[Dr. Sroga-Rios] was quick to read and respond to all inquires we had. Was familiar with our case, as we were transferred to her...She was quick to schedule necessary video phone calls to discuss with us, not just through the nurses...She followed our previous protocol as we asked. Any suggestions or add-ons were taken fully and implemented in our protocol. She was able to accomodate our request to get our transfer scheduled within a certain time period. We needed a last minute baseline ultrasound and she made sure it was provided promptly
Felt like a number in the clinic [at UPMC Magee]. We are going through our 3rd transfer and we have to constantly battle and advocate with us. So many new staff, a lot of turnover. Long waits and seems they are always over-booked. Definitely lacking communication. The majority of the receptionists were inappropriate and we had to confront and correct several times. The Clinic is very clean, simple. Bad parking.
How was your experience with Julie Sroga-Rios at UPMC Magee?
She was quick to read and respond to all inquires we had. Was familiar with our case, as we were transferred to her since our previous Doctor was not working for some time. She was very humble and empathetic.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Julie Sroga-Rios at UPMC Magee?
Always advocate for yourself. Ask why but also be amenable to what the suggestions are.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Julie Sroga-Rios at UPMC Magee?
She was quick to schedule necessary video phone calls to discuss with us, not just through the nurses. She listened to our concerns and was very accommodating to our preferences and willing to compromise.
Describe the protocols Julie Sroga-Rios used in your cycles at UPMC Magee and their degree of success.
She followed our previous protocol as we asked. Any suggestions or add-ons were taken fully and implemented in our protocol. She was able to accomodate our request to get our transfer scheduled within a certain time period. We needed a last minute baseline ultrasound and she made sure it was provided promptly. We have to drive a decent distance to the Clinic and she was very empathetic to that when scheduling things.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at UPMC Magee.
Felt that they did not review my chart enough. Constantly asked about my menstrual cycle when I haven't had one in over 11 years, and I would have to remind them of that. Felt that they were accommodating when they were told by the Doctors, they had to get me in quicker. I had to reach out for further clarification of things, was never just told the information.
Describe your experience with UPMC Magee.
Felt like a number in the clinic. We are going through our 3rd transfer and we have to constantly battle and advocate with us. So many new staff, a lot of turnover. Long waits and seems they are always over-booked. Definitely lacking communication. The majority of the receptionists were inappropriate and we had to confront and correct several times. The Clinic is very clean, simple. Bad parking.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Julie Sroga-Rios at UPMC Magee.
$15,000
Describe Julie Sroga-Rios's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at UPMC Magee.
It was not discussed. We did not bring up the topic as we have no interest in a multiple embryo transfer. We are already high-risk to begin with.
What specific things went wrong at UPMC Magee?
Lost appointments
Failed to call with results
Failed to order appropriate test
Failed to inform you of changes in protocol
Provided conflicting information
Failed to convey critical information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at UPMC Magee.
Scheduled for appointments at the wrong clinic. Would have to wait long to get blood drawn or ultrasounds. Had to be corrected because they were confusing my husband with another person who was there for a sperm collection. It was never an issue but we were disappointed we even had to correct/deal with it. They seemed to have a hard time dealing with the facts that we were using Donor Eggs and several staff members seemed confused by that. Some of the phlebotomists were horrible and left massive bruising, had to be stuck multiple times.
My experience with Dr. (Sroga) Rios was excellent! Although IVF visits are typically brief, she always made sure our questions were answered before she left the room. She was honest, yet kind and never made us feel like we were just another couple. She understood that we paid a lot of money and that we wanted to do everything within our power to help get a positive outcome. She made us feel like it was a partnership with her, and not a dictatorship. She laid out our treatment options and gave us time to make informed decisions. She was supportive of us as a couple, and truly made our experience top-notch!
The clinic's strength is compassion and quality of care. They [UC Health Center] truly do all they can to give you the best possibility of a positive outcome. The staff is caring and knowledgeable. The only weakness I experienced was a lack of directions with some of the medications. We were given a brief education day with the nurse before round 1 of IVF, but after that we received no additional instructions even when the meds changed. When I contacted the clinic for answers,
How was your experience with Julie Sroga-Rios at UC Health Center for Reproductive Health?
