English
Arabic
Chinese (Simplified)
Dutch
Esperanto
French
German
Greek
Italian
Japanese
Korean
Portuguese
Russian
Spanish
Urdu
“Every fertility patient wants to feel seen and heard — and every practitioner wants to support their patients and have a thriving practice,” says Pregnantish Founder and relationship expert Andrea Syrtash. “These relationship guidelines are designed to fulfill both needs by creating a genuine sense of connection and communication between practitioners and patients.”
The guidelines and the free Real Talk Series Workshop and Tools were based on the Real Talk Four E’s Protocol which encourages all healthcare provider team members to Empathize, Encourage, Educate and Empower patients, and walk through real-life scenarios with tools to help practitioners address the patient frustrations that can prevent optimal outcomes.
Written in consultation with Pregnantish Advisory Panel members Dr. Serena H. Chen, Dr. Aimee D. Eyvazzadeh, MPH, Dr. Eric J. Forman, HCLD, Dr. Jason Griffith, and Dr. Julie Lamb, and made possible through third-party sponsorships from EMD Serono and CooperSurgical Fertility and Genomic Solutions, the guidelines and workshop are based on results from the new Real Talk About Why I Left My Fertility Doctor survey, which revealed the top reasons patients choose to stay with their doctor:
- 29% The clinic accepts my insurance
- 26% I am enrolled in next steps in my treatment
- 25% I feel a connection with the clinic’s staff
- 20% I feel optimistic about my treatment
The report also detailed what patients value most in their fertility doctor:
- 24% I feel my doctor is a good fit for me
- 13% I feel like my doctor is open to exploring treatment options that are right for me
- 11% I feel a connection with my doctor
- 10% I feel listened to and cared for by my doctor
The report notes too that the top reasons patients leave their doctor include:
- 23% I felt the treatment/approach was not tailored for me
- 18% I didn’t feel heard
- 14% I couldn’t afford it
- 8% I felt like I was just a number
- 8% My treatment wasn’t working
Syrtash noted that the median age of the confidential survey’s respondents was 33, with an average of four years of trying to conceive. “This report reflects the changing face of fertility,” she says. “Increasingly, today’s fertility patient is a Millennial who wants a much more active and self-directed role in her treatment and is seeking a supportive connection with her doctor and practice.”
Fertility practitioners who take the time to review the guidelines and complete the free Pregnantish Real Talk Series Workshop will be added to the Pregnantish Verified Network website, so patients can see all the fertility healthcare providers who have taken the time to hear their feedback and are focused on enhancing relationships with the patients they see.
“In the end, it’s about helping to strengthen the infertility patient-provider relationship so patients don’t leave treatment prematurely,” says Syrtash. “It is a win for all who have the shared goal of creating healthy babies and happy families.”
The Real Talk About Why I Left My Fertility Doctor survey was conducted February to April 2019.
**
About Pregnantish Inc.
Pregnantish, a healthcare media company, launched in early 2017 to elevate the conversation about the process of getting pregnant with the help of reproductive science and technology. Today, a diverse cross-section of readers come to pregnantish first to find the content, support and events they need to travel their own fertility journey. Pregnantish is now home to the Pregnantish Verified Network, featuring fertility healthcare providers and other partners committed to improving the patient-provider relationship through the pregnantish Real Talk Series Workshop. To learn more, visit www.pregnantishverified.com
