I only saw Dr Grunfeld during the initial consultation on how I wanted to proceed with my frozen eggs. He seemed somewhat indifferent during the discussion.... He didn’t seem particularly thorough compared to other fertility doctors I have seen, nor did he seem compassionate... That said, my bigger problems were with the clinic [RMA of NY], which made numerous mistakes during the process...but should go back to better doctor oversight
I don’t say this lightly, but truly feel the clinic [RMA of NY] is just trying to make money and doesn’t have the patients best interest in mind.... Having been to 2 other clinics previously,this was by far the worst experience. Communication was non-existent to terrible. I had to do intramuscular shots - no one showed me how to do them, just sent a video link. The video was inaccurate, which caused me to incorrectly administer the shots and caused extreme pain at the injection site.
How was your experience with Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York?
I only saw him to use eggs that had been previously frozen by RMA (with a different doctor that had left the practice). He didn’t seem particularly thorough compared to other fertility doctors I have seen, nor did he seem compassionate
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York?
The clinic as a whole felt like they are just a money making machine and don’t care about patient results. I only saw Dr Grunfeld during the initial consultation on how I wanted to proceed with my frozen eggs. He seemed somewhat indifferent during the discussion. That said, my bigger problems were with the clinic, which made numerous mistakes during the process...but should go back to better doctor oversight (eg, forgot about prescribing and telling my husband to take antibiotics before giving his sample - luckily we have been through this enough at other clinics that we knew to ask)
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at RMA of New York.
Having been to 2 other clinics previously,this was by far the worst experience. Communication was non-existent to terrible. I had to do intramuscular shots - no one showed me how to do them, just sent a video link. The video was inaccurate, which caused me to incorrectly administer the shots and caused extreme pain at the injection site. I called immediately and was just told to do it the same way the next night and a nurse would show me next time I was in the office. I could barely walk for days due to this. When I complained later, I was told that they knew the videos weren’t right and were remaking them. Additionally they forgot to prescribe and tell my husband to take antibiotics the night before they needed his sample. Luckily we caught the mistake and asked about it.
Describe your experience with RMA of New York.
I don’t say this lightly, but truly feel the clinic is just trying to make money and doesn’t have the patients best interest in mind. Compared to other places we have been, I can’t come up with a single strength for this place
What specific things went wrong at RMA of New York?
As other reviews have stated, Dr. Grunfeld speaks quickly. But if you have read up on medication for IVF, embryo stages, PGS testing, etc., it's easy to follow and not confusing.... I wish more was discussed about the fertilization process of the actual egg, the growth of the embryo, the different embryo qualities and then what happens before PGS testing.... I feel like a frozen transfer with PGS testing should not be a one size fits all approach and Dr. Grunfeld doesn't believe in any other way.
RMA is a great place. It has a good energy, there is never a long wait time, there is always tons of patients there. I think because it is a franchise, it definitely has more of a one size fits all approach. So if your case is complicated in anyway, I am not sure if this is the place.... My questions were always answered and everyone, the nurses, staff and doctors all work together smoothly. I felt in good hands. I just felt like the process of what happens post egg retrieval was not discussed at all.
How was your experience with Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York?
As other reviews have stated, Dr. Grunfeld speaks quickly. But if you have read up on medication for IVF, embryo stages, PGS testing, etc., it's easy to follow and not confusing.
That said, I definitely think he doesn't go into all of the details and is talented at making you just trust the process. I wish more was discussed about the fertilization process of the actual egg, the growth of the embryo, the different embryo qualities and then what happens before PGS testing.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York?
Be prepared before your consult, but I think that applies to all doctor consults in this process. There are so many talented doctors in NY, you have to trust your intuition.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York?
I am confident that RMA is a top-notch facility and Dr. Grunfeld is a great doctor.
My questions were always answered and everyone, the nurses, staff and doctors all work together smoothly. I felt in good hands. I just felt like the process of what happens post egg retrieval was not discussed at all. I had two embryos reach blastocyst and they discarded them based on their quality. I feel like a frozen transfer with PGS testing should not be a one size fits all approach and Dr. Grunfeld doesn't believe in any other way.
Describe the protocols Lawrence Grunfeld used in your cycles at RMA of New York and their degree of success.
Day 2 I began 5ml Lupron and 300 Follistim in the AM and 5ml Lupron and 150mg Menopur in the PM . I did that for 10 days until my trigger shot. My trigger was Ovidrel.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at RMA of New York.
Organized, readily available, always returned calls, followed up after morning monitoring with emails to re-confirm the results of your monitoring and thus what dosages/meds to take.
Describe your experience with RMA of New York.
RMA is a great place. It has a good energy, there is never a long wait time, there is always tons of patients there. I think because it is a franchise, it definitely has more of a one size fits all approach. So if your case is complicated in anyway, I am not sure if this is the place.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at RMA of New York.
It was efficient. No waiting, no stress, bloodwork, then ultrasound and then you are out the door and on to the rest of your day.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York.
15,500 for a complete frozen cycle. My embryos did not qualify for transfer, so that was cancelled. So I received a 5,400 credit. Medication ranged about $3000-4000. I did one IUI and that was $700 plus $150 cost for trigger shot. They do offer package deals for multiple cycles.
Describe Lawrence Grunfeld's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at RMA of New York.
Dr. Grunfeld believes in frozen transfers with single embryo post PGS testing.
I felt like Dr. Grunfeld tailored my treatment protocol to me and my unique chemistry/makeup.... Dr. Grunfeld is kind but not overly warm. He gets straight to the point, which I appreciate. He's direct and no nonsense. I felt that he was closely watching my progression on the stimulation medications, and toward the end, he had me come in every day for monitoring and blood work to see if they could push me a little farther.
The nursing staff was amazing at RMA NY. They were organized, on the ball, and compassionate. I felt like they were on the top of their game and like I wasn't going to fall through the cracks... They are a well-oiled machine. Monitoring hours can get quite busy, but they are organized and it goes pretty quickly. They also have several other locations throughout NYC and you can go to any of those locations for monitoring during the week, which is nice.
How was your experience with Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York?
Dr. Grunfeld is kind but not overly warm. He gets straight to the point, which I appreciate. He's direct and no nonsense. I felt that he was closely watching my progression on the stimulation medications, and toward the end, he had me come in every day for monitoring and blood work to see if they could push me a little farther. it was reassuring to know that he was constantly reviewing my case, rather than applying a generic protocol
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York?
If you're looking for someone who is overly emotive or compassionate, he may not be for you. But he is a kind person and I felt that he was paying attention to me as a patient. Which is what mattered to me.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York?
I felt like Dr. Grunfeld tailored my treatment protocol to me and my unique chemistry/makeup. He was on top of my cycle and was willing to make tweaks mid-cycle increase my success
Describe the protocols Lawrence Grunfeld used in your cycles at RMA of New York and their degree of success.
Dr. Grunfeld had me prime with estrogren patches and Ganirelix before my cycle began, then I did 14 days of 300 Gonal -F and Menopure once my cycle started. He started me out on 2 amps of Menopure but eventually upped my dose to 3 in hopes of getting a better response. I also took Ganirelix for 4 days toward the end. I triggered with lupron and novarell. I'm 41 and developed 9 follicles between my two ovaries. He was happy with this.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at RMA of New York.
