VIDEOING PROCEDURES, ADDING ‘SHARE AND FREEZE’ PROGRAM PARTS OF MEASURES
Dr. Rob Kiltz's struggles, triumphs and vision [] The doctor fixing healthcare's information crisis eyes the fertility sector
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The Digital Doctor: How Dr. C. Anthony Jones is Fixing Healthcare’s Information Crisis
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Dr. Robert Kiltz, founder of CNY Fertility and avid potter, blends Western medicine and holistic practices–with a side of steak–in his quest to make fertility more accessible and affordable.
By Tara Bellucci
In the world of fertility medicine, where treatments often come with hefty price tags, Dr. Robert Kiltz stands out for making fertility care accessible and affordable. As the founder and director of CNY Fertility, Kiltz has disrupted the delivery of reproductive medicine by integrating holistic practices with traditional treatments, all while keeping costs manageable for his patients. His journey from a struggling student to a pioneering fertility specialist is marked by a pursuit of innovation and inclusivity.
Youthful struggles
Today, his life in central New York is very different from his early years growing up in Los Angeles. The author of multiple books, including The Fertile Feast: Dr. Kiltz’s Essential Guide to a Keto Way of Life, started off as a struggling student that couldn’t read. “I couldn’t read, until I had to. I was kicked out of school…I didn’t get into medical school the first time,” he says. “These experiences made me resilient.”
“Healing isn’t just strictly with shots, pills, and surgeries.”
And those weren’t the only challenges of his youth. “I was arrested in a gang,” he shares. But a young Rob Kiltz found pottery, an outlet for stress and anxiety that he’s kept up to this day. “I bought a potter's wheel in high school. I still have it. And it's always a place to go when I need to.” Over his 55-plus years as an accomplished artist and potter, he’s created everything from tea sets to large platters, though his favorite thing to make are cups which at one point he even sold on Etsy. “Pottery is something pretty amazing in that you take mud and it forms into something,” he muses. “It’s a place for me to de-stress, refocus, and clear my mind.”
Flying is another of Kiltz’s passions. Having become a pilot 12 years ago, he finds parallels between aviation and his medical practice. “In the operating room, if you’ve got a bleeder, you just put pressure on it, take a breath, and then move forward,” he explains. “Our breath is so powerful.” This ability to stay calm under pressure is a trait he values highly, whether navigating the skies or performing delicate medical procedures.
“Clinicians frequently overestimate patients' understanding and recall of instructions, while patients, even when confused, hesitate to admit their lack of comprehension.”
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Helping vs. hurting
Stress management is something he also looks to provide to his patients. “[Western] medicine can be very stressful,” Kiltz admits. “We go into a health practice to help people, but we often find that it doesn’t work, and sometimes it hurts people.” This realization has driven Kiltz to explore alternative therapies, including acupuncture, massage, meditation, and yoga. He believes these practices can alleviate the emotional and physical stress that often accompanies fertility treatments, providing a more comprehensive approach to patient care.
Kiltz’s personal struggles with health issues, including migraines, dyslexia, depression, and anxiety, fueled his interest in holistic health. “Through the years, it got worse,” he says, listing a litany of ailments from bowel bleeding to kidney stones. His quest for relief led him to adopt a ketogenic diet and eventually the Carnivore diet, which he credits with transforming his health and well-being. “I went to strictly a meat-based diet, eliminated plants of any significance or frequency, and I suddenly felt better.”
Eat meat
While the scientific community at large has concerns about keto and its more restrictive carnivore version, Dr. Kiltz is his own proof. After noticing patients who practiced keto diets having improved fertility results, the doctor left his omnivorous, Mediterranean-style eating habits behind. He says this dietary shift not only improved his own health, but also became a cornerstone of his practice.
Despite others who may not agree with his strategy, Kiltz advocates for a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet, emphasizing the importance of ketosis—a metabolic state where the body burns fat for fuel instead of carbohydrates. “Ketosis is very anti-inflammatory and helps heal a lot of diseases,” he explains, suggesting that our modern diet, rich in processed foods and frequent meals, is a primary cause of many chronic illnesses. “That’s why I talk a lot about nutrition and meditation and other modalities, because what if we can help you remove the cause of your diseases and infertility, and you don't need us? I’m committed to that.”
