with results until the evening.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at RMA of New York.
I loved how they were in the morning and I did not have to miss any work. They were crowded sometimes, but I never felt that I waited too long.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Daniel Stein at RMA of New York.
Covered by insurance! I think $15,000 was the cost. Even if not covered-well worth it!
Describe Daniel Stein's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at RMA of New York.
He [Dr. Daniel Stein] was very knowledgable and answered all of my questions. I didn't feel rushed at all. He also was very positive about the success of their procedures. He left us feeling very hopeful:) I loved that he really wanted us to understand what was going on every step of the way...So far we know that we will be doing our fist IVF cycle as well as using Natera that is creating a PGT-M probe to extract the embryos with the Fragile-X pre-mutation.
They [RMA of New York] mixed up my husband and I's blood labels that got sent to our PGT-M probe so we had to do it again which was frustrating because it delayed the probe a bit longer. They also didn't tell us that it got mixed up until a few days after the fact...They are speedy with bloodwork. They are very self contained so it was really a one stop shop for all of the different parts of the process. They have several locations and pretty flexible hours so it was easy to get in when we wanted.
How was your experience with Daniel Stein at RMA of New York?
He was very knowledgable and answered all of my questions. I didn't feel rushed at all. He also was very positive about the success of their procedures. He left us feeling very hopeful:) I loved that he really wanted us to understand what was going on every step of the way!
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Daniel Stein at RMA of New York?
Come prepared to ask any questions you have so that he can help you to get a full picture of your options and what's the best route for you:)
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Daniel Stein at RMA of New York?
He was very caring and clear as he explained every single detail of what he believes is going on in my body and how we will proceed to combat it. He also made it clear that we could choose whatever route felt right for us but also explained what he would do based on our genetic testing.
Describe the protocols Daniel Stein used in your cycles at RMA of New York and their degree of success.
We are still waiting to get that information. We will know in the next few weeks! So far we know that we will be doing our fist IVF cycle as well as using Natera that is creating a PGT-M probe to extract the embryos with the Fragile-X pre-mutation.
Describe your experience with your nurse at RMA of New York. (Assigned nurse: Kiran Preet Kaur)
My care coordinator seemed to care a lot but she neglected to keep us updated on certain things and I found myself having to email her to get information more than I would have liked. She was very positive but because she wasn't as thorough as we wanted, I sometimes got discouraged about the whole thing.
Describe your experience with RMA of New York.
They are speedy with bloodwork. They are very self contained so it was really a one stop shop for all of the different parts of the process. They have several locations and pretty flexible hours so it was easy to get in when we wanted.
Their phone system wasn't always the best because you always had to go through the front desk for any inquiries so you sometimes had to wait a day or two for the right person to call you back.
Its best to email them directly and follow up a lot.
They are however very thorough and do care so much. They want to make sure that you are fully prepared for everything you will embark on every step of the way.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Daniel Stein at RMA of New York.
My insurance did not cover ANYTHING. All in all ours will be about $20,000 altogether.
Visits were $70 each.
My insurance is United Healthcare Oxford (Liberty plan)
Describe Daniel Stein's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at RMA of New York.
Not sure yet. We have not discussed this.
What specific things went wrong at RMA of New York?
Failed to convey critical information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at RMA of New York.
They mixed up my husband and I's blood labels that got sent to our PGT-M probe so we had to do it again which was frustrating because it delayed the probe a bit longer. They also didn't tell us that it got mixed up until a few days after the fact.
They also didn't tell us immediately what all of the exact steps were when preparing for what we thought would be our first approach. This never happened due to my genetic results coming back with a pre-mutation. I feel like I sometimes had to call and ask things that I thought they would have told me ahead of time.
My first retrieval yielded two embryos and due to wanting two children, he [Dr. Stein] suggested doing one more (he wants two viable embryos for each child you want). My second retrieval he completely changed the medical protocol and I ended up with 8 embryos! My first implant took, and I’m currently pregnancy and expecting in 2020. Dr. Stein is personable and you really feel like he wants you to be successful. I will definitely be back with him when I’m ready for baby 2.
