Rated 8
Strongly recommend: 60%Don't recommend: 40%8
60% strongly recommend
3 reviews
Humanity
9.1
9.1
Humanity

Ratings of 1 mean patients felt this doctor treated them as "a number."

Ratings of 10 mean patients felt this doctor treated them as "a human."

Communication
9.6
9.6
Communication

Ratings of 1 mean poor communication.

Ratings of 10 mean excellent communication.

Frequency Seen
7.2
7.2
Frequency Seen

Ratings of 1 mean patients only saw this doctor once or twice during treatment.

Ratings of 10 mean patients saw this doctor at every appointment.

LGBTQ+ Care
9.4
9.4
LGBTQ+ Care

Ratings of 1 indicate an unsatisfactory LGBTQ+ care.

Ratings of 10 indicate an excellent LGBTQ+ care.

Responsiveness
4.7
OK
Responsiveness

Scale is "poor, ok, good, excellent" and measures how responsive a care team was when patients needed to speak to them.

Education

Medical School
Georgia School of Medicine
Residency
Georgia School of Medicine
Fellowship
UCSF

How Doctor Communicates

doctor, nurse available by email
nurse available by directline
nurse available by directline
not available by personal cell phone
not available by personal cell phone
Viji Sundaram works in 1 office at

Florida Institute for Reproductive Medicine
Rated 9
Strongly recommend: 76%Neutral: 15%Don't recommend: 8%9