Kiltz’s approach to medicine is deeply spiritual, reflecting a journey from Catholicism to a broader spiritual philosophy. “Spirituality is a big part of my life and my practice,” he shares. “It helps me stay grounded and connected with my patients on a deeper level.” This spiritual perspective permeates his work, as he encourages patients to adopt a positive mindset and incorporate faith into their healing processes. “Faith, in whatever form it takes, is essential for healing,” he says. “It’s about believing in something greater than ourselves.”
Removing barriers
One of the defining features of Kiltz’s practice is its affordability. He says he has made it a mission to provide high-quality fertility treatments at a fraction of the cost. “Our goal is to make fertility care accessible to everyone,” he says. “We believe that financial barriers should not stand in the way of building a family.” This philosophy is reflected in the pricing structure at CNY Fertility, where treatments are offered at significantly lower rates than the national average, and the practice offers interest-free self-financing to those patients who need it.
“Just because you have more money than someone else doesn't mean you have more of a right to have a family,” says Justine Taylor, Clinical Chief Nursing Officer at CNY Fertility, who has been working with Dr. Kiltz for 18 years. “And he truly believes that.”
“Our business model is focused on efficiency and affordability. We constantly look for ways to reduce expenses and pass those savings on to our patients,” says Kiltz. Through bundling services and streamlining processes, his team makes it happen. “We work hard to keep our costs low without sacrificing the quality of care. It’s a delicate balance, but it’s essential for our patients.”
Accessibility is also a huge focus. The company currently has eight locations across the US with more in the works.
Kiltz’s unique blend of holistic practices and conventional medicine has not only set him apart in the fertility field, but also garnered him a dedicated following. He has amassed over 300,000 followers across social media, where regularly goes live on Instagram at 5 a.m. to chat to his carnivore community. His patients appreciate his willingness to explore every possible avenue to improve their chances of conception. “We incorporate nutrition, faith, positivity—love yourself, love the environment, love your life,” he says, summarizing his philosophy.
“We believe that financial barriers should not stand in the way of building a family.”
“He gives everyone a chance,” Christina Salzberg, COO of CNY Fertility, says. And that was the case with a couple she knew. 20-plus years ago, IVF was even less accessible, relegated to celebrities and the pages of People magazine. Salzberg shares that back then, her friends dealt with a genetic disease that impacted their ability to conceive naturally. When other doctors were turning them away, not knowing if having embryos share a tank that were possible carriers might have a larger impact (which is not an issue today, of course), “Dr. Kiltz was like, ‘that’s ridiculous, I can do it, send them here.’ And they have two beautiful children today.”
Looking ahead, Kiltz remains committed to pushing the boundaries of fertility medicine. He continues to advocate for a holistic approach, believing that true health comes from a combination of physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. “Healing isn’t just strictly with shots, pills, and surgeries,” he asserts. “We have to look at a lot of these ancient modalities and how they help humanity.”
In a field often focused on the latest technological advancements, Dr. Robert Kiltz’s holistic and affordable approach offers an additional perspective. While some of his methods are considered controversial, his career is a testament to the power of integrating mind, body, and spirit in the pursuit of health.
The content and themes expressed within the article above are that of the news. The advertiser does not have editorial control over the content of the previous article, and Inside Reproductive Health maintains full editorial independence. The views and opinions expressed in this article do not represent the views of the Advertiser or of Inside Reproductive Health.
And what he plans to do in the fertility space…
By: Inside Reproductive Health
In the hushed corridors of medical innovation, where the clash between innovation in patient care and business often sparks as much friction as it does progress, stands a physician-entrepreneur.
Dr. C. Anthony Jones’ journey from medical school to the helm of Frontive is a narrative woven with the threads of necessity, punctuated by a singular mission: to transform healthcare information management.
Dr. Jones’ fascination with the failings of the healthcare system began in medical school. He found himself increasingly distracted by a recurring theme: the pervasive disarray in how medical information was managed.
Errors, ranging from scheduling mishaps to potentially fatal miscommunications, seemed to sprout from the chaotic handling of data.
The urgency of these issues led him to a pivotal decision: eschew a traditional residency in favor of a postdoctoral fellowship in medical informatics at Columbia University.
Dr. Jones’ professional trajectory took him through large consulting firms and burgeoning healthtech companies, each step marked by a relentless pursuit of making the healthcare experience smoother, more intuitive, and cost-effective.