[The nurses at RMA of New York] are so friendly and communicative. Always call you the same day as your bloodwork and explain everything. They are wonderful!!...Monitoring is from 7am-8:30am everyday. If in a rush, get there by 6:50, but they always have two doctors there, so you are usually in and out within 30 minutes if you show up later. There are always nurses there also if you need to meet with them...They only transfer one at a time at RMA. It is safer for both mother and fetus. They educate you on why.
How was your experience with Daniel Stein at RMA of New York?
Dr. Stein is straightforward, honest, and gives you data based information. I did 3 IUI’s by choice (he told me there was a low percent chance they would work for me, but IVF felt too extreme for me to start with) that were unsuccessful. I then moved to IVF. My first retrieval yielded two embryos and due to wanting two children, he suggested doing one more (he wants two viable embryos for each child you want). My second retrieval he completely changed the medical protocol and I ended up with 8 embryos! My first implant took, and I’m currently pregnancy and expecting in 2020. Dr. Stein is personable and you really feel like he wants you to be successful. I will definitely be back with him when I’m ready for baby 2.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Daniel Stein at RMA of New York?
Trust him and his team. They know what they are doing.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Daniel Stein at RMA of New York?
Dr. Stein’s team is very personable, gives you same-day phone calls with updates after bloodwork and appointments, and are in constant contact.
Describe the protocols Daniel Stein used in your cycles at RMA of New York and their degree of success.
3 IUI’s—Clomid then IUI’s which did not work (he has said they have a very low percent chance of working for me but I did them by choice.)
1st retrieval—GonalF and Menopur
2nd retrieval—estrogen patch priming, gonal F, menopur. The estrogen priming seemed to make a big difference for me.
Implant: estrogen and progesterone
Describe your experience with your nurse at RMA of New York. (Assigned nurse: Angie (coordinator), Eleza and Krista (Nurses))
They were AMAZING! They are so friendly and communicative. Always call you the same day as your bloodwork and explain everything. They are wonderful!!
Describe your experience with RMA of New York.
Strengths: brilliant doctors and their teams, communication is amazing, space is clean, staff is friendly, open 364 days a year.
Weakness: Your doctor might not do your retrieval and IUI’s. If doing IVF they will do your implant and pregnancy ultrasounds. Must go to Eastside office on weekends and it’s crowded—get there early!
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at RMA of New York.
Monitoring is from 7am-8:30am everyday. If in a rush, get there by 6:50, but they always have two doctors there, so you are usually in and out within 30 minutes if you show up later. There are always nurses there also if you need to meet with them.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Daniel Stein at RMA of New York.
Our second retrieval we paid out of pocket, almost everything else (including all meds for the whole process) were covered by insurance. We probably spent 15K-ish.
Describe Daniel Stein's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at RMA of New York.
They only transfer one at a time at RMA. It is safer for both mother and fetus. They educate you on why.
I saw Dr stein once during my most recent cycle. Once. Things were clearly not going great but I never got analysis or felt like a pivot was being made....Dr. Stein is relatively blunt, which i appreciate, but I never felt like he was analyzing me or putting together plans/recos specific to me while in the midst of my cycle. the fact that i saw him once, and that we never had ANY discussions throughout my cycle made me feel like a number.
the nurses [RMA of NY] were really human, compassionate, and clear communicators.... strengths: they are well practiced, and well coordinated in terms of how they work - it's a pretty well oiled machine but this also is their biggest weakness: they are a machine. It was really easy to feel like a number vs. a patient who's heart is on the line.... with my first cycle, I never got a phone call that all embryos had arrested. I found out when I called to report day 1
How was your experience with Daniel Stein at RMA of New York?
Dr. Stein is relatively blunt, which i appreciate, but I never felt like he was analyzing me or putting together plans/recos specific to me while in the midst of my cycle. the fact that i saw him once, and that we never had ANY discussions throughout my cycle made me feel like a number.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Daniel Stein at RMA of New York?
he is a grown up and won't give you false hope, but you REALLY need to push hard and advocate for yourself if you want time and input from him.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Daniel Stein at RMA of New York?