The nursing staff was amazing at RMA NY. They were organized, on the ball, and compassionate. I felt like they were on the top of their game and like I wasn't going to fall through the cracks
Describe your experience with RMA of New York.
RMA NY was very organized! I've been to other large clinics that operate in a similar way (eg factory style monitoring hours), but never felt the others were as organized and on top of things as RMA. They called my prescriptions in in a timely manner, were very detailed in their daily instructions and blood work results. I felt like I was taken care of. The only downside (which didn't bother me) is that it can get quite busy during monitoring hours. But because they are so organized, and have the s$!t together, it didn't bother me.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at RMA of New York.
They are a well-oiled machine. Monitoring hours can get quite busy, but they are organized and it goes pretty quickly. They also have several other locations throughout NYC and you can go to any of those locations for monitoring during the week, which is nice.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York.
The total cost of treatment (not including meds) is about $15,000 for IVF plus ICSI
Describe Lawrence Grunfeld's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at RMA of New York.
Although Dr. Grunfeld is clearly knowledgable and an expert in the field, he does not spend time with his patients or adequately explain risks or even the possibility of success with a procedure. Dr. Grunfeld was overly optimistic that my 2013 egg freezing cycle would yield good results. When the use of those eggs in 2018 was a total failure, he showed little compassion or concern and did not follow up with me and my husband to advice us on next steps.
RMA has very good doctors--but the entire approach of the clinic is to do large numbers of IVF and egg freezing cycles without little care for the patient. It is very difficult to arrange for a one-on-one conversation with the doctor or nursing staff.... The clinic is also very challenging to work with concerning billing. Even though my insurance provider covers IVF, RMA required me to pay the clinic directly for certain procedures, which forced me to seek reimbursement from my insurance company
How was your experience with Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York?
Although Dr. Grunfeld is clearly knowledgable and an expert in the field, he does not spend time with his patients or adequately explain risks or even the possibility of success with a procedure. Dr. Grunfeld was overly optimistic that my 2013 egg freezing cycle would yield good results. When the use of those eggs in 2018 was a total failure, he showed little compassion or concern and did not follow up with me and my husband to advice us on next steps. I was shocked that Dr. Grunfeld showed little concern after my husband and I experienced two miscarriages from spontaneous pregnancy *and* a failed egg fertilization cycle in which my 24 eggs yielded 0 embryos that tested PGS normal. It was disheartening that we had to call his office numerous times to get even a short (5-minute) conversation with him and that his response was to simply suggest that we do another fresh IVF cycle. I felt like a number and had no confidence that Dr. Grunfeld really cared whether my husband and I were able to conceive.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York?
I would not recommend that any prospective patients seek treatment with Dr. Grunfeld at RMA. I would recommend going to a different clinic. I now see Dr. Samantha Pfeifer at Weil Cornel, and am having a much better experience.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York?
Dr. Grunfeld barely spoke to me. In 2013, I froze 24 eggs through one cycle of egg freezing with Dr. Grunfeld. The doctor was pleased with the result and informed me that there was no need to do another freezing cycle. In 2018, my husband and I sought to use the eggs after experiencing two first trimester miscarriages. The egg thawing and fertilization process was largely unsuccessful with only 1 embryo surviving to the 5-day blastocyst stage. That embryo was deemed abnormal through PGS testing. An RMA nurse called me with the results. I was shocked. The nurse was rushed and said that we lost a lot of eggs in the thawing process and the fertilization process, and that we also lost more than normal during the stage of growing embryos to the 5-day blastocyst stage. She offered no explanation why our results were so bad. My husband and I were so upset that we called the clinic three times to arrange for a conversation with Dr. Grunfeld. When we finally spoke to him, the doctor was flip. He said that my eggs (and our resulting embryos) did not do as well as planned, but that these results were statistically possibly and essentially no big deal. Dr. Grunfeld then suggested we simply do another IVF cycle--as if it were no big deal financially, physically, or emotionally. I was disappointed, particularly because Dr. Grunfeld had been so optimistic that securing 24 eggs through a freezing cycle would yield good results. Dr. Grunfeld spoke to me and my husband for only around five minutes. The casualness of his reaction to the fact that my husband and I had two miscarriages (conceived without IVF) and a failure egg freezing/fertilization cycle shocked us. We indicated that we would seek another opinion before determining how to proceed. Neither Dr. Gurnfeld nor his office ever called us back to ask what we wanted to do. The entire interaction with Dr. Grunfeld and RMA left us feeling that the doctor and clinic as a whole only cared about our money--not about delivering health care that would help us conceive.
Describe the protocols Lawrence Grunfeld used in your cycles at RMA of New York and their degree of success.
Dr. Grunfeld gave me gonal F and Follistum for egg stimulation. He also added ganirelex later in the cycle and Ovidrel for trigger.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at RMA of New York.
The nurses had little interaction with me. They would call each day with my dosage of stimulation drugs. But they did not get to know me or even engage in friendly conversation. I felt like a step in the factory assembly line.
Describe your experience with RMA of New York.
RMA has very good doctors--but the entire approach of the clinic is to do large numbers of IVF and egg freezing cycles without little care for the patient. It is very difficult to arrange for a one-on-one conversation with the doctor or nursing staff. I felt like a number during my egg freezing cycle and when I returned to the clinic to use my frozen eggs -- which did not yield any usable embryos. The clinic is also very challenging to work with concerning billing. Even though my insurance provider covers IVF, RMA required me to pay the clinic directly for certain procedures, which forced me to seek reimbursement from my insurance company. On one occasion, the doctor recommended that I take a certain test; the RMA billing staff indicated that because they could not guarantee that my insurance company (CIGNA) would cover it, I would just have to pay for the cost directly I was disappointed that RMA, as a clinic that works on a daily basis with CIGNA, would not facilitate my access to IVF coverage by discussing my need for this test with the insurance provider. This was just one example of many by which the clinic conveys that all it cares about is your money, rather than whether the services provided yield the patient the best chance at having a healthy, live baby.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York.
I paid approximately $11K for egg freezing, $4K in storage fees, $3K in genetic testing for me and my husband, and $3K for egg thawing and PGS testing.
Describe Lawrence Grunfeld's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at RMA of New York.
Dr. Grunfeld prefers SET, which is fine. My husband and I had no normal embryos to transfer.
What specific things went wrong at RMA of New York?
Lost appointments
Describe the specific things that went wrong at RMA of New York.
RMA did not properly inform me of the challenges with using frozen eggs, the high probability of egg loss during the thawing process, or the risk that even successfully thawed eggs do not perform as well as fresh eggs in the fertilization process and the process of being developed to the 5-day blastocyst stage in order for PGS testing to occur. Because of these failures, when I sought to use 24 frozen eggs five years after those eggs had been frozen, I was shocked and saddened to learn that none of those eggs yielded a viable embryo. Instead, when I secured the 24 eggs during an egg freezing cycle, RMA told me that this was a great result, which set me up for tremendous disappointment later one. I believe that RMA oversold egg freezing without properly informing me of the challenges to using frozen eggs in order to become pregnant with a healthy baby.