From this foundational experience emerged Frontive, a venture that Dr. Jones regards as a natural progression in his career.
The inception of Frontive was not without its tribulations. Startups, particularly in the unforgiving arena of healthcare, are fraught with challenges.
Exclusive Pilot Opportunity-FREE for One Group Only
Choosing only one fertility clinic or network, Frontive Health, led by Dr. C. Anthony Jones, wants to replicate the results they’ve achieved in other healthcare sectors in the fertility space.
60% Reduction in Patient Questions
25% Reduction In Nurse Time
20% increase in patient satisfaction
Dr. Jones is willing to pilot Frontive Health’s program for free…. But for only one fertility clinic network.
One clinic or network will receive several thousand dollars in value for free, but they must be innovative leaders and have an integrative EMR.
To see if your group qualifies, simply e-mail Dr. Jones and say hello.
FUNDING, FOCUS, AND FEAR
The so-called three Fs—funding, focus, and fear—loom large, but for Dr. Jones, the real adversary was the entrenched skepticism of healthcare providers. Their default posture of caution, while vital for patient safety, often becomes a barrier to the adoption of genuinely transformative technologies.
Dr. Jones approached this skepticism with a methodical strategy: focus on solving substantial problems, delve into the nuances of these issues from multiple perspectives, and substantiate claims with rigorous data.
Following a minor outpatient procedure, he observed the disorienting confusion faced by patients and their families as they navigated the whirlwind of pre-op and post-op instructions. The disheartening realization was that even educated individuals struggled to grasp the often convoluted instructions they received.
This was exacerbated for non-native English speakers, who battled not only a knowledge gap but a language barrier. What struck Dr. Jones was not just the confusion but the reluctance of patients to seek clarification, driven by a fear of seeming uninformed or judged by their clinicians.
This observation led to a profound insight: clinicians frequently overestimate patients' understanding and recall of instructions, while patients, even when confused, hesitate to admit their lack of comprehension.
DATA AND INTEGRATION
Addressing this disconnect became a central focus of Frontive, where digitization was employed not as a goal but as a means to deliver clarity, timeliness, and personalization.
Frontive Health™, the company’s flagship product, employs a novel approach to information personalization and dissemination. It dissects each physician’s clinical instructions into digestible pieces, creating a repository of searchable FAQs and integrating real-time data to generate a daily Health Briefing™. This briefing—categorized into what to expect, what to do, and what to avoid—is dynamically tailored to the patient’s journey, streamlining information delivery and enhancing patient autonomy.
By interfacing directly with practices’ electronic health records (EHRs), the platform works seamlessly with a clinic’s workflow and ensures that patients receive accurate and timely information, thus alleviating staff burden and improving overall efficiency.
The success of Frontive Health™ is illustrated by a compelling case study with a cosmetic surgery practice. After implementing the platform, the practice saw a 60% reduction in patient inquiries and a 20% increase in satisfaction. More remarkably, the practice was able to cut its front-desk staff in half, reallocating resources to new patient intake and consultations, which in turn bolstered revenue and staff satisfaction. These metrics underscore not only the platform’s effectiveness but also its role as a strategic asset in a competitive market.
VISION FOR THE FERTILITY SPACE
Now, Dr. Jones’ vision extends into the realm of fertility medicine, a field rife with emotional and procedural complexities. Here, Frontive aims to mitigate patient anxiety and streamline protocol adherence, a goal that is particularly poignant given the emotional and financial stakes involved. The platform’s flexibility allows for rapid adjustments based on pilot feedback, a testament to Dr. Jones’s commitment to continuous improvement and adaptation.
In conversations about the future, Dr. Jones is both pragmatic and visionary. He acknowledges that Frontive will have to prove themselves in the fertility space, and is eager to do a pilot program with one forward thinking fertility clinic or network.
Ultimately, Dr. Jones’ work embodies a commitment to reshaping healthcare into a more intuitive, patient-centered experience. His journey from a disillusioned medical student to a pioneering tech entrepreneur reflects a deep-seated resolve to address systemic inefficiencies with innovative solutions.
In an industry often bogged down by inertia and skepticism, Dr. C. Anthony Jones’ story is one of relentless curiosity and a vision for a more coherent, compassionate healthcare system.