Explore Clinic
FIRM Jacksonville South
836 Prudential Dr
Jacksonville, FL 32207

3 patient reviews

LGBTQ+
LGBTQ+
Verified
Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

2021 - 2022, Unknown Success
NPS
5
NPS
5
Age 26 - 27
3 IUI
Diminished Ovarian Reserve
Unexplained
Latinx
Income $50K - $99K
1st of 2 Docs
5 IUI With Other Docs
Donor Sperm
LGBTQ+
Doesn't Recommend
Doesn't Recommend
Success w/ Doc Not sure
My doctors [Dr. Sundaram's] strengths were that she was very informative and knowledgeable. Her weaknesses were that she wasn’t very compassionate during the motions of the “next steps” talks...the only encouraging moments were when I was being told to consider IVF even though my doctors knew that wasn’t an option for my wife and I...I felt like they went the more cautious route than exploring other avenues with someone with low AMH or unexplained infertility....
The nursing staff [at Kaiser Permanente NorCal] was all over the place. I would be scheduled with a specific nurse for my monthly ultrasounds and every month I had a different nurse than the nurse I expected to have so it never felt like it was a homey environment...They did very well with coordinating with our sperm donor...they gave parking vouchers for the reduction in parking fees in San Francisco...
How was your experience with Viji Sundaram at Kaiser Permanente NorCal?
My doctors strengths were that she was very informative and knowledgeable. Her weaknesses were that she wasn’t very compassionate during the motions of the “next steps” talks, nor that she was willing to go the extra mile. She didn’t decide to want to go the extra mile until nearing my 2nd to last IUI cycle. And the only encouraging moments were when I was being told to consider IVF even though my doctors knew that wasn’t an option for my wife and I.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Viji Sundaram at Kaiser Permanente NorCal?
To be vigilant and aware of your own personal feeling and motions through the process and to feel confident to voice out when you don’t agree with something because the doctors there that see women for IUI’s specialize in egg retrieval and or IVF and that’s why it’s pushed heavily after cycle 3 or 5. So please be aware of that and maybe requests doctors that specialize in your needs or care because I didn’t really have much of a choice, I had my doctor that I started with and after 2-3 months my doctor left and I got a new doctor and was only informed at the start of a following cycle.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Viji Sundaram at Kaiser Permanente NorCal?
I felt in a way like I was treated like a human and a woman going through a difficult time but also at points after the “expected time frames of when a woman should be pregnant” during treatment cycles of 3 or 5 because I wasn’t successfully getting pregnant I felt like my doctor kept pushing that IVF was a better route for me because after cycle 3 or 5 of IUI I was told that its less likely for me to get pregnant after the 3rd or 5th cycle round, so it was a daunting moment especially when I was entitled to 9 whole cycles but I was being pressured into IVF cycles instead of my doctor wanting me to take advantage of everything I’ve had available at the time because she knew my wife and I can’t afford IVF cycles since the get go.
Describe the protocols Viji Sundaram used in your cycles at Kaiser Permanente NorCal and their degree of success.
The doctors only proceeded with letrozole to clomid on top of the HCG injection because of my age of 26 and being so young and then looking at statistics for success rates of women in my age group which also didn’t consider my low AMH count meaning diminished ovarian reserve. Which I felt like they went the more cautious route than exploring other avenues with someone with low AMH or unexplained infertility.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Kaiser Permanente NorCal.
The nursing staff was all over the place. I would be scheduled with a specific nurse for my monthly ultrasounds and every month I had a different nurse than the nurse I expected to have so it never felt like it was a homey environment.
Describe your experience with Kaiser Permanente NorCal.
The clinic was clean and staff were friendly. The receptionist was also very friendly and welcoming. The scheduling staff was also very friendly and informative. And the nice thing was that they gave parking vouchers for the reduction in parking fees in San Francisco because the parking fees are ridiculous.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Viji Sundaram at Kaiser Permanente NorCal.
50% of the cost of every procedure was covered
Describe Viji Sundaram's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Kaiser Permanente NorCal.
N/a.
