When COVID-19 entered the United States, it felt like a scramble to figure out what our next steps were as a field. Do operations continue to give patients the best chance of success? Or do the risks outweigh the benefits? Some clinics pivoted quickly, following the ASRM guidelines precisely. And some clinics panicked with feelings of apprehension of stopping treatment altogether.

On this episode of Inside Reproductive Health, Griffin talks to Dr. Oluyemisi (Yemi) Famuyiwa, the leader of a clinic who seemed to be well-prepared for the unknowns of the virus. Dr. Famuyiwa is the founder and director of Montgomery Fertility Center, an independent clinic located in Rockville, Maryland. Dr. Famuyiwa aims to provide state-of-the-art care based on emergent technologies and ongoing research. And this philosophy was truly exposed when COVID-19 first came on the radar.

Her ahead-of-the-game research got her clinic appropriately prepared for the emergence of the virus in her area, keeping volume steady--and even at the highest it has ever been. So what lessons can other clinics take from her experience in the COVID-19 era?

Learn more about Dr. Yemi Famuyiwa and Montgomery Fertility Center by visiting montgomeryfertilitycenter.com.

Patients were heartbroken by fertility clinic shutdowns due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. People who have waited for possibly years for their chance to start or continue to build their family had their hopes dashed when they learned their treatment would be delayed for an indefinite amount of time. But how did clinics handle the communication with their patients? And are patients ready to come back with the threat of the disease still looming?

To help answer those questions, RESOLVE, the National Infertility Association, conducted a survey asking over 500 patients directly impacted by the shutdowns to share their experiences.

On this live episode of Inside Reproductive Health, Griffin spoke to Barbara Collura, President and CEO of RESOLVE. She walked us through the survey's results and what your clinic can do with the results to make a better experience for your patients who had to stall their fertility treatments, as well as those coming in during these unknown times.

The first trimester of pregnancy is crucial. Organ development is taking place, the placenta is being developed, things that can affect the trajectory of the entire pregnancy, or the baby’s life. But as of now, there is no data on the potential impact of COVID-19 during this critical stage of development.

But soon, that will all change. And what will it mean for fertility clinics once there is scientific data?

On this special live episode of Inside Reproductive Health, Griffin spoke with Dr. Eleni Jaswa and Dr. Marcelle Cedars, two of the Principal Investigators of the ASPIRE study being conducted through UCSF Center for Reproductive Health. This study hopes to reach 10,000 pregnant women in their first trimester and monitor them, looking for any impact that COVID-19 might have on fetuses through babies aged 18 months. They share the ultimate goal of the study, just how they are going to do it, and what you can do to be involved to help patients make more informed decisions when it comes to the potential risks of COVID-19.

Potential patients have found you (and your competitors). They've done their research. Now, it’s up to you to give that final nudge to make that first appointment.

In this webinar, Griffin Jones continues down the patient acquisition funnel: The Decision Phase. This is where customers choose their fertility clinic, and enter it again after they are presented with their options for treatment. The stakes are high, but proper planning can lead to full schedules and ultimately, happy families.

Your name is out there via social media. You’ve provided education on your website. Your brand is established. Your competition has done the same. So what can you do to steer them toward you?

It’s not often that people relate the word “Affordable” with IVF. But the Affordable IVF Model is a thriving business model in a world full of expensive treatments. Despite questions about their revenue, rates, and processes, the model is growing and providing high-quality care to a vast amount of patients across the country. What can all clinics gain from this model, especially heading into a post-COVID-19 world?

On this special live episode of Inside Reproductive Health, Griffin spoke with three leading doctors whose clinics follow the Affordable IVF Model: Dr. Robert Kiltz of CNY Fertility, Dr. Paul Magarelli of Magarelli Fertility, and Dr. Mark Amols of New Direction Fertility Centers. Together, they talk about just how they make the Affordable IVF Model work, as well as answer common objections to their services.