Exclusive Pilot Opportunity-FREE for One Group Only
Choosing only one fertility clinic or network, Frontive Health, led by Dr. C. Anthony Jones, wants to replicate the results they’ve achieved in other healthcare sectors in the fertility space.
60% Reduction in Patient Questions
25% Reduction In Nurse Time
20% increase in patient satisfaction
Dr. Jones is willing to pilot Frontive Health’s program for free…. But for only one fertility clinic network.
One clinic or network will receive several thousand dollars in value for free, but they must be innovative leaders and have an integrative EMR.
To see if your group qualifies, simply e-mail Dr. Jones and say hello.
All external links active as of 09/05/2024
External links are being provided as a convenience and for informational purposes only; they do not constitute an endorsement or an approval by Fertility Bridge or Inside Reproductive Health of any of the products, services or opinions of the corporation or organization or individual. Neither Fertility Bridge nor Inside Reproductive Health bears responsibility for the accuracy, legality or content of the external site or for that of subsequent links. Contact the external site for answers to questions regarding its content.
Down 70%. The IVF Clinic Network that Just Made Their IPO on the US Stock Market
How the Operator of a Handful of Asian IVF Clinics Wound up on Nasdaq
The content and themes expressed within the article are that of the news. The advertiser does not have editorial control over the content of this article, and Inside Reproductive Health maintains full editorial independence. The views and opinions expressed in this article do not represent the views of the Advertiser or of Inside Reproductive Health.
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BY RON SHINKMAN
A small chain of IVF clinics in Asia has gone public, with its stock listed on the Nasdaq exchange.
NewGen IVF Group operates single clinics in Hong Kong, Thailand, Cambodia and Kyrgyzstan. Its stock began trading on April 4, according to a statement issued by the company.
NewGen IVF was founded a decade ago, according to a video posted in 2019 by Alfred Siu, founder of its parent company, First Fertility Group. Siu said in the video that the clinic in Cambodia was conducting about 700 IVF cycles per year.
How did a company as small as NewGen IVF go public? It relied on a fairly new path for making an initial public offering: A blank check company or special purpose acquisition company, also known as a SPAC.
A SPAC is essentially a shell company that raises money from outside investors and issues stock. It then acquires a privately-held company that becomes the face of the organization as it is listed on a stock market such as Nasdaq. The best known SPAC transaction took Donald Trump’s Truth Social platform public, which combined the Digital World Acquisition Corp. SPAC with Trump Media & Technology Group.
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However, Goodman also noted that the company was not sizable and its stock offering wasn’t much different from so-called “penny stocks” or “pink sheet” stocks – shares issued by companies so minuscule they often can’t meet the requirements for trading on traditional stock exchanges.
To date, the market expressed extreme skepticism to the NewGen IVF stock. It was initially priced at $10 per share but dropped to around $3 per share on its first regular trading day on Nasdaq. The stock was trading at $1.22 per share midday on April 16. It had fallen below $1 a share, but was bolstered in late April by the announcement of a pending reverse merger with a company called European Wellness Investment Holdings Limited. That briefly pushed the NewGen IVF price above $2 a share, but it has since dropped.
“This may be an easier way to get to the IPO market for some companies, but you still have to be deserving (to remain there),” Goodman said of NewGen IVF Group’s approach. “You still have to have the fundamentals of a good management team and a good strategy to make the business work.”
In this case, the Bangkok-based NewGen IVF Ltd. was acquired by A SPAC I Acquisition Corp., which is based in the British Virgin Islands, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The merged companies then renamed itself NewGen IVF Group. Its stock trades on Nasdaq’s Capital Market, a tier of the exchange for newer and smaller companies whose rules are more relaxed than the Nasdaq Global Select Market and the Nasdaq Global Market, which are venues for larger and more established companies.
“We believe our public listing will help us to accelerate our growth and execute on our long-term vision,” Siu said in a statement announcing the merger, although no further details were provided. A spokesperson for NewGen IVF Group in New York City did not respond to a request seeking comment.
SPACs are a relatively rare vehicle for taking a company public, and this appears to be the first instance of a reproductive medicine company to take that route, according to Robert Goodman, vice president of healthcare for MidCap Advisors, a New York firm that assists in transactions among mid-sized companies.