We only met him[Dr. Grunfeld] twice for consultations- meetings were rushed, he constantly interrupted our questions and concerns, made me feel very uneasy about the process because we were not listened to. I felt as if he has a one-size-fits-all approach, and he wasn't even there for my IUIs- other doctors always performed them. ... He will downplay your concerns about medication side effects. ... There was no communication or interaction with him outside of brief consultations. ...
It is a high-traffic, impersonal clinic. ... I often showed up to a pharmacy to pick up my Letrozole to find that RMA had not called it in. ... I was billed incorrectly for a visit I did not have, and I was twice given another person's bill at the clinic in person as the desk agent entered the wrong personal info for me ... I only received monitoring/blood test results during one IUI cycle, the rest of the time I was just told "everything's fine"
How was your experience with Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York?
He is clearly intelligent and experienced, but he is a terrible listener and does not customize your treatment. I only met him twice, even though I had at least a dozen appointments under his care. He was not present for any of my actual treatments- they were done by other doctors. When our treatments (IUI) were unsuccessful, nothing was changed or investigated. We were pushed hard towards IVF, and he did not feel we needed to do any sort of investigation into our undiagnosed infertility.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York?
Do your homework, interrupt HIM- don't let him talk over you. You must establish dominance or you will never be heard. He will downplay your concerns about medication side effects. He talks extremely quickly, gives you no time to process, and you'll be lucky if you even get to finish a sentence with him.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York?
A good friend referred me to Dr. Grunfeld after she successfully became pregnant after IUI. We only met him twice for consultations- meetings were rushed, he constantly interrupted our questions and concerns, made me feel very uneasy about the process because we were not listened to. I felt as if he has a one-size-fits-all approach, and he wasn't even there for my IUIs- other doctors always performed them. There was no communication or interaction with him outside of brief consultations. His nurses were also clearly dealing with dozens of patients constantly- they had no idea who I was ever, and sometimes this lack of personal connection led them to making some well-meaning but insensitive comments during appointments. I had a much better, more personal experience at RMA Brooklyn, where I have switched to after our 3 IUIs failed. We are now with Dr. Lekovich and about to start IVF... She took her time in consult to listen and answer all of our questions and we feel much more secure in her hands. RMA Eastside has a faceless factory atmosphere, you must advocate for yourself constantly, make sure they are billing you correctly (they once gave me a bill for another patient whose name was similar) and always remember that you are a customer at the end of the day- we were initially denied when we asked to transfer to another doctor in the practice, but when I made it clear I was considering treatment elsewhere, I was immediately given what I asked for. Keep your guard up and be ready to go to battle for yourself at RMA Eastside and with Dr. Grunfeld.
Describe the protocols Lawrence Grunfeld used in your cycles at RMA of New York and their degree of success.
IUI with Letrozole, Ovidrel. Always same dosage, no success (3 tries). Felt like we were just wasting time before IVF.
Describe your experience with your nurse at RMA of New York.
At the Eastside clinic, they wouldn't have recognized me out of a crowd as a patient. They were just doing their jobs, but they remembered nothing about my past experiences (miscarriage, the fact that I was depressed about failed IUIs, etc.) and would sometimes make insensitive comments during appointments. I reached my limit when I tried to look at my partner's semen analysis pre-IUI and the nurse purposely covered it with her hand and moved it away from me for no apparent reason (perhaps because we didn't pay for a standalone SA?). I complained about this experience and RMA reached out to apologize.
Describe your experience with RMA of New York.
It is a high-traffic, impersonal clinic. I changed to the RMA Brooklyn clinic as soon as I possibly could, as it is much smaller and the nurses/employees were much more warm and actually remembered me between monitoring appointments.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York.
Costs were covered under insurance, but at the end of the day, each IUI cycle cost about $200 out of pocket, and meds cost about $100 out of pocket after coverage.
Describe Lawrence Grunfeld's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at RMA of New York.
He is for eSET, against multiple embryo transfer.
What specific things went wrong at RMA of New York?
Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
Lost paperwork
Failed to call with results
Lost results
Provided conflicting information
Failed to convey critical information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at RMA of New York.
There were many oversights at this clinic. I often showed up to a pharmacy to pick up my Letrozole to find that RMA had not called it in. I only received monitoring/blood test results during one IUI cycle, the rest of the time I was just told "everything's fine" which was very unsettling. I was billed incorrectly for a visit I did not have, and I was twice given another person's bill at the clinic in person as the desk agent entered the wrong personal info for me (there is another patient with a nearly identical name apparently- I have unfortunately seen her personal info more than once and feel badly about it)- the first time this happened, they entered all of my insurance info into the other patient's profile, and when we realized the error, the agent just waved me away, saying "it's ok, sorry" and I still have no idea if they ever corrected it in the system.
I feel like he [Dr. Grunfeld] genuinely cares about me, but I also feel like he has a million patients and doesn’t remember all the details of my history (without looking it up) and sometimes changes his advice in unexpected ways - also sometimes difficult to get in touch with...I do which he were a little more aware of the psychological and emotional implications of this process...He always respects my wishes for treatment - eg he wanted to do genetic testing for embryos and I didn’t but was ok with my Choice
Very organized and almost always available - they [RMA] run like a machine. Everyone able to access our records so no issues seeing different doctors and nurses. Sometimes hard to get in touch via phone - you call and leave a message and person may not call you back until much later in the day at an inconvenient time....Almost everything went smoothly. Only incident I remember was when I had a chemical pregnancy and they forgot to call with blood results.
How was your experience with Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York?
He’s an expert in his field and has been doing this longer than most. At this point he knows my history and has given me my amazing child so it’s hard to have negative feelings, but I do which he were a little more aware of the psychological and emotional implications of this process.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York?
Don’t expect sensitivity all the time - he is not the most socially aware person.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York?
I feel like he genuinely cares about me, but I also feel like he has a million patients and doesn’t remember all the details of my history (without looking it up) and sometimes changes his advice in unexpected ways - also sometimes difficult to get in touch with
Describe the protocols Lawrence Grunfeld used in your cycles at RMA of New York and their degree of success.
He always respects my wishes for treatment - eg he wanted to do genetic testing for embryos and I didn’t but was ok with my Choice
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at RMA of New York.
Almost all of the nurses are very sensitive and communicate Instructions clearly.
Describe your experience with RMA of New York.
Very organized and almost always available - they run like a machine. Everyone able to access our records so no issues seeing different doctors and nurses. Sometimes hard to get in touch via phone - you call and leave a message and person may not call you back until much later in the day at an inconvenient time.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at RMA of New York.
Like could get very long on the weekends but felt it was as efficient as possible. Sometimes I can’t a little after monitoring hours and was never an issue
Describe the costs associated with your care under Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York.
About $10k for IVF cycle and $5k for meds
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.
Almost everything went smoothly. Only incident I remember was when I had a chemical pregnancy and they forgot to call with blood results. When I finally got in touch with them three said I would have to wait until the next day (which was thanksgiving- so was hard to get in touch but finally did)
I have seen MANY doctors in the office. Dr. Grunfeld has called me a few times to explain next steps. I wish that questions were answered at the time of the visit, however. I find that I have to call into the office or email the nurses with questions. He also isn’t the doctor that does my retrieval, but I know timing does play a factor in this.... The office moves quick at times. I feel like I have a lot of unanswered questions that requires me to email or call the office at a later point.