How competent was Kaiser Permanente NorCal at LGBTQ+ care?
Welcoming.
Describe your experience using 3rd party reproduction (donor eggs, donor sperm, or gestational carrier) at Kaiser Permanente NorCal.
We brought in our own donor so we always had fresh specimen donations. They did very well with coordinating with our sperm donor.
What specific things went wrong at Kaiser Permanente NorCal?
  • Provided conflicting information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Kaiser Permanente NorCal.
Long story short I feel like the clinic could’ve gone above and beyond for my care and my age in trying to expand our family. I’m only 26 years old!!! And I feel like I was treated like someone who was in their mid to late 30’s or 40’s of how cautious they were with my case. I am a 26 year old woman with diminished ovarian reserve and my fertility team never went above and beyond to make my rate of success in getting pregnant higher.
5
Doctor
Viji Sundaram
NPS
Humanity
3 of 5
Communication
4 of 5
Frequency Seen
1 of 5
LGBTQ+ Care
4 of 5
Trustworthiness
3 of 5
Compassion
3 of 5
Explained risks
4 of 5
Adaptability
3 of 5
5
Clinic
Kaiser Permanente NorCal
San Francisco
NPS
Operations
3 of 5
Scheduling
3 of 5
Billing Department
2 of 5
Nursing Staff
3 of 5
LGBTQ+ Care
3 of 5
Clinic Atmosphere
3 of 5
Educational Resources
6 of 5
2023, Successful
NPS
10
NPS
10
Age 38
1 IVF
Doctor
4th of 4 Docs
2 IVF With Other Docs
Strongly Recommends
Strongly Recommends
Successful
Dr. Sundaram took my case seriously - I had two prior failed egg retrievals. From our first appointment, it was clear that she had done her research and had an idea about what to adjust in my case. She was a calm and centered force who would clearly explain her rationale, but also was open to my thoughts and opinions...ask questions about her approach, and trust her! If something doesn't feel right, advocate for yourself. Dr. Sundaram is responsive and open to feedback.
I was nervous about going to Kaiser for IVF services. I assumed that I'd be treated with a standard protocol and that everything would be based on the timing that was best for the medical team, rather than my body. On many occasions, it was clear that Dr. Sundaram had advocated for a different approach in my case, given that I had a history of two failed egg retrievals. I received a tailored protocol and my retrieval was timed when it was deemed best based on the data, not the clinic's schedules.
How was your experience with Viji Sundaram at Kaiser Permanente NorCal?
Dr. Sundaram took my case seriously - I had two prior failed egg retrievals. From our first appointment, it was clear that she had done her research and had an idea about what to adjust in my case. She was a calm and centered force who would clearly explain her rationale, but also was open to my thoughts and opinions.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Viji Sundaram at Kaiser Permanente NorCal?
Listen to her thoughts about your case, ask questions about her approach, and trust her! If something doesn't feel right, advocate for yourself. Dr. Sundaram is responsive and open to feedback.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Viji Sundaram at Kaiser Permanente NorCal?
Admittedly, I was nervous about going to Kaiser for IVF services. I assumed that I'd be treated with a standard protocol and that everything would be based on the timing that was best for the medical team, rather than my body. On many occasions, it was clear that Dr. Sundaram had advocated for a different approach in my case, given that I had a history of two failed egg retrievals. I received a tailored protocol and my retrieval was timed when it was deemed best based on the data, not the clinic's schedules.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Kaiser Permanente NorCal.
I was always able to reach someone and get a response the same day. They took time to answer my questions and I never felt rushed.
Describe your experience with Kaiser Permanente NorCal.
Kaiser SF's clinic is brand new and has great amenities. It's one of the nicest Kaiser facilities I've ever been in. Lots of space and privacy! The waiting room is large but there are rarely more than 1-2 other people there.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Viji Sundaram at Kaiser Permanente NorCal.
My care was covered by my spouse's medical benefits plan
10
Doctor
Viji Sundaram
NPS
Humanity
5 of 5
Communication
5 of 5
Frequency Seen
5 of 5
Trustworthiness
5 of 5
Compassion
5 of 5
Explained risks
5 of 5
Adaptability
5 of 5
10
Clinic
Kaiser Permanente NorCal
San Francisco
NPS
Operations
5 of 5
Scheduling
4 of 5
Billing Department
5 of 5
Nursing Staff
5 of 5
Clinic Atmosphere
5 of 5
Educational Resources
7 of 5
LGBTQ+
LGBTQ+
Verified
Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