“I think (Siu) saw value in the SPAC concept,” Goodman said, adding that the NewGen IVF founder was educated in the U.S. and is likely familiar with such an esoteric transaction.
The content and themes expressed within the article are that of the news. The advertiser does not have editorial control over the content of this article, and Inside Reproductive Health maintains full editorial independence. The views and opinions expressed in this article do not represent the views of the Advertiser or of Inside Reproductive Health.
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External links are being provided as a convenience and for informational purposes only; they do not constitute an endorsement or an approval by Fertility Bridge or Inside Reproductive Health of any of the products, services or opinions of the corporation or organization or individual. Neither Fertility Bridge nor Inside Reproductive Health bears responsibility for the accuracy, legality or content of the external site or for that of subsequent links. Contact the external site for answers to questions regarding its content.
How These Fertility Centers Are Effectively Using APPs
NPs and PAs improve quality of care for patients, quality of life for physicians
This News Digest Story is paid featured content. The advertiser has had editorial input and control over its creation. However, the views and opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Inside Reproductive Health. The sponsorship of this content does not imply an endorsement by Inside Reproductive Health.
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Advanced Practice Providers (APPs) can be effectively integrated into fertility clinic teams to enhance patient care. “APPs are often used as physician extenders in the fertility space,” Dr. Courtney Failor, Medical Director of Aspire Fertility, told Inside Reproductive Health.
Formerly called physician extenders, APPs manage new patient consults and introduce patients to the breadth and depth of fertility. They also help perform diagnostic workups with ultrasounds and radiology and monitor patients for lower-acuity fertility treatments like ovulation induction and insemination.
A recent patient survey by Inception Fertility found that over 80% of people considering fertility services across the US stated they were willing to see an APP if it would mean they were seen sooner.
“Fertility practices can integrate APPs in meaningful ways that support both patients and physicians, increase fertility center efficiency and productivity, and ultimately enhance patient care,” Dr. Jamie Grifo, Chief Executive Physician at Inception Fertility and the Program Director at NYU Langone Fertility Center told Inside Reproductive Health.
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Innovative Environment: Work in facilities equipped with the most advanced reproductive technology, enhancing your ability to provide transformative care.
Expansive Network: Be part of the fastest-growing fertility network in North America, spanning over 90 locations, offering flexibility and security for your career growth.
Profound Impact: Contribute to a meaningful mission, having helped bring over 165,000 babies into the world, turning hopeful dreams into joyful realities.
Your expertise and passion can redefine fertility care. Start shaping the future now.
How These Fertility Centers Are Effectively Using APPs
NPs and PAs improve quality of care for patients, quality of life for physicians
This News Digest Story is paid featured content. The advertiser has had editorial input and control over its creation. However, the views and opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Inside Reproductive Health. The sponsorship of this content does not imply an endorsement by Inside Reproductive Health.
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Advanced Practice Providers (APPs) can be effectively integrated into fertility clinic teams to enhance patient care. “APPs are often used as physician extenders in the fertility space,” Dr. Courtney Failor, Medical Director of Aspire Fertility, told Inside Reproductive Health.
Formerly called physician extenders, APPs manage new patient consults and introduce patients to the breadth and depth of fertility. They also help perform diagnostic workups with ultrasounds and radiology and monitor patients for lower-acuity fertility treatments like ovulation induction and insemination.
A recent patient survey by Inception Fertility found that over 80% of people considering fertility services across the US stated they were willing to see an APP if it would mean they were seen sooner.
“Fertility practices can integrate APPs in meaningful ways that support both patients and physicians, increase fertility center efficiency and productivity, and ultimately enhance patient care,” Dr. Jamie Grifo, Chief Executive Physician at Inception Fertility and the Program Director at NYU Langone Fertility Center told Inside Reproductive Health.
Transform your career with Prelude Fertility
Award-Winning Expertise: Join a team recognized with “Top Doctors” awards and accolades as America’s Top Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
Innovative Environment: Work in facilities equipped with the most advanced reproductive technology, enhancing your ability to provide transformative care.
Expansive Network: Be part of the fastest-growing fertility network in North America, spanning over 90 locations, offering flexibility and security for your career growth.
Profound Impact: Contribute to a meaningful mission, having helped bring over 165,000 babies into the world, turning hopeful dreams into joyful realities.