The office [RMA of NY] moves quick at times. I feel like I have a lot of unanswered questions that requires me to email or call the office at a later point.... Anytime I email the nurses they get back to me with an answer quick and prompt. They are friendly and easy to approach with questions.... My medications were sent to CVS. CVS doesn’t fill fertility meds. I was then told to call and figure out what happened instead of the IVF coordinator.
How was your experience with Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York?
I have seen MANY doctors in the office. Dr. Grunfeld has called me a few times to explain next steps. I wish that questions were answered at the time of the visit, however. I find that I have to call into the office or email the nurses with questions. He also isn’t the doctor that does my retrieval, but I know timing does play a factor in this.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York?
Ask a lot of questions and demand to get answers before you leave.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York?
The office moves quick at times. I feel like I have a lot of unanswered questions that requires me to email or call the office at a later point.
Describe the protocols Lawrence Grunfeld used in your cycles at RMA of New York and their degree of success.
We did 3 IUIs due to insurance purposes. Those failed and we moved into IVF. The first round resulted in zero embryos that could be used. We moved into another round of IVF but only had 4 eggs and body was responding well to meds (GonalF- 225 and Menopur 2 vials). We changed to an IUI cycle which ended up failing. I was also diagnosed with endometritis after the retrevial.
Describe your experience with your nurse at RMA of New York. (Assigned nurse: Vivian and Clara)
Anytime I email the nurses they get back to me with an answer quick and prompt. They are friendly and easy to approach with questions.
Describe your experience with RMA of New York.
Strengths- runs like a well oiled machine. They seem to have all appointments in an appropriate time. You know what to expect when it comes to medications and appointments necessary.
Weaknesses- sometimes you feel like a number. Ask lots of questions!
Describe the costs associated with your care under Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York.
I have insurance. Currently an IVF cycle is approximately $6,200.
Describe Lawrence Grunfeld's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at RMA of New York.
No comment here. Haven’t gotten to a transfer yet.
What specific things went wrong at RMA of New York?
Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
Describe the specific things that went wrong at RMA of New York.
My medications were sent to CVS. CVS doesn’t fill fertility meds. I was then told to call and figure out what happened instead of the IVF coordinator. Took almost a week to straighten it out (only to find out the number of refills then got messed up as a result)
[Dr. Lawrence Grunfeld was] Not a good listener; talks without pause so you have to interrupt to say or ask anything. Did not tell us I had diminished ovarian reserve until at least 6 months after treatment started. Because we were instead told nothing was wrong with either of us we delayed treatment. He never told me that there was a possibility anything could go wrong during my IVF cycle other than not getting pregnant after transfer, so I was shocked, confused and devastated when he cancelled my cycle because I did not produce eggs. This is after he told me when my retrieval date would be without ever saying it was contingent on the stimulating medication working. I never knew not getting to retrieval was a possibility.
Very organized nurses and staff [at RMA of New York], polite front desk personnel. Waits could be very long. Educate yourself before your first visit...The nurses were very knowledgeable. Some were also caring, some were cold...We did not hear. Ack about bloodwork. Ordered repeat of bloodwork by accident. Did not give me a proper diagnosis. Did not advise on possible outcomes to procedure...Felt rushed through visits and had to be incredibly forceful to have a chance to ask questions. Did not feel he really wanted to answe my questions. Did not give us a thorough diagnosis or explain the process and possible setbacks that can happen during an IVF cycle.
How was your experience with Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York?
Not a good listener; talks without pause so you have to interrupt to say or ask anything. Did not tell us I had diminished ovarian reserve until at least 6 months after treatment started. Because we were instead told nothing was wrong with either of us we delayed treatment. He never told me that there was a possibility anything could go wrong during my IVF cycle other than not getting pregnant after transfer, so I was shocked, confused and devastated when he cancelled my cycle because I did not produce eggs. This is after he told me when my retrieval date would be without ever saying it was contingent on the stimulating medication working. I never knew not getting to retrieval was a possibility.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York?
Ask a lot of questions. Find out as much as you can about treatments before seeing him. Take it upon yourself to get educated as he is very relaxed and doesn't seem to think need fertility help is as traumatic to patients as it can be.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York?
Felt rushed through visits and had to be incredibly forceful to have a chance to ask questions. Did not feel he really wanted to answe my questions. Did not give us a thorough diagnosis or explain the process and possible setbacks that can happen during an IVF cycle.
Describe the protocols Lawrence Grunfeld used in your cycles at RMA of New York and their degree of success.
Since I was ovulating on our initial visit, we opted to try IUI. When that didn't work he suggested not trying IUI again and do IVF. I was hesitant about all the medications, and since he said nothing was wrong with either one of us, we decided to try naturally for a few more months. When still no success we went back and that's when he said- by looking at the original bloodwork- that I had low ovation reserve. We were startled and decided to do IVF as soon as possible. I started meds and went for monitoring two times where he told me everything was good and when my retrieval would be, then on the third he said "nope nothing is happening" when I had an ultrasound. I asked what he meant and he said nothing is happening so the cycle is cancelled and sent me home. My husband scheduled a follow up as we were shocked and confused, and the dr was very casual said who know's why and we can try again without any suggestions for changing the process. So we left and decide to check into other doctors.
Describe your experience with your nurse at RMA of New York.
The nurses were very knowledgeable. Some were also caring, some were cold.
Describe your experience with RMA of New York.
Very organized nurses and staff, polite front desk personnel.
Waits could be very long.
Educate yourself before your first visit.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York.
I don't remember specifically but with treatment and medication comebine we probable spent about $1000 out of pocket (I have insurance)
Describe Lawrence Grunfeld's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at RMA of New York.
He said multiple isn't recommended.
What specific things went wrong at RMA of New York?
Failed to call with results
Failed to order appropriate test
Failed to convey critical information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at RMA of New York.
We did not hear. Ack about bloodwork.
Ordered repeat of bloodwork by accident.
Did not give me a proper diagnosis.
Did not advise on possible outcomes to procedure.
When I miscarried my genetically-tested embryo, I felt I could have used a little more sympathy and care from Dr. Grunfeld. He said he was "sorry" and knew it was "disappointing" but at my follow up appointment (after the miscarriage and after the second failed cycle) was all about statistics and why I should keep going, with little thought to what I had been through...I think Dr. Grunfeld is a good "doctor" and by that, I mean a scientist. I think he "knows his stuff" and is generally a decent person. My chief complaint is that he was way too overly optimistic when I first started and, as a consequence, I was extremely shocked by what happened and where I am now.
There were on occasion very long waits but I don't blame the clinic [RMA] for that. I think they moved people in and out as efficiently as possible...The nursing staff is overall very responsive and very nice. I have no complaints about them...I'd say on balance, I felt more like a number. The cycle process itself is very "cattle-cally" with little time spent with the patient. This did not bother me so much because I understand they have to see a lot of patients, and it is very much a "numbers" game.
How was your experience with Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York?
