Is your doctor referring you to the best IVF clinic ?

When patients find they need IVF treatment, they expect that their doctor will refer them to the best possible IVF specialist , to maximize their chances of having  a baby. This is why they ask their family physician or gynecologist for a recommendation. They have a relationship with their primary care doctor, and trust that he will send them to the doctor with the best success rates .

In  a perfect world, this is exactly what would happen , and patients would be confident that they are being referred to the best IVF specialists . Unfortunately , the reality is that life is far more complicated. Most patients are aware of the fact that labs offer doctors kickbacks and cuts to refer patients to them. It’s an open secret that pathology labs and imaging centers do this routinely . What a lot of patients don't know is that many specialists also incentivize doctors to send patients to them.

This pernicious practice has become so pervasive , that many IVF clinics routinely offer gynecologists a referral fee to send patients to them. This is usually done in the garb of a “ patient management fee “ or “ treatment supervision fee “ - but no matter what euphemism is used , the fact still remains that it is a financial incentive which is being misused by the clinic to get more referrals.

This means that patients need to start looking after their own interests , and can no longer blindly depend on their gynecologist or GP to refer them to the best IVF specialist . They need to do their own homework for themselves. The good news is that thanks to the internet, it’s now much easier for patients to cut out the middleman, and reach out directly to IVF specialists. All IVF clinics today have their own website , and this means that they are now much more accessible ! This empowers patients to select the right clinic for themselves.

If you find that all websites look the same, try sending an email and asking for an opinion on your problem. This should allow you to judge how professional and competent the clinic is ! Do you get a generic answer from the receptionist ? Or do you get a reply from the specialist which is specific to your problem ? Also, you should find out which IVF clinic doctors select when they need IVF treatment for themselves ! This is a good way of finding the best IVF clinic.

Want to be sure you are at a good IVF clinic ? Please send me your medical details by filling in the form at http://www.drmalpani.com/free-second-opinion so I can guide you sensibly ?