2021 - 2023, Unknown Success
NPS
10
NPS
10
Age 37 - 39
1 IVF
1 Embryo Freezing
Donor Sperm
East Asian
Income $200K - $499K
Engineer
2nd of 2 Docs
2 IUI With Other Docs
1 IVF With Other Docs
1 Embryo Freezing With Other Docs
Donor Sperm With Other Docs
LGBTQ+
Strongly Recommends
Strongly Recommends
Success w/ Doc Too early to know
Dr. S. [Sundaram] is very thorough and very knowledgeable. I appreciated the fact that she always took the time to go through each option and present the pros and the cons...She took the time to go through my records and knew what I had already gone through at another clinic...Dr. S. always took the time to patiently work with us so that we felt like not only did she support us, but we were part of the decision making process. Each decision felt like we made as a team...
The nursing staff [at Kaiser Permanente NorCal] was ON IT. They followed up after every in-person visit with a phone call and took the time to make sure I didn't have any other questions. In addition, they were extremely reachable (Dr. S. included) through the email portal so I always felt like I had access to my care team. Every nurse I interacted with was nice and showed a lot of compassion...There is a whole cost sheet provided before treatment...You have a consult, you talk to billing, you move forward and get your calendar. For the "routine" procedures I was doing, they had everything covered and it was super clear what the process was. I always felt like I had ample notice for what was upcoming...
How was your experience with Viji Sundaram at Kaiser Permanente NorCal?
Dr. S. is very thorough and very knowledgeable. I appreciated the fact that she always took the time to go through each option and present the pros and the cons. In the beginning, we felt a little too much pressure to test the embryos from my retrieval, given that we had already expressed the desire not to. However, I understand that Dr. S was trying to set us up for the greatest chance of success. We had several points along the way where the direction was not clear. Dr. S. always took the time to patiently work with us so that we felt like not only did she support us, but we were part of the decision making process. Each decision felt like we made as a team. In the instances where the outcome was not as expected, Dr. S. showed care, empathy, and disappointment alongside us as we worked towards a future plan.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Viji Sundaram at Kaiser Permanente NorCal?
Be clear and upfront with Dr. S. about any questions or concerns you have and talk through them with her. She's very open and supportive, but it isn't always clear how much experience someone has in their fertility journey and what support they need. When I first met Dr. S., I went through exactly what I did NOT receive at the last clinic, and Dr. S. made sure that those areas of concerns were addressed.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Viji Sundaram at Kaiser Permanente NorCal?
Dr. S. knew me and my partner. She took the time to go through my records and knew what I had already gone through at another clinic. She would ask about my partner when only I could attend appointments and seemed to thoroughly know and care about us as people, not just patients that come and go.
Describe the protocols Viji Sundaram used in your cycles at Kaiser Permanente NorCal and their degree of success.
We first did one fresh IVF cycle. On the day of transfer, only one of our two embryos was graded high enough to transfer and that did not yield a positive result. After that, we did a FET with embryos created at another clinic. There was a lot of back-and-forth about whether Kaiser would accept the embryos but one that was determined, we did a transfer and that resulted in a chemical pregnancy. We then stopped to re-evaluate and repeated a uterine ultrasound to confirm there were no polyps. From there we prepared for a 2nd FET with minimal changes to my medication and so far, that is progressing with a positive pregnancy.
How competent was Viji Sundaram at LGBTQ+ care?
I never had any issues or felt any microaggressions with Dr. S. She was very welcoming and inclusive, and showed a lot of care and empathy towards me and my wife. I always saw her as a huge advocate and ally and felt very comfortable with her given my family makeup.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Kaiser Permanente NorCal.
The nursing staff was ON IT. They followed up after every in-person visit with a phone call and took the time to make sure I didn't have any other questions. In addition, they were extremely reachable (Dr. S. included) through the email portal so I always felt like I had access to my care team. Every nurse I interacted with was nice and showed a lot of compassion. I did have one phone call with disappointing news that wasn't handled as best as it could have been and I discussed with Dr. S. and she was able to address. I've been super happy with these nurses and felt that they were all on the journey with me.
Describe your experience with Kaiser Permanente NorCal.
The clinic has a good process down. You have a consult, you talk to billing, you move forward and get your calendar. For the "routine" procedures I was doing, they had everything covered and it was super clear what the process was. I always felt like I had ample notice for what was upcoming.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Viji Sundaram at Kaiser Permanente NorCal.
There is a whole cost sheet provided before treatment. My IVF Fresh cycle was $16k and each FET was $4400 plus another $1100 processing fee for using embryos created elsewhere.
Describe Viji Sundaram's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Kaiser Permanente NorCal.
Kaiser has very strict protocols for what would qualify for multiple embryo transfer. We wanted to go this route but we did not qualify and ended up doing two single embryo transfers.
How competent was Kaiser Permanente NorCal at LGBTQ+ care?
Something as simple as a rainbow pin on a lanyard goes a long way. I always felt welcomed at this clinic and comfortable being myself.
Describe your experience using 3rd party reproduction (donor eggs, donor sperm, or gestational carrier) at Kaiser Permanente NorCal.
Worked out as well as it could given the process. It was fine.
10
Doctor
Viji Sundaram
NPS
Humanity
5 of 5
Communication
5 of 5
Frequency Seen
4 of 5
LGBTQ+ Care
5 of 5
Trustworthiness
5 of 5
Compassion
5 of 5
Explained risks
5 of 5
Adaptability
4 of 5
10
Clinic
Kaiser Permanente NorCal
San Francisco
NPS
Operations
5 of 5
Scheduling
5 of 5
Billing Department
5 of 5
Nursing Staff
5 of 5
LGBTQ+ Care
5 of 5
Clinic Atmosphere
5 of 5
Educational Resources
5 of 5

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