My experience with Dr. (Sroga) Rios was excellent! Although IVF visits are typically brief, she always made sure our questions were answered before she left the room. She was honest, yet kind and never made us feel like we were just another couple. She understood that we paid a lot of money and that we wanted to do everything within our power to help get a positive outcome. She made us feel like it was a partnership with her, and not a dictatorship. She laid out our treatment options and gave us time to make informed decisions. She was supportive of us as a couple, and truly made our experience top-notch! The IVF process is a very stressful time, and having her on our side put my mind at ease (at least a little!).
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Julie Sroga-Rios at UC Health Center for Reproductive Health?
My advice would be to do you research before you meet with Dr. (Sroga) Rios. She has a wealth of knowledge and will answer your questions, but she doesn't know what you do and don't know. Dr. Rios will not always tell you what you want to hear, but she won't leave you without options.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Julie Sroga-Rios at UC Health Center for Reproductive Health?
Dr. (Sroga) Rios always treated us with compassion and care, while still being honest with us about our situation. Dr. (Sroga) Rios knew our names on site, without looking at a chart. My husband goes by his middle name and not once did she ever refer to him by his given name. The entire team at UC Health is extremely caring and dedicated to helping their patients get the best possible treatment and outcome.
Describe the protocols Julie Sroga-Rios used in your cycles at UC Health Center for Reproductive Health and their degree of success.
My first IVF cycle they retrieved eggs, but none made it to blast, so we were unable to transfer any embryos. We discussed the potential issues, and Dr. Rios adjusted my medications for round 2 to help improve our odds. My egg quality did improve during round 2 of IVF, and we even had 1 egg make it to blast stage. We transferred 2, but the beta test came back negative. We had a consultation and discussed our options for another round with Dr. Rios and asked if there were any other treatment options available to help with egg quality. We were open with her that this was our last try (due to financial constraints) with IVF, and she was honest with us stating she supported a third round but would not recommend any additional if it did not work. We added human growth hormone to our protocol for round 3, and had 2 eggs make it to blast and 1 very close. We transferred all 3 and I am now 5.5 months pregnant with a single child!
Describe your experience with your nurse at UC Health Center for Reproductive Health. (Assigned nurse: Katherine)
Katherine was amazing! She was available for questions and never made us feel like we were asking a "dumb" question. The entire nursing staff looked out for us and tried to make us as comfortable as possible during our entire cycle. They eased our fears when we didn't know what to expect, and always had a bright and positive outlook to make us feel confident when we left the clinic.
Describe your experience with UC Health Center for Reproductive Health.
The clinic's strength is compassion and quality of care. They truly do all they can to give you the best possibility of a positive outcome. The staff is caring and knowledgeable.
The only weakness I experienced was a lack of directions with some of the medications. We were given a brief education day with the nurse before round 1 of IVF, but after that we received no additional instructions even when the meds changed. When I contacted the clinic for answers, they were very helpful and answered all of my questions, but it makes you panic when you have to take your meds at a specific time and there are no instructions to be found!
Describe the costs associated with your care under Julie Sroga-Rios at UC Health Center for Reproductive Health.
The IVF treatment including retrieval and transfer was $10,600. The medications were in addition to that and were another $5,600
Describe Julie Sroga-Rios's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at UC Health Center for Reproductive Health.
Dr. Rios supported our wishes to transfer multiple embryos due to my age and egg quality. The most she agreed to transfer was 3, which was our maximum anyway.
She [Dr. Sroga] was nice and patient. She did explain things better than Dr. Thomas. But she was a poor communicator and turned out to be untrustworthy.... I had started an IVF cycle and was about three weeks into the OCPs with no contact from the nurses [UC Health] (after sitting down w Dr. Sroga and having her write me scripts and describe my plan of care). I reached out to the nursing staff who simply responded that I wasn’t in the books as having started IVF and that “they were all booked up and I’d have to wait until February to start”.
It is very hard to get in for an appointment [at UC Health] at a time outside of work hours. Appointments during cycles are often planned 2-3 days ahead, which gives you very little time/notice. The office is very small and you have to wait sometimes 30 mins to see the doctor. You will see whichever doctor is there when you go throughout your cycles.... The financial lady (Tanya) was NOT helpful in getting me pre-authorized for IVF.
How was your experience with Julie Sroga-Rios at UC Health Center for Reproductive Health?
She was nice and patient. She did explain things better than Dr. Thomas. But she was a poor communicator and turned out to be untrustworthy. As I described before, I had a very hard time making appointments work with my work schedule, and I later learned she was accommodating certain patients by seeing them in her lab on the side. Would’ve been nice!
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Julie Sroga-Rios at UC Health Center for Reproductive Health?