I saw Dr stein once during my most recent cycle. Once. Things were clearly not going great but I never got analysis or felt like a pivot was being made.
Describe the protocols Daniel Stein used in your cycles at RMA of New York and their degree of success.
My first cycle was antagonist protocol, where I was on gonal f, menopur, and cetrotide. I was a slow responder to the medications, so was on stims for a full 14 days. the retrieval yielded 12 eggs, 9 mature all of which fertilized.. but nothing made it to blastocyst and all remaining embryos arrested on day 6 before making it to blast (most had died off around day 3). The second cycle i was shifted to microflare protocol, using lupron, follistim, menopur. Again I was a slow responder, requiring 14 days of stims. Retrieval led to only 9 eggs, 7 mature, 5 fertilized, and zero making it to blatocyst. All arrested between days 3 and 5. Heartbreak city.
Describe your experience with your nurse at RMA of New York. (Assigned nurse: Coordinator: Tova Niderberg)
the nurses were really human, compassionate, and clear communicators. I really liked them and felt like they knew me.
my ivf coordinator was lovely - but young - because she was there to help with scheduling and not medical advice, the role she could play was pretty limited.
Describe your experience with RMA of New York.
strengths: they are well practiced, and well coordinated in terms of how they work - it's a pretty well oiled machine
but this also is their biggest weakness: they are a machine. It was really easy to feel like a number vs. a patient who's heart is on the line.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at RMA of New York.
It was pretty well oiled of a machine, but it did impact my day - I had to be there 7 - 8:30 am every day, which was challenging with daycare drop off and work, but i made it work. it was easier to just have a window that I could communicate to others than have to make individual appts for me.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Daniel Stein at RMA of New York.
All in all, i spent about $25K on 2 cycles of IVF, and that's AFTER some insurance coverage. It breaks down as follows:
$7K on doctors visits, procedural fees, etc.
$16K on prescriptions
$2K on a separate procedure (hysteroscopy)
my insurance covered (so in ADDITION to what I spent): $K on prescriptions (this was my lifetime max, and i burned through it immediately) $5K on doctors visits/care which was about half of my fertility coverage
Describe Daniel Stein's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at RMA of New York.
we did not make it here, but I know he was a proponent of single embryo transfer.
What specific things went wrong at RMA of New York?
Failed to call with results
Describe the specific things that went wrong at RMA of New York.
with my first cycle, I never got a phone call that all embryos had arrested. I found out when I called to report day 1 on a sunday and a doctor on call phoned me... I had left a message wondering what next steps were now that I was on day 1 to prep for a transfer, and she was confused about what I would be transferring. "you have no embroys with us" she said. Last I had spoken to them I had 3 that were still progressing. They told me later that they have in their logs that a nurse called and left a message, but a) I never got a message. my phone is glued to me b) should they leave that in a message anyway?
I saw Dr. Stein for a long time. He has a lot of patients. I needed to explain my backstory to him each time and felt he never knew or remembered who I was even after many IUIs and a couple IVF cycles...has been doing this for a very long time and knows his stuff. However his overconfidence was off putting to me. He talked a big game about how great and successful IVF is however I felt he did not give me realistic expectations for my own situation. I also felt that he has the same protocol for everyone and does not waiver from that. I felt that he has no bed side manner and bushed aside many of my concerns.
New Patient Advice
RMA is huge. I spoke with countless nurses. They were all competent and compassionate...a factory. But it's a well oiled factory. During the week I'd go to the West side office and the wait was really hit or miss. Sometime I'd show up at 8am and be out in 15min. Sometimes I'd show up at 8am and wait 45min to be seen. On the weekends you must go to the east side office. This was usually very crowded with wait times of 1hr +.
How was your experience with Daniel Stein at RMA of New York?
Dr. Stein has been doing this for a very long time and knows his stuff. However his overconfidence was off putting to me. He talked a big game about how great and successful IVF is however I felt he did not give me realistic expectations for my own situation. I also felt that he has the same protocol for everyone and does not waiver from that. I felt that he has no bed side manner and bushed aside many of my concerns.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Daniel Stein at RMA of New York?
