Penn Fertility Care

Our family has been patients with PennMed since 2020,& at other network locations,our experience has generally been positive.The review reflects our personal experience at Penn Fertility Care regarding family planning with a known genetic risk FMR1/Fragile X syndrome,IVF,PGT-M.Before starting treatment,we asked whether the clinic had practical experience managing Fragile X cases.We were told they did,& our case was handled by Dr. Anuja Dokras.All 5 consultations were virtual;there were occasional tech delays, one lasting ~40 mins.Between appts,1–3 mos would pass, leaving us feeling we had limited time to discuss complex genetic questions & fully understand next steps amid uncertainty.We twice asked to switch MDs (at intake & early on, requesting a specific doctor), but were declined (see att.).After genetic counseling & 2 stimul cycles,we had serious questions about realistic chances of obtaining a healthy,transferable embryo with our own eggs.Cycle1:16 eggs retrieved,2 embryos formed,neither passed PGT-A.Cycle 2:14 eggs retrieved,1 embryo formed with the full mutation.Only after repeated inquiries,when a 3 cycle was proposed,did we receive an individualized estimate~10% chance per cycle.Factoring in~50% embryo transfer success rates,lab freeze/thaw risks,and the 94%+ probability that a 133-repeat maternal premutation expands to a full mutation (which eliminated transferring a female carrier embryo—something not clarified upfront),the cumulative odds were critically low.Pursuing 1 healthy embryo at any financial cost over an open-ended timeline felt like an unviable strategy without full upfront counseling.We respect clinical judgment & know IVF guarantees no specific outcome.However,we lacked an early,clearly explained picture of how age,the FMR1 premutation,& PGT-A/PGT-M results collectively affected our prognosis.A timely, candid discussion of alternatives,including donor eggs,before undergoing 2 costly,demanding cycles,could have spared us a heavy financial & emotional toll.Meeting with clinic leadership, we raised questions regarding strategy & communication.We were shown general IVF stats from genetics;however,we felt these generic figures didn't reflect our complex case.We were offered a $2,500 partial reimbursement for admin issues.While grateful for the gesture,it did not address our core concern-communication gaps& personalized planning.This review is not a claim of formal medical error, but a candid account.Penn Fertility Care,Dr. Anuja Dokras,& the HUP Patient Experience dept have real potential to improve how individualized prognoses are explained, how options are discussed early,& the culture of empathetic communication in complex genetic cases.We remain open to dialogue & sent a letter with full documentation to Penn Med's CEO & VPs,requesting an independent grievance review & fair resolution regarding fair reimbursement for care based on incomplete informed consent.Additional issues:Embryo storage: materials kept in cryo by default even when unusable;we learned about active fees only after an invoice. In cycle 2, we had to proactively file paperwork to stop storage of the affected embryo (see att.)Procedure: during a follow‑up,a fellow attempted catheter insertion twice unsuccessfully,causing discomfort until an attending MD completed it.Documented + discussed with leadership.Finance dept: non‑routine requests took 2–4 wks + repeated follow‑ups.A basic itemized bill for an employer grant had major delays. We were referred to ARC Fertility (13–18% APR) despite much lower personal credit rates.Recurring billing errors required insurance audits.Before prepayment,we received the wrong contract pkg,raising coordination concerns (see att.)This damaged trust.We give 2 stars to recognize dedicated nurses,clinical staff,& individual physicians who showed outstanding empathy & care.Fresh perspectives & positive leadership can drive real clinic improvement.Sincere thanks to Dr. Kathleen O'Neill,Dr. Marissa Weiss,Dr. Alexandra Taylor,Laura Swartz,procedure room nurses,& the front desk team.

No accessible exam table. Pure greed to not have an updated electric raising exam table. Felt very unsafe getting an exam and my husband had to lift me on the table because I have muscular dystrophy.

I've found this clinic to be very supportive and helpful throughout this difficult process. Prior to starting my fertility journey, my doctor found an ovarian cyst that had to be removed. Dr. O'Neil was kind and thoughtful throughout that process. I unfortunately had an infection after surgery, and Dr O'Neil was very helpful and attentive as well as the nurses on staff. They gave me a lot of supplies to help heal my infection. Throughout this process every provider I've worked with has been amazing! They all answered my questions, and have been just very warm and welcoming which I feel like is very important in this setting. I trust my providers wholeheartedly and feel like they want this to succeed as much as I do. The clinic has also been very responsive through the portal. Whenever I send a message, Devenne responds very quickly with a thorough and kind response. The front desk staff and other office staff have been great, too. One day, during an appointment, the clinic was understaffed and running behind, and they provided snacks and drinks while we waited. Personally, I would recommend this clinic. Especially if you have PCOS and want providers that are very informed on PCOS.