Go to IRH instead. Do your research and make sure you are well educated on your own diagnosis and plan of care, so you can question her and Dr. Thomas when they make mistakes due to not reading your chart or treating you like a number. He “Beat infertility” podcast - especially the episodes with Dr. Rodgers -taught me soooo much and empowered me to ask the right questions. As I described before, I had to call Dr. Thomas after he wrote scripts for the wrong injectables for me - I wouldn’t have known which ones he SHOULD have prescribed had it not been for the knowledge I gained from this podcast. He corrected his mistake when I called him but I nearly paid for the wrong meds!!
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Julie Sroga-Rios at UC Health Center for Reproductive Health?
I saw either Dr. Sroga or Dr. Thomas each visit at this location over the course of my 8 “tries”. I was there about 2 days per week monitoring my egg growth with transvaginal ultrasounds. Despite the fact that I was there so much, it was like we’d never met before (each visit), or like they didn’t bother reading my chart at all to refresh their memory.
Dr. Thomas was worse than Dr. Sroga in this aspect - For example, he would say okay so we’re doing an IUI this cycle, right? Nope, nope not at all - told you that two days ago... at one point Dr. Thomas wrote scripts for my injectables. After doing some research, i had to call him and tell him I believed he prescribed the wrong injectables (as it should’ve been Menopur due to my hypothalamic ammenorhea) - his response was oh yeah, you’re right, I’ll rewrite your script - so I nearly paid hundreds/thousands of dollars for the wrong injectables bc he didn’t take the time to think about prescribing me the correct meds for my personal diagnosis and needs. ridiculous!
It was also verrrry hard to get an appointment time that worked with my work schedule. They wouldn’t let me book ahead at all (would have to unexpectedly book for two days later with very few times available). I had to leave work and flex my hours countless times to fit their schedule - sometimes Is have to drive 45 mins to their other location. And here I am a few years later hearing through the grapevine that they were doing private visits at their lab at the hospital to accommodate certain patients (myself not included obviously).
Here’s the straw that broke the camel’s back. After 6 failed cycles of oral and injectables meds, we decided to move forward with IVF. Dr. Sroga day me down in her office and discussed all of the meds and plan of care. She wrote all of my scripts, had me order my meds, and had me start birth control (the first step of the IVF cycle for me). After being on the birth control for a few weeks and not hearing from the IVF nurses about taking the next step, I contacted them. They very bluntly with no empathy at all emailed me and stated I wasn’t in their system for doing IVF bc my insurance hadn’t pre-authorized it, and that they were booked up for the rest of the year. (This was in early November). They said “we’re all booked up, you have to wait until February”. That was it... WHAAAT!?? Why was I led to believe my IVF cycle had already begun?? why was I started on meds if I wasn’t in their system as having started my IVF cycle!? I had been in contact with the (new) financial lady (Tanya) all along who was not helpful or knowledgeable. This was a horrifying day and was the last straw for me. Their lack of communication both with each other and with me was absolutely jaw-dropping... at work and in tears, I called IRH and by the grace of God was able to get in for my (successful) IVF cycle there - I got in on the LAST day possible for 2016 (as their lab closes around the holidays) - so it was meant to be for me to leave UC. I still feel traumatized over my experience at UC.
Describe the protocols Julie Sroga-Rios used in your cycles at UC Health Center for Reproductive Health and their degree of success.
I have hypothalamic ammenorhea (and my ovaries look like PCOS ovaries, but my hormones do not - this is typical for someone w PCOS).
First we tried clomid but my body didn’t respond at all. Did it 3 times with increasing dosages but no response (meaning my eggs didn’t grow so we couldn’t even try anything).
Then we tried letrazole, which my body DID respond to (initially). The first time it made my eggs grow, but I didn’t ovulate. So the next time (5th try) we added the trigger shot and timed intercourse but no success. And when we tried again, my body stopped responding to letrazole and my eggs didn’t grow large enough/ stopped growing so we couldn’t even get to the trigger shot. Tried again (7th try) and same thing - eggs didn’t grow life enough.
So 8th time tried injectables + trigger + IUI. Negative test.
This is when we decided to try IVF and got majorly screwed over due to their lack of communication and compassion - as I described earlier.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at UC Health Center for Reproductive Health.