Don't expect to see him for monitoring or egg retrieval. Also if you are someone who does a lot of research and wants to be very informed consider someone else. If you want to not do a lot of research on your own and want follow the recommendations of a confident competent doctor, consider him.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Daniel Stein at RMA of New York?
I saw Dr. Stein for a long time. He has a lot of patients. I needed to explain my backstory to him each time and felt he never knew or remembered who I was even after many IUIs and a couple IVF cycles.
Describe the protocols Daniel Stein used in your cycles at RMA of New York and their degree of success.
Dr Stein always recommends a freeze all cycle with PGS testing and single embryo transfers. As a low responder, I decided this is not the treatment plan I want to follow and have since switched doctors.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at RMA of New York.
RMA is huge. I spoke with countless nurses. They were all competent and compassionate.
Describe your experience with RMA of New York.
RMA is definitely a factory. But it's a well oiled factory. During the week I'd go to the West side office and the wait was really hit or miss. Sometime I'd show up at 8am and be out in 15min. Sometimes I'd show up at 8am and wait 45min to be seen. On the weekends you must go to the east side office. This was usually very crowded with wait times of 1hr +.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Daniel Stein at RMA of New York.
I had insurance but paid OOP for some services. I believe ICSI cost $2500 and PGS testing $1500.
Describe Daniel Stein's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at RMA of New York.
Dr. Stein is very knowledgeable and realistic. I appreciate his management of expectations, while also providing hope. I thought he would be the one doing all my procedures and that I would be in direct contact with at all times. But this is not how RMA operates. So I've been mostly in contact with nurses and his staff.... Dr. Stein is very concise and gives just enough information. However, if you push a bit he gives more information.
The systems and daily operations are very straight forward and easy to navigate. I am an RMA west side patient. However, procedures bad weekend monitoring is done at the east side location. It's very busy!. Staff is always willing to help. Finance, check in, phone calls, after hours service. All very easy to navigate.... [Nurse] AMAZING! Very patient, compassionate, caring. They took the time to answer my questions, no matter how many times I asked.
How was your experience with Daniel Stein at RMA of New York?
Dr. Stein is very knowledgeable and realistic. I appreciate his management of expectations, while also providing hope.
I thought he would be the one doing all my procedures and that I would be in direct contact with at all times. But this is not how RMA operates. So I've been mostly in contact with nurses and his staff. All very nice.
I appreciate that he is available via phone or in person relatively easy.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Daniel Stein at RMA of New York?
Come prepared with questions and push for more details. I am someone who needs to know understand every bit of the process. Dr. Stein is very concise and gives just enough information. However, if you push a bit he gives more information.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Daniel Stein at RMA of New York?
Most of my contact had been with the nurses, who are amazing. Most of them very knowledgeable and patient. Take the time to answer my questions and call the same day. My contact with Dr. Stein has been much less. I expected to be more in direct contact with him throughout the process, however, the option of scheduling phone or in person appt is always open.
Describe your experience with your nurse at RMA of New York. (Assigned nurse: Tova for IVF. Eliza--RN)
AMAZING! Very patient, compassionate, caring. They took the time to answer my questions, no matter how many times I asked.
Describe your experience with RMA of New York.
The systems and daily operations are very straight forward and easy to navigate. I am an RMA west side patient. However, procedures bad weekend monitoring is done at the east side location. It's very busy!. Staff is always willing to help.
Finance, check in, phone calls, after hours service. All very easy to navigate.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at RMA of New York.
Hours are 7-8:30 at West Side office. It's a much smaller office than the East side, so it feel more intimate. Technicians are very efficient and quick. It's a well run operation. If you go only for bloodwork, it's pretty quick. If you also have ultrasound it's a bit more time but not too much more.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Daniel Stein at RMA of New York.
Approx: $7000 for each IVF cycle, including insurance co-pays, ICSI, PGS, meds.
