“This place is like a factory. The doctors only see the patients once.”
If you have been looking into fertility clinics and their reviews, there’s a chance you’ve seen at least a few comments like the above. Factory, just a number, money hungry, these are comments frequently heard when people are unhappy with their center and quality of care.
It is important when beginning treatment to determine what concerns are deal breakers for you. Some issues matter more to some patients, whereas some are perfectly happy with any experience as long as a healthy baby or two is the end result.
Unfortunately, there is no guarantee you will see your doctor every appointment – why is that?
It is important to mention that at most clinics you are not guaranteed to speak with your physician every appointment. This is especially true for larger private practices and school/hospital clinics. This is usually due to the high volume of daily cases and charts that need to be reviewed daily to direct treatment and drive patient success.
How much time will you actually spend with your fertility doctor?
If you are concerned about this, ask your clinic before starting treatment – Who will you be communicating with most of the time?
Coordinator – Many of your interactions by phone and email will be done with an IVF coordinator. It is their job to manage patient and practitioner schedules and timelines, and relay messages from your presiding physician to you in a timely manner.
Nurse/Medical Assistant/Ultrasound Tech – When you monitor, you will most likely work with many nurses and phlebotomists for your ultrasounds and bloodwork.
Physician Associate (PA) or Nurse Practitioner (NP) – Any PA or NP at a clinic is normally your direct Physician’s right-hand man. They are fully certified and trained to see patients without supervision, diagnose conditions, and recommend treatment. It is important to remember that after a PA or NP sees you, they do convene with the overhead doctor to confirm your treatment plan, discuss your case, and express any concerns you may have mentioned.
Doctor – Reproductive Endocrinologists are very busy people. Unfortunately, most of them are tight on time from handling many cases at one time. Their goal is to help as many people conceive as quickly as possible because fertility is a race against time. You have to be aware that everyone wants the doctor’s time. You want it because you want to feel reassured and connected. Their team wants and needs it for daily guidance and workflow. Other doctors need it for collaborative advice and consistency. And their families want it because they have commitments outside of work too!
Depending on clinic size and the number of patient cases they handle, some doctors may interact with you directly more and may handle some of the more daily tasks that happen at every practice. When deciding where you want to begin treatment it is best to decide how important individual time with your physician is and what you expect so as not to feel like your experience was uncomfortable and disappointing.
What to keep in mind:
IVF success rates and clinic flow/bedside manner are not directly connected. It is possible to find an active, involved, and respected doctor and staff with outstanding success rates, but depending on where you live you may find you have to prioritize one over the other.
In the end, you have to decide which is more important to you – success rates and the final outcome, the day-to-day experience, or both! If you can’t give up one then move on to clinics outside of your local area. You may be concerned about how would you know what you prefer if you’ve never experienced it? That’s completely normal! Most people do want the first-hand experience to better make a decision.
About New Hope
New Hope Fertility Center is home to world-renowned fertility specialists. We custom design fertility treatments for the individual to increase the chances of a successful pregnancy. Our specialists believe in putting the patient first and being with them through every step of the fertility journey. Our team is well versed in helping women of all ages reach their fertility goals and we are passionate about educating, and supporting our patients throughout their journey. If you want compassionate fertility care, New Hope is the right place for you. Call us at (347) 970-8479 or schedule your initial consultation today!