I think Dr. Grunfeld is a good "doctor" and by that, I mean a scientist. I think he "knows his stuff" and is generally a decent person. My chief complaint is that he was way too overly optimistic when I first started and, as a consequence, I was extremely shocked by what happened and where I am now. When I went to see him about IVF, he made it seem like a fait-accompli that I would have a baby. And it all went well -- until it didn't. I had one embryo from my first round that genetically tested normal and implanted. I miscarried it, and it turned out the fetus had Down's Syndrome. Dr. Grunfeld never communicated to me that PGS was not 100% (I am sure I signed something that said I know). I would have appreciated a little more caution from him and a little more sympathy. When I went in for my follow up appointment, he didn't remember that the fetus had Down's and was not prepared. This was upsetting. He also urged me to another round which I did. I got 10 eggs but no PGS-normal embryos. When I went to see him for my next follow-up appointment, he told me to keep going but I could not at that point as my insurance had run out. I then did an IUI where I really felt like an afterthought to him and the clinic. Overall, it was a disappointing experience though I don't really blame Dr. Grunfeld.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York?
Be careful if he is overly optimistic. IVF is not a fail-safe. Dr. Grunfeld will make it seem like it is.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York?
I'd say on balance, I felt more like a number. The cycle process itself is very "cattle-cally" with little time spent with the patient. This did not bother me so much because I understand they have to see a lot of patients, and it is very much a "numbers" game.
When I miscarried my genetically-tested embryo, I felt I could have used a little more sympathy and care from Dr. Grunfeld. He said he was "sorry" and knew it was "disappointing" but at my follow up appointment (after the miscarriage and after the second failed cycle) was all about statistics and why I should keep going, with little thought to what I had been through.
Describe the protocols Lawrence Grunfeld used in your cycles at RMA of New York and their degree of success.
I had the same protocol for both cycles. Gonal-F (c. 150), Menopur (between 2-3 vials), then the trigger. Dr. Grunfeld made no adjustments in between cycles which I understand. Both cycles produced a good amount of eggs -- it was just an egg quality issue given my age.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at RMA of New York.
The nursing staff is overall very responsive and very nice. I have no complaints about them.
Describe your experience with RMA of New York.
Strengths are experience, organization, coordination. Weaknesses are that it can feel a bit impersonal.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at RMA of New York.
There were on occasion very long waits but I don't blame the clinic for that. I think they moved people in and out as efficiently as possible.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York.
My insurance covered most of it though I had to $1,000 per cycle for shipping of the embryos, $750 per cycle for anastheisa, and $3,000 for genetic testing of up to 10 embryos.
Dr Grunfeld always gave me his time and explained everything with patience and care. He responded to emails and calls right away (either personally or via his nurse) He also made me feel like he was disappointed when I was disappointed and he was optimistic when I couldn't be. I felt like he was a cheerleader all along...My diagnosis was unexplained secondary infertility so we knew we had a good chance of a positive outcome out was just a matter of the right egg and the right sperm at the right time. I got pregnant on a medicated cycle with timed intercourse (had my second baby). When we decided we wanted a third child and the same treatment didn't work Dr. Grunfeld encouraged me to consider IVF and reviewed my chances of success etc. When we finally decided to go ahead with it he discussed our desire to transfer two embryos (he advised not to but told us it was our decision and I'm glad we listened!!). We had our third healthy baby, on our second transfer.
[RMA of New York] Can feel a bit like a factory at monitoring time but that's the nature of the job. I understood they had about 100 women to monitor in a two hour window, they had to move fast...Dr Grunfeld always gave me his time and explained everything with patience and care. He responded to emails and calls right away (either personally or via his nurse) He also made me feel like he was disappointed when I was disappointed and he was optimistic when I couldn't be. I felt like he was a cheerleader all along...My diagnosis was unexplained secondary infertility so we knew we had a good chance of a positive outcome out was just a matter of the right egg and the right sperm at the right time. I got pregnant on a medicated cycle with timed intercourse (had my second baby). When we decided we wanted a third child and the same treatment didn't work Dr. Grunfeld encouraged me to consider IVF and reviewed my chances of success etc. When we finally decided to go ahead with it he discussed our desire to transfer two embryos (he advised not to but told us it was our decision and I'm glad we listened!!). We had our third healthy baby, on our second transfer.
How was your experience with Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York?
I felt I was in the hands of a true expert who is one of the top in his field. I knew about Dr. Grunfeld's excellence and knowledge, yet his humble and down to earth personality made me feel that he was approachable and truly cared about the outcome of our treatments (Not just my payments).
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York?
Ask questions and don't be shy!!
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York?
Dr Grunfeld always gave me his time and explained everything with patience and care. He responded to emails and calls right away (either personally or via his nurse) He also made me feel like he was disappointed when I was disappointed and he was optimistic when I couldn't be. I felt like he was a cheerleader all along.
Describe the protocols Lawrence Grunfeld used in your cycles at RMA of New York and their degree of success.
My diagnosis was unexplained secondary infertility so we knew we had a good chance of a positive outcome out was just a matter of the right egg and the right sperm at the right time. I got pregnant on a medicated cycle with timed intercourse (had my second baby). When we decided we wanted a third child and the same treatment didn't work Dr. Grunfeld encouraged me to consider IVF and reviewed my chances of success etc. When we finally decided to go ahead with it he discussed our desire to transfer two embryos (he advised not to but told us it was our decision and I'm glad we listened!!). We had our third healthy baby, on our second transfer.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at RMA of New York.
They were very professional, organised, patient and knowledgeable.
Describe your experience with RMA of New York.
Can feel a bit like a factory at monitoring time but that's the nature of the job. I understood they had about 100 women to monitor in a two hour window, they had to move fast.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at RMA of New York.
Well oiled machine. Super efficient.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York.
Insurance covered my medicated cycles and meds. They also covered my ivf meds. I paid for my ivf via a loan from a charitable organization that works with couples trying to conceive. They work with RMA very frequently.
Describe Lawrence Grunfeld's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at RMA of New York.
Dr. Grunfeld is very knowledgeable and knows what he is doing. He personalay follows his patients through their treatments and he makes the decisions about medications and timing. Not all doctors do that, even at RMA. We got pregnant very quickly while working with Dr. Grunfeld. Some people say he is not warm and fuzzy and I am sure there are doctors who rate higher on that metric, but he is not cold, and gets results
The staff [at RMA of New York] was fantastic. Theyare responsive, helpful, and suportive. They call you back quickly. I once called with basic ally a very emotional question and when I apologized for calling with such, the nurse said this was part of her job and really calmed me down. They also helped with prescriptions and referrals very quickly. Dr. Grunfeld had mentioned seeing an endocrinologist for a thyroid issue. That doctor did not take my insurance. When I asked the coordinator, she told me not to spend out of pocket money for that and helped me find another in network doctor with whom I was very happy.
How was your experience with Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York?
Dr. Grunfeld is very knowledgeable and knows what he is doing. He personalay follows his patients through their treatments and he makes the decisions about medications and timing. Not all doctors do that, even at RMA. We got pregnant very quickly while working with Dr. Grunfeld. Some people say he is not warm and fuzzy and I am sure there are doctors who rate higher on that metric, but he is not cold, and gets results
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York?
Dr. Grunfeld is excellent at giving information and explaining your situation. We saw him for a second opinion and just looking through my chart from another clinic, he gave me lots of information the original doctor had not, even though it was the other doctor's chart. He also gave me more information following a physical exam. He explains things well and answers questions well. When we got bad news during one cycle, he was immediately available and followed up quickly and thorouthly. I also felt his information was realistic.
Describe the protocols Lawrence Grunfeld used in your cycles at RMA of New York and their degree of success.