Your patients know about you. They’ve followed you on Instagram, signed up for your email newsletter, visited your website. But they haven’t made the call to get a consult. What else do they need to get off the fence and take that first step?

In a continuation of our previous webinar on filling the top of your funnel, this webinar focused on the middle part of the patient acquisition model: the consideration phase. To help you move your patients, Griffin shared a number of common objections to taking that step of making an appointment, as well as actionable steps your clinic can take today to get patients moving.

Clinics are slowly opening back up. Patients are returning for services. But things definitely look different than they did two months ago.

On this special live episode of Inside Reproductive Health, Griffin talked to Dr. Jovana Lekovich of RMA of New York and Lisa Rinehart of LegalCare Consulting. Together, we discussed the new normal of clinics and took a look at how clinics can update their Standard Operating Procedures to comply with federal guidelines, all while keeping their patients and employees safe.

After this is all over, it is likely that our patient acquisition funnels are going to shrink after a short-term surge. Noticing trends in other industries, such as home-building and manufacturing, there are massive drops in output, and it is likely to trickle into other industries as well. The key to success when restrictions are lifted will be keeping our acquisition funnels full.

Before COVID-19, 60% of a fertility center’s patients came from their OB/GYNs and other MD referrals. But if people aren’t seeing their doctors regularly due to the COVID-19 pandemic, how else are clinics going to get patients?

On a live webinar, Griffin, Founder of Fertility Bridge, lays out the Fertility Patient Acquisition Funnel and what clinics can do to keep the top of their funnels full, ensuring a steady stream of patients after the surge that will come when restrictions are lifted.

The past several weeks have brought about new decisions that clinics never thought they’d have to face. Pausing treatments for almost all patients, furloughing or laying-off staff because of that pause, and so many other never-before-seen challenges. Hopefully, the light at the end of the tunnel is coming and clinics can get back to business as (almost) usual. But what about all the doctors in limbo? Doctors are coming out of fellowship, ready to make a difference in the lives of thousands of patients, but will they have a place to go when restrictions are lifted?

Continuing in our COVID-19 Business Response Series on Inside Reproductive Health, Griffin was joined by Dr. Ruben Alvero of Stanford University Medical Center, Dr. Angie Beltsos of VIOS Fertility Institute, and TJ Farnsworth of Inception Fertility Ventures. Together, they take a look at what will happen once clinics reopen: Will they be able to operate normally? Will contracts from fellows be honored? Will more staff be needed if a backlog of patients is ready to start treatment? These questions and more are discussed among the panelists, hopefully shedding a positive light on the future of clinics after COVID-19.

Unemployment, reduced hours, pay cuts. The reality of the COVID-19 Pandemic extends far beyond the pausing of fertility treatments. Over 60% of our country has been financially impacted by stay-at-home orders and social distancing. While clinics are working hard to keep patients in their funnels to start treatment once restrictions are limited, how are these patients going to afford the treatment? It’s not out of line to think that the demand for new financial resources will go up and the need for financing of treatments will increase. But, as we all know, discussing money can be sensitive, especially when it comes along with an infertility journey.

So, When do we talk about it with our patients? How do we talk about it with them? What can we do to help our patients afford proper care while the economy is in a downturn?

On this special episode of Inside Reproductive Health, Griffin talks to Dr. David Adamson of ARC Fertility and Andy Swan of Ally Lending. They discuss not only the changes we can expect in lending and patient decision-making post-pandemic, they also offer advice to financial counselors on approaching the sensitive topic of funding treatment.

This episode was recorded during a live webinar. As the COVID-19 Pandemic continues and new issues arise, we are putting out new information to help you and your fertility business. Follow us on social media for updates on upcoming webinars and how to join them live. Find this information helpful? We’d love it if you’d share with a friend or colleague in the fertility space.

Need help navigating marketing through this unprecedented time? Check out our COVID-19 Toolkit from Fertility Bridge.