Your expertise and passion can redefine fertility care. Start shaping the future now.
Improving the entire fertility journey
APPs have served as educators and ambassadors to patients during the fertility journey; fertility centers are now leveraging them to drive innovation. “Because many APPs have worked across various specialties, they bring a different perspective to ‘Fertility 101’ conversations, which can be especially helpful to someone who has never spoken to a reproductive specialist before,” says Dr. Grifo.
Underutilized APPs can result in lengthy new patient consultation timelines or geographical limitations due to challenges opening freestanding fertility clinics. “Access to care is a barrier that patients across the country face,” says Dr. Failor. Clinics can use APPs as an extender to these locations and improve access for more patients. “APPs can be ideal bridges into the often-overwhelming world of assisted reproduction,” says Dr. Grifo. The team also sees them as skilled providers who augment physician capacity.
APPs play a crucial role at satellite offices as leaders who can effectively expand a practice’s geographic footprint without the investment required to establish a new full-service clinic. Fertility clinics also use APPs to lead niche teams. “Many clinics have found specialty programs—such as third-party reproduction, including Donor Egg and Gestational Carrier services—to be game-changers for their practices and patients,” Dr. Grifo shares.
Wellbeing success and staff retention
A 2022 APP wellness survey conducted at Stanford Health Care broadly indicated that APPs with higher levels of professional fulfilment and self-compassion were less likely to experience burnout and, ultimately, leave the organization.
“Stanford’s initiatives closely align with the best practices identified at our own clinics,” says Dr. Grifo. Inception Fertility’s patient experience steering committee has found a highly effective way to maintain efficient, compassionate, and safe patient care is to care for its employees. It focuses on opportunities for professional development, role clarity, and the ability to practice at the “top of licensure”.
Clinics implementing and optimizing APP models have reported significant improvements in key performance indicators. “Having an APP can reduce the number of patients that need to be screened for an initial evaluation and ensure that all diagnostic testing is done and up-to-date prior to meeting with a physician,” says Dr. Failor.
At Aspire Austin, adding a nurse practitioner to their two-doctor practice has enabled them to see more patients and grow their revenue within the first year. Patients don’t have to wait three months to get in the door, but they have a treatment plan within six weeks of calling to set up an appointment.
APP-led consults, ultrasounds, IUI cycles, and third-party reproduction programs create space in REI schedules they can use with value. They may spend this extra time facilitating more IVF cycles, consulting with higher-risk patients, and following up with patients who have experienced an adverse outcome or multiple unsuccessful cycles.
Expanding an invaluable part of patient care
“APPs are already an extremely important part of patient care throughout The Prelude Network,” says Dr. Grifo. Inception Fertility has tested four models for leveraging APPs across its expansive network of 90+ clinics in North America. Its next step will be to roll out all four across all our regions, where applicable, allowing additional growth opportunities for each APP in the network.
“Prelude continues to maximize patient care from both a patient-experience mindset and success-driven outcomes,” says Dr. Failor. “The networking of APPs across the country and specifically across our network of clinics will enhance our ability to share and implement best practices.”
This News Digest Story is paid featured content. The advertiser has had editorial input and control over its creation. However, the views and opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Inside Reproductive Health. The sponsorship of this content does not imply an endorsement by Inside Reproductive Health.
This News Digest Is Paid Sponsored Content From
All external links active as of 5/9/2024
External links are being provided as a convenience and for informational purposes only; they do not constitute an endorsement or an approval by Fertility Bridge or Inside Reproductive Health of any of the products, services or opinions of the corporation or organization or individual. Neither Fertility Bridge nor Inside Reproductive Health bears responsibility for the accuracy, legality or content of the external site or for that of subsequent links. Contact the external site for answers to questions regarding its content.
Lawsuits Against Ovation Prompted by Physician and Company ‘Whistleblower’
Physicians may later be named in suit, lawyer says
The content and themes expressed within the article are that of the news. The advertiser does not have editorial control over the content of this article, and Inside Reproductive Health maintains full editorial independence. The views and opinions expressed in this article do not represent the views of the Advertiser or of Inside Reproductive Health.
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BY RON SHINKMAN
A referring fertility physician and an employee are what led Ovation Fertility in part to face four separate lawsuits alleging it negligently killed embryos by exposing them to hydrogen peroxide.