Don't recall
Describe your experience with your nurse at RMA of New York. (Assigned nurse: Kimberly (coordinator) Carrie (nurse).)
The staff was fantastic. Theyare responsive, helpful, and suportive. They call you back quickly. I once called with basic ally a very emotional question and when I apologized for calling with such, the nurse said this was part of her job and really calmed me down. They also helped with prescriptions and referrals very quickly. Dr. Grunfeld had mentioned seeing an endocrinologist for a thyroid issue. That doctor did not take my insurance. When I asked the coordinator, she told me not to spend out of pocket money for that and helped me find another in network doctor with whom I was very happy.
Describe your experience with RMA of New York.
RMA is very well run and very warm. The doctors have coordinators and nurses who work their patients. I went for screening at the East side location and in Brooklyn. Sometimes screening in Brooklyn could take a long time because there was only one doctor. You could always meet with a nurse during screening too.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at RMA of New York.
Screening was in the morning. I generally tried to get there early and did not wait long. The doctors at the East side location did not spend a lot of time with you but you could see a nurse. In Brooklyn, the doctor would spend more time and would generally give you a lot of information about your exam and answer questions but you could also wait longer.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York.
Dr. Grunfeld is very patient and easy going, he very knowledgeable is good about answering any questions you have; however, I felt like I had to be in charge... I also felt he was very pushy towards doing an IVF. I feel like the saline ultrasound should have been done before my 3 unsuccessful IUI s...r. Grunfeld saw the ultrasound he was convinced my uterus was fine and that it wasn't anything to worry about. I had to push him to do the hysteroscopy , he did in fact find and remove polyps.
Very organized [at RMA - New York] , sometimes wait times during weekend monitoring hours are long. You need to be on top of them with your paperwork and blood work, they don't always call u back for results u need to call back...Nurse always answered phone calls took few days to get an answer via email. Nurse was patient and caring... I paid approximately $1400 for hysteroscopy...I was covered by insurance for IUI and Clomid. I paid $75 for Ovadril.
How was your experience with Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York?
Dr. Grunfeld is very patient and easy going, he very knowledgeable is good about answering any questions you have; however, I felt like I had to be in charge. For example I kept on telling him I was staining between cycles he said it's normal, may just be mid-cycle bleeding. It wasn't until I went to the Brooklyn office to do monitoring where I spoke to Dr. Kudesia and she suggested a saline ultrasound sound, she did it and found polyps. She told me I should have a hysteroscopy to remove them. Even after Dr. Grunfeld saw the ultrasound he was convinced my uterus was fine and that it wasn't anything to worry about. I had to push him to do the hysteroscopy , he did in fact find and remove polyps. I also felt he was very pushy towards doing an IVF. I feel like the saline ultrasound should have been done before my 3 unsuccessful IUI s.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York?
do your research and fight for what you want and believe.
Describe your experience with your nurse at RMA of New York. (Assigned nurse: Don't remember the name)
Nurse always answered phone calls took few days to get an answer via email. Nurse was patient and caring
Describe your experience with RMA of New York.
Very organized , sometimes wait times during weekend monitoring hours are long. You need to be on top of them with your paperwork and blood work, they don't always call u back for results u need to call back
Describe the costs associated with your care under Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York.
I was covered by insurance for IUI and Clomid. I paid $75 for Ovadril. I paid approximately $1400 for hysteroscopy which went towards my $2000 deductable .
What specific things went wrong at RMA of New York?
When i first met Lawrence Grunfeld he mis diagnosed me. He told me i had alot of follicles while he himself was doing my ultrasound. He anticipated no issues. I then received my AMH results back of .20 and i was confused how i had many follicles in my ultrasound yet such a low AMH.... Apparently i had not many follicles on my ultrasound which made more sense with my low AMH. I am till this day confused/shocked how a reputable doctor made such a mistake of telling me i had many follicles when in fact i barely had any.
I cant really comment on the clinic [RMA of NY]. I ran away pretty quickly after my cycle was canceled. There was no reason we couldnt proceed with 5 follicles. But maybe it was for there statistics.... It was expensive. They still wanted me to pay for a full cycle which was alot considering my cycle was canceled rather quickly.... They charge for helping you administer shots. In my other clinics they did it for free
How was your experience with Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York?
When i first met Lawrence Grunfeld he mis diagnosed me. He told me i had alot of follicles while he himself was doing my ultrasound. He anticipated no issues. I then received my AMH results back of .20 and i was confused how i had many follicles in my ultrasound yet such a low AMH. I was at a loss and confused and he was nowhere to be found. When i finally reached him he brushed off this mistake like it was no big deal. Apparently i had not many follicles on my ultrasound which made more sense with my low AMH. I am till this day confused/shocked how a reputable doctor made such a mistake of telling me i had many follicles when in fact i barely had any. Makes me not trust him even if it was an honest mistake. Then we started a cycle and he canceled it because i only had 5 follicles vs 10 or 8. And then i left his clinic.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York?
Follow up on everything dont take anything for face value
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York?
Clinic felt very factory like
Describe the protocols Lawrence Grunfeld used in your cycles at RMA of New York and their degree of success.
We did conventional IVF with huge dosages of menapour, follostim
Etc.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at RMA of New York.
They charge for helping you administer shots. In my other clinics they did it for free
Describe your experience with RMA of New York.
I cant really comment on the clinic. I ran away pretty quickly after my cycle was canceled. There was no reason we couldnt proceed with 5 follicles. But maybe it was for there statistics. I dont know the clinic well enough.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York.
It was expensive. They still wanted me to pay for a full cycle which was alot considering my cycle was canceled rather quickly.
What specific things went wrong at RMA of New York?
Dr. Lawrence Grunfeld was honest and candid about my odds using my own eggs and we tried that route with no success. He didn't seem too eager to adjust the treatment plan for my second attempt with OE but when I insisted he listened and followed suit. He was compassionate when needed and helped me move onto donor eggs when that time came...will only consider eSET, at least in my case.
There are lots of resources due to the size of [RMA of New York]. Larger clinics maybe more/less appealing depending on the type of patient and your needs. Doctors are very knowledgable but have very specific opinions about care. Monitoring times were usually efficient...The nursing staff was efficient with good follow through. Emails were returned quickly...My IVF DE coordinator mistakenly told me my embryos were sent for PGS testing when this was not what I wanted or paid for. This was a shock at first then she corrected herself.
How was your experience with Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York?
Dr. Lawrence Grunfeld was honest and candid about my odds using my own eggs and we tried that route with no success. He didn't seem too eager to adjust the treatment plan for my second attempt with OE but when I insisted he listened and followed suit. He was compassionate when needed and helped me move onto donor eggs when that time came.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York?
Do you research, ask lots of questions and be your own advocate.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York?
The doctor took time to explain the treatment and options clearly.
Describe the protocols Lawrence Grunfeld used in your cycles at RMA of New York and their degree of success.
Describe your experience with your nurse at RMA of New York. (Assigned nurse: Aja Kane )
The nursing staff was efficient with good follow through. Emails were returned quickly.
Describe your experience with RMA of New York.
There are lots of resources due to the size of the clinic. Larger clinics maybe more/less appealing depending on the type of patient and your needs. Doctors are very knowledgable but have very specific opinions about care. Monitoring times were usually efficient.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York.