As I described earlier, I had started an IVF cycle and was about three weeks into the OCPs with no contact from the nurses (after sitting down w Dr. Sroga and having her write me scripts and describe my plan of care). I reached out to the nursing staff who simply responded that I wasn’t in the books as having started IVF and that “they were all booked up and I’d have to wait until February to start”. This was November and I was under the impression that I was already in the midst of an IVF cycle!! They emailed the above response to me. No phone call. No I’m sorry for the miscommunication. Nothing. It was absolutely heart breaking and soooo confusing!?
Describe your experience with UC Health Center for Reproductive Health.
It is very hard to get in for an appointment at a time outside of work hours. Appointments during cycles are often planned 2-3 days ahead, which gives you very little time/notice.
The office is very small and you have to wait sometimes 30 mins to see the doctor.
You will see whichever doctor is there when you go throughout your cycles. Dr Thomas is even worse than Dr Sroga in regards to knowing you / your plan of care / reading your chart.
You don’t communicate w nurses unless you’re doing IVF - and the IVF nurses are NOT nice.
I described/detailed examples of all of the above in my earlier comments.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Julie Sroga-Rios at UC Health Center for Reproductive Health.
Oral meds were cheap, maybe about $7 per cycle (with insurance).
Injectables I bought overseas from the UK for a lower cash price, about $1000 for Menopur
I had a $20 copay each visit and went about 2x per week for about 8 months. Insurance covered transvaginal ultrasounds silly as they were “diagnostic”. I paid about $250 for the IUI after insurance.
Describe Julie Sroga-Rios's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at UC Health Center for Reproductive Health.
No comment bc we didn’t get that far
What specific things went wrong at UC Health Center for Reproductive Health?
Failed to inform you of changes in protocol
Provided conflicting information
Failed to convey critical information
Canceled a cycle due to clinic error
Describe the specific things that went wrong at UC Health Center for Reproductive Health.
I described/detailed examples of all of the above in my earlier comments, but to recap:
The financial lady (Tanya) was NOT helpful in getting me pre-authorized for IVF. I will say that my insurance company did mess up in that they had accidentally applied my transvaginal ultrasounds to my Infertility Max, which made pre-authorization difficult (bc I had to have them reverse all of those claims bc the only thing that should’ve gone towards my max was one single IUI). So my insurance company did mess up but Tanya was not helpful at all in helping me get this corrected. I did get them to correct it, but Tanya failed to tell me that bc it hadn’t been pre-authorized, I wasn’t getting placed “on the books” for my IVF cycle. Dr. Sroga has me start meds for the cycle and it wasn’t until about 3 weeks into the cycle that I reached out to the IVF nurse staff who bluntly told me nope you’re not on the books and can’t start until Feb (his was Nov). Had I known all of this then I would’ve just paid cash OOP for the cycle and had insurance reimburse me later on!! Still so mad about this.
My other examples of difficulty with appointments and Dr. Thomas ordering the wrong injectables were detailed in my earlier comments.
I completed 3 complete IUIs with Dr. Sroga. We used Clomid for the first two cycles and then switched to Femara for the final cycle. The Clomid was causing my uterine lining to thin, so Dr. Sroga thought Femara might work better without causing the lining to thin...During one of my IUI cycles, Dr. DiPaola had me wait an unusually long period of time between ultrasounds while I was taking Femara. I was tracking my cycle at home and knew that I had already ovulated when I went in for my next scheduled ultrasound. I informed Dr. Sroga, and she couldn't tell whether I had ovulated by ultrasound
I was really upset that they [UC Health Center for Reproductive Health] would have completed the IUI even though there was no chance of it succeeding if I had not been tracking my cycle on my own. The clinic also initially wanted to refund only about $260 of the $1400 I had paid for that cycle, but they eventually agreed to refund the entire cycle cost after I complained. Also, in my initial testing, I was supposed to be tested for three common genetic problems. The first time I had blood drawn, the clinic accidentally tested for just cystic fibrosis (and not the other two genetic problems). They were going to retest but then forgot to draw enough blood at the second blood draw, which seemed really inept.
How was your experience with Julie Sroga-Rios at UC Health Center for Reproductive Health?
Dr. Sroga is very caring and warm. I felt like she took my concerns seriously, and she mostly presented information in a straightforward manner. There were a few instances when I felt that she made the situation seem more clear cut than it actually was. For example, I was lead to think the doctors could definitively tell whether or not I had ovulated based on an ultrasound, but that turned out not to be true (I had ovulated before an IUI, and that would have gone undetected if I had not been tracking my cycle at home).
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Julie Sroga-Rios at UC Health Center for Reproductive Health?
