Large practice networks and groups with private equity backing are becoming more and more attractive to new REIs coming out of fellowship. Is there still a draw for new doctors to join smaller, independently-owned practices? On this episode of Inside Reproductive Health, Griffin talks to Dr. Lowell Ku, Senior Partner and Medical Director at Dallas IVF. Dr. Ku left fellowship with a plan to join academia, but was quickly drawn into being his own boss at a small privately-owned clinic. Dr. Ku shares his story about why he chose this path and offers his advice to new fellows who are searching for answers to determine their own path in the fertility world.
57 - A Psychological Look at the Patient Journey, An Interview with Marc Sherman
We’ve all heard the stories. Your neighbor started the adoption process and got pregnant in the middle of the process. A cousin gave up on conception after 3 years and was pregnant within a month. Is there something internal going on that helps this happen? On this episode of Inside Reproductive Health, Griffin talks to Marc Sherman, founder of Organic Conceptions. After two unexpected pregnancies amidst a journey with infertility, he wanted to investigate this phenomenon. Teaming up with a psychologist, Organic Conceptions created an online program for couples struggling to conceive. Their program helps to reassess patient expectations and help them through their mental and emotional challenges.
56 - Beyond Patient Protocols: Supporting All Aspects of The Fertility Journey, An Interview with Connie Stark
Patient retention is a crucial part to the success of any clinic. While good success rates and pleasant staff can get patients to continue treatment with you, there are other ways that your clinic can help. On this episode of Inside Reproductive Health, Griffin talks to Connie Stark of A.R.T. of Wellness. Their discussion uncovers a new way to help retain patients. Learn about the five aspects of life Connie focuses on in her coaching services and how integrative care can keep your patients all in on their fertility journey.
55 - Easing the Strain of Embryo Disposition on Patients and Clinics, An Interview with Andy Gairani
Embryo disposition is a sensitive topic for patients even long after they’ve left a clinic. However, there can also be a burden placed on clinics when it comes to making space and cryopreserving embryo, eggs, or sperm for an extended period of time. On this episode of Inside Reproductive Health, we learn more about how one company is working to alleviate the burden for both the patient and the clinic. Listen to Griffin talk to Andrew Gairani of Embryo Options, a web-based application that provides patients with disposition education and resources, along with other features that make storage easier for everyone.
54 - Improving Patient Experience by Building an Empowered Team, An Interview with Dr. Peter Klatsky
There’s a challenge in finding the balance between keeping both your staff and patients happy. On this episode of Inside Reproductive Health, Griffin gets Dr. Peter Klatsky’s take on managing everyone’s satisfaction while providing a new standard of care. Working with his partners at Spring Fertility in California, their goal is to provide their patients a level of service that isn’t seen anywhere else, all while keeping their employees happy and in for the long haul.
53 - Has Mentorship in the IVF Lab Suffered Due to Strained Staff? Interview with Bill Venier
Are you struggling to retain your lab employees? You are not alone. Retention is a commonly-discussed issue across the field of reproductive medicine, but no one is hurting more than the lab. On this episode of Inside Reproductive Health, Griffin talks to Bill Venier, IVF Lab Director at San Diego Fertility Center. Together, they discuss what SDFC is doing to keep their employees in for the long haul, as well as some ideas to ease the training process of new reproductive biologists.
52 - The Independent REI Practice: A Business Model That’s Fading or Relevant? Dr. John Nichols
Privately-owned, private equity-backed, academic medicine, independent practice...each type of clinic comes with its own set of pros and cons, but are all of them going to be around forever? On this episode of Inside Reproductive Health, Griffin talks to Dr. John Nichols. Dr. Nichols left his job in academic medicine to open his own private-practice, Piedmont Reproductive Endocrinology Group (PREG) in Greenville, South Carolina. They discuss Dr. Nichols’ journey, his thoughts on the benefits of independent practices, and whether or not these clinics will continue to be relevant in the ever-changing fertility world.
51 - All About the Sperm: Testing Standards, Accessibility, and Anonymity - An Interview with Dennis Marchesi
Donor gametes are a crucial pillar of the field of fertility, but what happens behind the scenes? On this episode of Inside Reproductive Health, Griffin talks to Dennis Marchesi, Director of Laboratory Operations at Xytex, a sperm bank located in Georgia. Together, they talk about the nuances of different labs working together, how Xytex is dealing with cultural changes that are affecting anonymity of donors, and the impact mail-away testing kits are having on the lab.