$30K
Describe Lawrence Grunfeld's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at RMA of New York.
Dr. Grunfled will only consider eSET, at least in my case.
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.
My IVF DE coordinator mistakenly told me my embryos were sent for PGS testing when this was not what I wanted or paid for. This was a shock at first then she corrected herself.
When I came in for my consultation I was a little taken aback because he [Dr. Lawrence Grunfeld] didn’t review all my records. He said he trusted my previous doctor who in the end made big mistakes. However throughout my treatment with him everything went smoothly and he did everything correctly...He was very adamant about a single embryo transfer would not even consider multiple
Even though it is a big clinic [RMA of New York] you are still treated like a human and not overlooked. Everything is taken care of for you and they are on top of everything. The financial advisor is amazing and tries to help you save money with insurance and explains everything very clearly...I came from a previous clinic where I was treated as a number. Here I felt more like a human. A doctor saw me at all times. Billing was so helpful always trying to help me find a way to cover costs. I felt like I was cared for
How was your experience with Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York?
When I came in for my consultation I was a little taken aback because he didn’t review all my records. He said he trusted my previous doctor who in the end made big mistakes. However throughout my treatment with him everything went smoothly and he did everything correctly
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York?
I came from a previous clinic where I was treated as a number. Here I felt more like a human. A doctor saw me at all times. Billing was so helpful always trying to help me find a way to cover costs. I felt like I was cared for
Describe the protocols Lawrence Grunfeld used in your cycles at RMA of New York and their degree of success.
Took medication days 5-9 and came in for ultrasound day 12. Came back one time after that to make sure I was ready for ovidrel injection which they administered in the office
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at RMA of New York.
They were very competent and caring.
Describe your experience with RMA of New York.
Even though it is a big clinic you are still treated like a human and not overlooked. Everything is taken care of for you and they are on top of everything. The financial advisor is amazing and tries to help you save money with insurance and explains everything very clearly
Describe the costs associated with your care under Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York.
My insurance covered 90 percent of all costs. The costs were very minimal
Describe Lawrence Grunfeld's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at RMA of New York.
He was very adamant about a single embryo transfer would not even consider multiple
He is extremely competent and knowledgable and genuinely wants his patients to have successful cycles, but he can also be flippant about emotional needs. I also felt that any time I complained about side effects from various medications, there was never a strong attempt to alleviate anything. I was just expected to accept that a range of uncomfortable symptoms come with the territory.
The team did seem to care about my outcome, but was also relatively unsympathetic and forgetful about the particulars of my situation (having to undergo fertility treatments to conceive because my husband had cancer.)
How was your experience with Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York?
He is extremely competent and knowledgable and genuinely wants his patients to have successful cycles, but he can also be flippant about emotional needs. I also felt that any time I complained about side effects from various medications, there was never a strong attempt to alleviate anything. I was just expected to accept that a range of uncomfortable symptoms come with the territory.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York?
Go to him for sound medical guidance, but rely on someone else for emotional comfort.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York?
The team did seem to care about my outcome, but was also relatively unsympathetic and forgetful about the particulars of my situation (having to undergo fertility treatments to conceive because my husband had cancer.)
Describe your experience with your nurse at RMA of New York.
They had so many patients that they seemed to have trouble distinguishing patients and histories. There is also a large and varied staff; some nurses are far more compassionate and pleasant than others.
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.
The clinic wasn't perfect and I sometimes had to frustratedly chase people with phone calls to make sure I was going with the right protocol, but overall, they really did not make any significant mistakes.
He [Dr. Grunfeld] has a calming presence and you feel safe in his care. He was very clear with me about the reality of my condition and the odds of getting pregnant. He is kind and enthusiastic and always available by phone... If you want to see Dr.Grunfeld he will find the time... You have to be willing to trust what he says and not want to be coddled.
The nurses at RMA have to handle hundreds of patients so you cannot expect too much from them... Monitoring hours at the uptown location are a cattle call- you have no idea how long you will be waiting. The newly opening downtown location is amazing. Its clean, quick and better organized.
How was your experience with Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York?
He has a calming presence and you feel safe in his care. He was very clear with me about the reality of my condition and the odds of getting pregnant. He is kind and enthusiastic and always available by phone.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York?
He is kind but brief. You have to be willing to trust what he says and not want to be coddled.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York?
There are so many patients and you do feel like something in between a number and patient. However, you get a timely response to each email and each call. If you want to see Dr.Grunfeld he will find the time. for me it was much more about efficiency and they have a great system that allows you to go through the process and still maintain your life.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at RMA of New York.
The nurses at RMA have to handle hundreds of patients so you cannot expect too much from them. That being said they are great about calling you back, following up and answering every crazy question and concern. They are experts and really can answer anything.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at RMA of New York.
Monitoring hours at the uptown location are a cattle call- you have no idea how long you will be waiting. The newly opening downtown location is amazing. Its clean, quick and better organized.
He [Dr. Lawrence Grunfeld] wasn’t a good listener but he’s good at his craft. I trusted he knew what he was doing but it’s a busy clinic so I didn’t feel like I got all the attention I deserved. Luckily I caught a mistake and was able to set back the month of my transfer, ultimately making it a success. It was my doing, not the doctor or office.
The place [RMA of NY-Eastside] is busy. Always. It made me trust that they knew what they were doing, if for nothing else because they did it so much. But you need to keep up on your own schedule and not trust that they are able to- they’re too busy... Primary nurse (Clara) was good and always contacted me. My IVF coordinator was useless.... Because of my age they would only transfer one embryo (I’m over 40).
How was your experience with Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York?
He wasn’t a good listener but he’s good at his craft. I trusted he knew what he was doing but it’s a busy clinic so I didn’t feel like I got all the attention I deserved. Luckily I caught a mistake and was able to set back the month of my transfer, ultimately making it a success. It was my doing, not the doctor or office.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York?
Know your body and trust your intuition.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York?
He talked at me and didn’t listen too well. I got pregnant though so he’s the man :)
Describe your experience with your nurse at RMA of New York. (Assigned nurse: Kim)
Primary nurse (Clara) was good and always contacted me. My IVF coordinator was useless.
Describe your experience with RMA of New York.
The place is busy. Always. It made me trust that they knew what they were doing, if for nothing else because they did it so much. But you need to keep up on your own schedule and not trust that they are able to- they’re too busy
Describe the costs associated with your care under Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York.
I had city insurance which covered 25% co-insurance
Describe Lawrence Grunfeld's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at RMA of New York.
Because of my age they would only transfer one embryo (I’m over 40).
Dr. Grunfeld was very detailed oriented, had an obvious expertise in this area and explained on a macro level what was going on and what to expect (the nurses handled the day to day). I understood my diagnosis and what the treatment would be...Don't expect to get to talk to him whenever you want...Since I have PCOS and ovulate late (my cycles around about 3 months long), we started on Clomid and a trigger shot and tried that for a number of cycles. When it didn't work he met with me and we talked about other options, and decided that before anything more invasive we should try another medication - i went on Letrazole and after 2 cycles got a positive pregnancy test.