According to one lawsuit, Terence Lee, M.D., an Ovation referring physician who is medical director of Fertility Care of Orange County, notified his patients that his recent patients suddenly had a zero IVF success rate. Lee and other physicians who work with Ovation pressed the company to conduct an investigation, according to the lawsuit. Although Lee is mentioned in the lawsuit, he is neither a plaintiff nor defendant in the case.
The lawsuits were filed in Orange County, Calif. Superior Court in late April. Seventeen different plaintiffs – most of whom are only referred to by their initials – accused Ovation’s laboratory in Newport Beach, Calif. of “killing” their embryos last January by exposing them to hydrogen peroxide during the thawing process and then failing to tell them about it.
Empower Your Egg Freezing Patients with Financial Support
Fertility LifeLines™ aids your patients by offering savings on medications used in egg freezing cycles, including GONAL-F® (follitropin alfa injection), Ovidrel® (choriogonadotropin alfa injection) Pre-Filled Syringe, and Cetrotide® (cetrorelix acetate for injection), mitigating the financial burden of fertility medications for eligible patients.
Compassionate Care Program: Offers up to 50% off on Gonal-f®, Ovidrel®, and Cetrotide® for eligible self pay patients.
Compassionate Corps Program: Provides at least 10% off for self-pay patients in military families, with potential savings up to 50%, based on financial eligibility. The EMD Serono Compassionate Corps Program helps eligible, uninsured, medically retired veterans (or their spouses) who have suffered service-related injuries affecting their fertility.
Click “Learn More” below to see how these programs can help your patients afford their egg freezing journey.
Also named in the lawsuits were FPG Services, LLC, FPG Labs LLC and Newport Beach IVF, LLC. Corporate records indicate they are all Ovation subsidiaries. The lawsuits state they all do business under the Ovation name.
Lee is one of 39 doctors listed as “partner physicians” on Ovation’s website.
An Ovation spokesperson did not respond to requests for comment on Ovation’s corporate structure.
According to Robert Marcereau, a Dana Point, Calif.-based attorney representing eight of the plaintiffs, Ovation’s physicians are either given an ownership interest in Ovation, or are paid financial incentives to make referrals to its laboratories.
No physicians are currently named as defendants in the lawsuits, but that may change, according to Marcereau.
“Were these doctors being forthright with their patients once they learned of what happened?” he asked. “Because a lot of these doctors were very slow to provide information to their patients and were not in my opinion forthcoming. That's something that's going to have to be explored.”
Marcereau said his firm was contacted by an Ovation employee at the Newport Beach lab. That employee made allegations of poor work being performed by embryologists, which was attributed in part to lax training provided by Ovation. Similar allegations were made in another of the four lawsuits.
Although Marcereau declined to name the whistleblower, the suit his firm filed mentioned an Ovation embryologist by name. It referred to her as an “unqualified and inexperienced employee” whose errors – along with others allegedly committed by Ovation staff – regularly killed embryos.
Ovation’s official statement on the incident appears to confirm at least a portion of Marcereau’s allegations. “This was an isolated incident related to an unintended laboratory technician error that impacted a very small number of patients,” Ovation said. “As soon as we recognized that pregnancy numbers were lower than our usually high success rates, we immediately initiated an investigation.”
However, Ovation did deny one of the primary accusations in the lawsuits: That embryos were implanted in patients even after the company was aware they were non-viable.
“We have been in close contact with these few impacted patients since the issue was discovered,” Ovation’s statement concluded. “We are grateful for the opportunity to help patients build a family and will continue to implement and enforce rigorous protocols to safeguard that process.”
The content and themes expressed within the article are that of the news. The advertiser does not have editorial control over the content of this article, and Inside Reproductive Health maintains full editorial independence. The views and opinions expressed in this article do not represent the views of the Advertiser or of Inside Reproductive Health.
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External links are being provided as a convenience and for informational purposes only; they do not constitute an endorsement or an approval by Fertility Bridge or Inside Reproductive Health of any of the products, services or opinions of the corporation or organization or individual. Neither Fertility Bridge nor Inside Reproductive Health bears responsibility for the accuracy, legality or content of the external site or for that of subsequent links. Contact the external site for answers to questions regarding its content.