50 - What Impact Will Future REIs Have on the Evolution of Patient Care? An Interview with Dr. Pietro Bortoletto
Millennial REIs are finishing their fellowship programs and entering the workforce. With this passing of the torch, change is bound to happen, but what kind of changes can we expect? On this episode of Inside Reproductive Health, Griffin talks to Dr. Pietro Bortoletto, an REI Fellow at Weill Cornell Center for Reproductive Medicine. Dr. Bortoletto shares his thoughts on the future of REI clinics, both privately-owned and academic, and how the millennial doctors can make a positive impact on their patients and the field as a whole.
49 - Do the Psychological Effects of Infertility Dictate Patient Decisions? An Interview with Amira Posner
It’s easy to feel like the patient’s journey is confined to the four walls of your clinic, but their journeys extend deep into their lives. Because of this, providing support services, either in your clinic or outside of it, is so important to the mental health of the families you serve. On this episode of Inside Reproductive Health, Griffin talks to Amira Posner, founder of Healing Infertility and the Mind-Body Fertility Group in Toronto, Ontario. With her background in social work and her experience with secondary infertility, Amira set out on a mission to help women going through a similar experience and provide them with the mental health support they need. Together, Griffin and Amira discuss what she does to support her clients and offers advice to providers and support staff on how they can best provide mental health support in their clinics.
48 - David Wolf, Do Regulatory Restrictions Hinder or Help Innovation in the Fertility Field?
“...I think fighting consolidation is not going to be a winning strategy in the long run. That being said, I think there's still lots of room for creative, innovative, entrepreneurial operators whether they’re at the clinic level or the supplier level and... as the field gets bigger and gets more interesting from a public capital markets perspective, there's going to be a lot more opportunity for funding those exciting innovations.”
Consolidation, IPO, publicly-owned...all words that weren’t a part of the fertility world vocabulary 10 years ago. Now, they are becoming more and more common, which can be both exciting and nerve-wracking to entrepreneurs in the field. On this episode of Inside Reproductive Health, Griffin Jones, founder of Fertility Bridge, talks to David Wolf, President and CEO of Hamilton Thorne. They discuss the implications of consolidation coming into the fertility world as well as the pros and cons of both publicly- and privately-owned clinics and suppliers.
Click here to learn more about David Wolf and Hamilton Thorne.
To get started on a marketing plan for your company, complete the Goal and Competitive Diagnostic at FertilityBridge.com.
47 - Geographical Differences in 3rd Party Reproduction, An Interview with Liz Ellwood
With the introduction of the Assisted Human Reproduction Act in Canada, Canadian clinics and families have been struggling to find quality third-party reproduction partners while remaining in accordance with the law. After going through her own journey and learning the challenges of the process, Liz Ellwood decided to make a difference in the lives of hundreds of Canadian families struggling with infertility by co-founding Fertility Match, an agency that matches families with donors. On this episode of Inside Reproductive Health, Griffin talks to Liz about her story and what she is doing to make the third-party reproductive process easier on families in Canada.
To learn more about Liz Ellwood, Fertile Future, and how you can help, visit www.fertilefuture.ca.
Want to learn more about Fertility Match? Visit them at www.fertilitymatch.ca.
The details of the Canadian Assisted Human Reproduction Act can be found at https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/act/a-13.4/
To get started on a marketing plan for your company, complete the Goal and Competitive Diagnostic at FertilityBridge.com.
46 - Can Innovative Practice Culture Drive Patient Satisfaction? An Interview with Dr. Alan Copperman
Building and growing an IVF practice can have numerous benefits for both the owners and the patients they serve. But growth can sometimes lead to loss of patient-focused care. On this episode, Griffin Jones, CEO of Fertility Bridge and host of Inside Reproductive Health, talks to Dr. Alan Copperman, Co-Founder and Medical Director of RMA of New York, one of the nation’s largest IVF centers. Together, they discuss how RMA of New York was able to retain their patient-focused culture while exponentially growing the practice. Their approach to delegating important tasks, understanding the “new” patient, and finding the right, compassionate employees has greatly contributed to their success today.