I think she's a very caring doctor, but I would be careful to really press for information and would consider tracking my cycles during treatment.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Julie Sroga-Rios at UC Health Center for Reproductive Health?
Dr. Sroga has a very warm personality, and I felt like she really listened to me about my concerns.
Describe the protocols Julie Sroga-Rios used in your cycles at UC Health Center for Reproductive Health and their degree of success.
I completed 3 complete IUIs with Dr. Sroga. We used Clomid for the first two cycles and then switched to Femara for the final cycle. The Clomid was causing my uterine lining to thin, so Dr. Sroga thought Femara might work better without causing the lining to thin.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at UC Health Center for Reproductive Health.
Honestly, the nursing staff didn't make much of an impression. They were fine.
Describe your experience with UC Health Center for Reproductive Health.
Although I liked the doctors individually, I didn't like that I never knew who I would see. I also didn't like that I often felt like I was being used for med student practice. I felt pressured to allow med students and residents to complete procedures, and there were instances when I endured greater physical discomfort because of that. I also disliked that there were often 2-4 people in the room observing procedures.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Julie Sroga-Rios at UC Health Center for Reproductive Health.
Each IUI was $1400
What specific things went wrong at UC Health Center for Reproductive Health?
Failed to order appropriate test
Failed to convey critical information
Canceled a cycle due to clinic error
Describe the specific things that went wrong at UC Health Center for Reproductive Health.
During one of my IUI cycles, Dr. DiPaola had me wait an unusually long period of time between ultrasounds while I was taking Femara. I was tracking my cycle at home and knew that I had already ovulated when I went in for my next scheduled ultrasound. I informed Dr. Sroga, and she couldn't tell whether I had ovulated by ultrasound (I had previously been lead to believe that that was more clear cut). She did believe me and ordered a blood test that confirmed that I had ovulated, so we canceled the cycle. I was really upset that they would have completed the IUI even though there was no chance of it succeeding if I had not been tracking my cycle on my own. The clinic also initially wanted to refund only about $260 of the $1400 I had paid for that cycle, but they eventually agreed to refund the entire cycle cost after I complained.
Also, in my initial testing, I was supposed to be tested for three common genetic problems. The first time I had blood drawn, the clinic accidentally tested for just cystic fibrosis (and not the other two genetic problems). They were going to retest but then forgot to draw enough blood at the second blood draw, which seemed really inept.
She [Dr. Julie Sroga-Rios] explained to me that a number of women go and get through this. Told me not to worry and that she will do everything she could to give me the joy to getting pregnant again...She explained to me how much ivf would cost and what I Needed to do if I wanted to try and get discount. She gave me every piece of information she had to try and help me out...At first I was put on Clomid for about 2 months. She found that I was producing many eggs but I still wasn’t getting pregnant. She then ordered me the dye test and I found out that both my tubes were blocked so she recommended ivf for me.
At first I was put on Clomid for about 2 months [at UC Health Center for Reproductive Health]. She [Dr. Sroga-Rios] found that I was producing many eggs but I still wasn’t getting pregnant. She then ordered me the dye test and I found out that both my tubes were blocked so she recommended ivf for me...They had a lot of information up and booklets around the office. They were also discreet and they respect your privacy. They made sure that you knew what was going on and what’ you needed to do for the next step
How was your experience with Julie Sroga-Rios at UC Health Center for Reproductive Health?
She was very knowledgeable and she knows exactly what I need to get to try and get pregnant. She explained to me how much ivf would cost and what I Needed to do if I wanted to try and get discount. She gave me every piece of information she had to try and help me out
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Julie Sroga-Rios at UC Health Center for Reproductive Health?
She is very understanding and she will try her best to get the results you want.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Julie Sroga-Rios at UC Health Center for Reproductive Health?
She explained to me that a number of women go and get through this. Told me not to worry and that she will do everything she could to give me the joy to getting pregnant again.
Describe the protocols Julie Sroga-Rios used in your cycles at UC Health Center for Reproductive Health and their degree of success.
At first I was put on Clomid for about 2 months. She found that I was producing many eggs but I still wasn’t getting pregnant. She then ordered me the dye test and I found out that both my tubes were blocked so she recommended ivf for me.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at UC Health Center for Reproductive Health.
They were not really around me, only Julie
Describe your experience with UC Health Center for Reproductive Health.
They had a lot of information up and booklets around the office. They were also discreet and they respect your privacy. They made sure that you knew what was going on and what’ you needed to do for the next step