It's [RMA - East Side] always packed there - get to your appointments and monitoring hours early...At RMA, you see your Dr. occasionally but the nurses are really who you deal with the most...Dr. Grunfeld was very detailed oriented, had an obvious expertise in this area and explained on a macro level what was going on and what to expect (the nurses handled the day to day)...[cost of treatments] approx $2000
How was your experience with Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York?
Dr. Grunfeld was very detailed oriented, had an obvious expertise in this area and explained on a macro level what was going on and what to expect (the nurses handled the day to day). I understood my diagnosis and what the treatment would be.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York?
Don't expect to get to talk to him whenever you want. At RMA, you see your Dr. occasionally but the nurses are really who you deal with the most.
Describe the protocols Lawrence Grunfeld used in your cycles at RMA of New York and their degree of success.
Since I have PCOS and ovulate late (my cycles around about 3 months long), we started on Clomid and a trigger shot and tried that for a number of cycles. When it didn't work he met with me and we talked about other options, and decided that before anything more invasive we should try another medication - i went on Letrazole and after 2 cycles got a positive pregnancy test.
Describe your experience with RMA of New York.
It's always packed there - get to your appointments and monitoring hours early.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York.
Extremely understanding and very patient, Truthfully caring. When we failed a cycle we literally felt like it affected Dr g [Dr. Lawrence Grunfeld] personally. Dr g would always return out calls, he would try to schedule our visits so that we didn't have to ruin our weekends. When we failed our first ivf he allowed us to start our second cycle of ivf in August, although he doesn't usually do cycles then.... Very efficiently run. Great phlebotomy team. Very large practice and from time to time long waits
Extremely understanding and very patient, Truthfully caring. When we failed a cycle we literally felt like it affected Dr g [Dr. Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York] personally. Dr g would always return out calls, he would try to schedule our visits so that we didn't have to ruin our weekends. When we failed our first ivf he allowed us to start our second cycle of ivf in August, although he doesn't usually do cycles then.... Very efficiently run. Great phlebotomy team. Very large practice and from time to time long waits
How was your experience with Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York?
Extremely understanding and very patient, Truthfully caring. When we failed a cycle we literally felt like it affected Dr g personally. Dr g would always return out calls, he would try to schedule our visits so that we didn't have to ruin our weekends. When we failed our first ivf he allowed us to start our second cycle of ivf in August, although he doesn't usually do cycles then.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York?
Share all your fears and hopes (re infertility issues)with Dr g. He'll put u at ease and will respond truthfully without giving false hope or unrealistic expectations albeit with a Healthy dose of hope
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York?
Spoke in a language we can understand.
Describe the protocols Lawrence Grunfeld used in your cycles at RMA of New York and their degree of success.
Clomid, iui's and finally ivf when all else failed
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at RMA of New York.
Very thorough, gave instructions clearly and in and understansavle fashion
Describe your experience with RMA of New York.
Very efficiently run. Great phlebotomy team. Very large practice and from time to time long waits
very trustworthy - took me seriously - respected me as a single mother - not a lot of small talk but that fit my style - in retrospect wish i had not spent so much time and money on iui and gone straight to ivf - he was efficient and caring...thought he respected me as a person - would have liked to have individualized my plan a bit more...6 iui - 3 with clomid and 3 with injectable 1 ivf...about my remaining embryos - i assumed they would be frozen and was only told after the fact when i inquired that they were not good enough quality and were disposed of
i felt like i wanted more support from the nursing staff [at RMA] than i got...i just felt like noone followed up with me about my remaining embryos - i assumed they would be frozen and was only told after the fact when i inquired that they were not good enough quality and were disposed of...very efficient with getting me in and out for all the lab draws and u/s very good place for a working woman...would have liked to have individualized my plan a bit more
How was your experience with Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York?
very trustworthy - took me seriously - respected me as a single mother - not a lot of small talk but that fit my style - in retrospect wish i had not spent so much time and money on iui and gone straight to ivf - he was efficient and caring
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York?
push for ivf sooner
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York?
thought he respected me as a person - would have liked to have individualized my plan a bit more
Describe the protocols Lawrence Grunfeld used in your cycles at RMA of New York and their degree of success.
6 iui - 3 with clomid and 3 with injectable
1 ivf
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at RMA of New York.
i felt like i wanted more support from the nursing staff than i got
Describe your experience with RMA of New York.
very efficient with getting me in and out for all the lab draws and u/s
very good place for a working woman
Describe Lawrence Grunfeld's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at RMA of New York.
i felt like 5 embryo transfer was the best option for me - i was not sufficiently prepared though for the fact that the remaining 5 embryos would not be good enough to freeze
What specific things went wrong at RMA of New York?
Failed to call with results
Failed to convey critical information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at RMA of New York.
i just felt like noone followed up with me about my remaining embryos - i assumed they would be frozen and was only told after the fact when i inquired that they were not good enough quality and were disposed of
We happened to be very lucky and treatment worked within 8 months of starting it, but he [Dr. Grunfeld] made the process smooth and amazing...He was candid and patient from the very first visit...Really treated me as a whole person - from head to toe - taking into account psychological state as well as physical state.
Compassionate, careful. I have bad veins, but they were able to do the bloodwork expertly. Great staff [at RMA New York]! [Monitoring appointments were an] efficient, well-oiled machine.
How was your experience with Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York?
He was candid and patient from the very first visit. Gave us realistic assessment. We happened to be very lucky and treatment worked within 8 months of starting it, but he made the process smooth and amazing.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York?
Go to him!
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York?
he listened to our concerns. Really treated me as a whole person - from head to toe - taking into account psychological state as well as physical state.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at RMA of New York.
Compassionate, careful. I have bad veins, but they were able to do the bloodwork expertly. Great staff!
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at RMA of New York.
He [Dr. Grunfeld at RMA of New York] knows what he is doing and gets results. His bedside manner could be better, but he genuinely believes in what he is doing....Be prepared to be inundated with information. Make sure to come with your questions prepared because he will talk over you otherwise. That being said, he always gives thorough answers to questions...The wait time can be long. Arrive early to ensure being seen in a timely manner.
He [Dr. Grunfeld at RMA of New York] knows what he is doing and gets results. His bedside manner could be better, but he genuinely believes in what he is doing....Be prepared to be inundated with information. Make sure to come with your questions prepared because he will talk over you otherwise. That being said, he always gives thorough answers to questions...The wait time can be long. Arrive early to ensure being seen in a timely manner.
How was your experience with Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York?
He knows what he is doing and gets results. His bedside manner could be better, but he genuinely believes in what he is doing.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York?
Be prepared to be inundated with information. Make sure to come with your questions prepared because he will talk over you otherwise. That being said, he always gives thorough answers to questions.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at RMA of New York.
The wait time can be long. Arrive early to ensure being seen in a timely manner.
Very blunt. Was eager for me to start IVF right away after two miscarriages (naturally conceived). failed to mention that they were genetically normal. Misled us.
RMA is a factory. I wouldn't recommend it... Only go if you want IVF... don't expect personal care.
How was your experience with Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York?
Very blunt. Was eager for me to start IVF right away after two miscarriages (naturally conceived). failed to mention that they were genetically normal. Misled us.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York?
Only go if you want IVF
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Lawrence Grunfeld at RMA of New York?
RMA is a factory. I wouldn't recommend it.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at RMA of New York.
it's a factory with lots of people so don't expect personal care.
What specific things went wrong at RMA of New York?