To learn more about Dr. Copperman and Reproductive Medicine Associates of New York, visit their website at https://www.rmany.com/.
Visit fertilitybridge.com to learn more about what Griffin and his team can do for your fertility clinic and take the first step in building your marketing system with the Goal and Competitive Diagnostic.
45 - From Patient to Fertility Entrepreneur, An Interview with TJ Farnsworth
While outcomes are so important in the field of fertility, the patient journey can easily be lost. After going through his own journey, TJ Farnsworth founded Inception Fertility, a group of fertility practices across the country hoping to provide positive experiences for their patients. On this episode of Inside Reproductive Health, Griffin and TJ discuss the culture of Inception Fertility and how empowering your employees to be champions for your patients can have a meaningful impact on their experience. TJ also shares his thoughts on increasing collaboration between fertility clinics across the country and how that can mean success for everyone.
44 - Can a RESOLVE Membership Benefit My Clinic? An Interview with Barbara Collura
Getting involved with a nonprofit organization can provide numerous business development benefits to your company or practice. But finding the right organization to get involved with can be a challenge. On this episode of Inside Reproductive Health, Griffin Jones talks to Barbara Collura, President of RESOLVE, the National Infertility Association. They discuss the benefits that RESOLVE can give to a business in the fertility field, but also the major benefits they provide patients seeking fertility treatments.
43 - From Teacher to Stand-Up Comedian: Breaking the IVF Stigma Through Humor, Karen Jeffries
With a journey as emotional as infertility, it can be hard for patients to take a step back and laugh at the process. On this episode of Inside Reproductive Health, Griffin talks to Karen Jeffries (or as you might know her, @hilariously_infertile), a fertility patient trying to help others through their journeys with a little bit of humor. They talk about her fertility journey and how it impacted where she is today. They also discuss how providers can better communicate with their patients and the importance of transparency.
Want more laughs? Karen will be performing a show live in Boston, MA on November 10th. Learn more and purchase tickets here.
42 - Insights from a Futurist: Genetic Engineering, An Interview with Jamie Metzl
Preimplantation genetic testing has opened up a world of helping families have successful pregnancies. But when does the testing and selection of embryos go too far? In this episode of Inside Reproductive Health, Griffin talks to Dr. Jamie Metzl, author of Hacking Darwin: Genetic Engineering and the Future of Humanity. They discuss the implications of advanced technologies such as the future of embryo screening and gene-editing. More importantly, Dr. Metzl discusses the significance of understanding the coming technologies and how those in the fertility field can help prepare their patients and the rest of the world for these changes.
Why IVF Doctors Leave Their Practice: The Reasons Every REI Fellow and Practice Owner Should Know
Physicians with the letters, REI, after their names don’t come cheap.
“Any Fellows you can introduce us to?” I’m often asked at PCRS and ASRM (the Pacific Coast Reproductive Society and American Society for Reproductive Medicine annual meetings, for those not in the field).
“Third years?” I demur, “Nope, they’re all signed. Second years? What month is it? Nope, they’re signed too. I know some first years. Want to talk to them?”
“Yeah, I guess so,” the hiring physicians usually concede.
41 - Are Young REIs Entrepreneurial? One REI Fellow’s Vision for the Field, Eduardo Hariton, MD, MBA
The business of medicine is complicated and more often than not, the concept is split and managed by two people with different backgrounds and education. But what if they merged? On this episode of Inside Reproductive Health, Griffin talks to Dr. Eduardo Hariton, a clinical fellow at the University of California in San Francisco. While attending Harvard Medical School, Dr. Hariton also attended Harvard Business School, simultaneously earning his MBA. Griffin and Dr. Hariton discuss the merging of business and medicine and how new REIs can gain business skills while still focusing on what is important: the patient.
40 - Inside the Minds of Two Fertility Marketers, An Interview with Rob Taylor
There are lots of variables that make marketing to your patients a challenge. From age to regional differences, it isn’t an easy task and getting someone who understands both the world of marketing and the world of fertility can be beneficial. On this episode of Inside Reproductive Health, Griffin talks to Rob Taylor, owner of TD Media, another marketing firm helping fertility centers get results. They talk about trends they see in the world of fertility marketing, as well as some strategies that clinics, and physicians, can implement to increase their online presence, in turn, helping them reach their marketing goals.