My wife and I had a great experience. The nurses explained everything clearly and made us feel comfortable the whole time. The surgical team checked on us afterward and even joked around a bit, which really helped ease the nerves. Overall, we felt well taken care of.

Dr. Caitlin Martin is one of the most transactional, cold, and lacking in every form of compassion "professionals" my husband and I have ever worked with. How she is employed by this facility and continues to take on new patients is beyond…...

UPDATE: The poor communication continues, the link in their reply below does not work. I'm not surprised unfortunately. My dr and the ultrasound techs were very kind. Unfortunately I ran into a lot of issues with being given inaccurate information and misinformation coming from finance, nurses and front desk staff. Ultimately if you live in NJ I'd highly recommend RMA over Penn. Penn fertility does not have any offices in New Jersey, nor are there any Penn pharmacies. I felt like a lot of my care was not personalized and getting accurate information the first time around was impossible. I also had a major complication after my egg retrieval and ended up in the hospital for days. While I understand that this is a known risk, the communication afterwards from Penn was nothing short of terrible. I was sent a certified letter that was very nondescript and confusing. I was provided with several names and phone numbers to follow up with, and in the end was not able to speak with any of them. I was essentially told by staff " The state just makes us send that letter. You don't need to take any action". Don't provide patients with a communication and phone numbers to follow up with if you don't intend to allow that patient to speak with them.

The worst experience of my life and they were not clear what was going on with my body or AMH levels.

My initial consultation was overly optimistic, downplaying the statistical reality for my diagnosis. The financial counselor wasn't clear about the high likelihood of needing multiple cycles. This false hope made the eventual negative result even more crushing.

We felt like a number in a factory. After our second failed cycle, there was no change to our protocol or a thorough review. The doctor was rushed and didn't recall our specific case details, making an emotional process feel cold and transactional.

One would expect a place associated with the name Penn to uphold the highest standards—but unfortunately, that has not been my experience. I underwent egg retrieval procedures with them. The number of mature eggs fell significantly below the expected average for women of my age. Despite assurances of adjustments for the second attempt, the outcome remained unchanged. This lack of improvement has raised doubts regarding their level of expertise in performing this procedure, given my experience. I requested evidence in the form of images of the retrieved eggs and feedback from the IVF meeting in December, but I didn’t received response. In addition to the unsatisfactory results, there were instances of negligence from the providers. During the first attempt, the drug for the trigger shot was not initially prescribed. I found out on the day I was scheduled for the shot. This necessitated a frantic last-minute trip to the HUP pharmacy (8/21/2023), barely obtaining the medication before closing time of the HUP pharmacy. A similar frustration also happened during the second attempt, the instructions regarding the injection of Lupron was confusing. Not only was the unit measurement left unexplained, but clarity on whether the Lupron received from the pharmacy was ready for use or required dilution was also lacking. As the injection was time sensitive, this lack of clarity forced me to make an urgent call. I am a biomedical researcher, and I had to use my own professional knowledge to reason the usage on November 9, 2023 I also filed a complaint at Patient & Guest Relations representative about all of my unsatisfactory experience on Mar.18 2024. Although I received their confirmation of receiving my complaint, but I didn’t received any response!! It is concerning that the entire process appears to lack adequate oversight. Patients continue to be charged substantial amounts—such as the $7,000 fee for potential additional rounds, due to the unsatisfactory outcome in the previous round. Unless the patient is willing to pursue legal action, it seems there is little recourse to hold them accountable for their misconduct. I hope this comment can at least help you decided where to go for fertility care if you have other options. Below are my comments to the reply of Penn Fertility Care: ---------------------------------------------------------------- thank you for your response, but let me emphasize this again. I did write everything last year using the link you provided. Although I receive a confirmation email, but no one actually process the issue afterwards. So, I have to say this: this patients/guest-relations website is useless and no one will really take care of the actual issues. The only way to hold you accountable probably would be an legal action, which many people can't afford!