Under-utilization of fertility benefits negatively impacts patients and practices
One fertility savings program proves a useful tool for patients and practices.
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Reproductive Medicine Associates of New York (RMANY) has had to counsel their fair share of patients who have exhausted their fertility benefits.
“Patients may not be fully educated on the medical criteria of their fertility benefits, which plays a vital role,” said Romain Singramdoo, Finance Manager at RMANY.
In “cases where implantation needs to occur within a certain time frame, the patient was not fully educated, and did the implantation past the allowed time,” Singramdoo said. In this instance, the finance coordinator informed the patient that their Global Health Insurance (GHI) policy mandated her to have her frozen embryo transfer (FET) cycle within 60 days of the retrieval. “When the implantation happened past the allowed time, the implantation cycle counted as ‘another try’,” Singramdoo added.
Patients may see a total dollar amount ‘covered’ and want to use the entirety of that coverage as soon as possible to afford fertility treatment without understanding their potential treatment path. “They may need more than one cycle to achieve their goal, based on their individual circumstance”, Amanda Travis, Director of Brand Marketing, US Fertility at EMD Serono, said. “Or that the medication part of the treatment costs may be extracted and paid out of pocket”.
Fertility LifeLines™ enrolled nearly 139,000 patients from 2013-2023, saving them approximately $69 million in total*.
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In a recent study, perceived cost was the most commonly reported barrier for respondents not seeking treatment (42% of patients (n=207))1. EMD Serono’s Fertility LifeLines™ program offers savings on EMD Serono medications for eligible patients.
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*Data on File, EMD Serono Inc.
1. Domar, et al. Barriers and factors associated with significant delays to initial consultation and treatment for infertile patients and partners of infertile patients, RBMO, VOLUME 43, ISSUE 6, 2021
Often, patients meet with the appropriate staff member at the fertility clinic to ask the important questions: How much will this cost me, and how much will my insurance pay? Typically, at this point, patients have “a minimal understanding of how their ‘coverage’ can be best and most efficiently leveraged”, Travis shared.
By the very nature of fertility treatment, patients experience a range of emotions, not to mention challenges, one of which is the affordability of expensive fertility treatment programs. “Couple these complexities with what a patient seeking infertility treatment may be feeling at the point in time when they’re exploring costs; they are overwhelmed and feeling ‘challenged’ from the start,” Travis said.
The underutilization or misutilization of fertility benefits is devastating for patients, who have to pay the extra costs out of pocket.
But forward-thinking fertility centers like RMANY have also found ways to help patients maximize their fertility benefits efficiently. Whether they “had a specific dollar amount of $25,000 to utilize for IVF”, or other stipulations and amounts, Singramdoo said.
Benefit challenges impact fertility centers and patients
“Insurance and coverage are foundationally complex, regardless of how and where a patient is accessing it,” Amanda Travis, Director of Brand Marketing, US Fertility at EMD Serono, said.
Confusion over how to optimize benefits can also impact patients’ fertility treatments and entitlements. “Patients may be paying more than they should be to achieve the outcome they are looking for,” Travis shared. “They may miss the chance to apply for a manufacturer or pharmacy savings program for their medications if they choose to entirely pay through their insurance coverage or plan,” Travis added.
Limited knowledge of fertility benefits can also impact the patient’s fertility center. “Frustration could lead to bad reviews for the finance team for not giving clarity, or patients may begin to lose trust in the practice,” said Singramdoo. Financial counselors and patient navigators face several hurdles when allocating benefit coverage. “Insurance reps tend to be very vague and inconsistent when explaining benefits, leaving the practice to relay information that may be incorrect,” Singramdoo detailed.
How fertility centers can help their patients get the most from their benefits
Fertility clinics can help their patients properly navigate, optimize, and advise their patients. “Insurance coverage is a good starting point for the financial conversations, but prepare a process and questions to best educate and set the patient up for success,” said Libby Horne, Senior Vice President of US Fertility & Endocrinology at EMD Serono.
Bespoke fertility benefit packages are available to clinics. In today's fertility sector, it's recommended that clinics implement a process that builds in personalization and doesn’t treat all patients with ‘coverage’ the same.
Expanding supply chains to involve pharmacies in patients’ fertility treatment plans can optimize operations for facilities. “If the clinic doesn’t have the process or personnel to do this effectively with every patient, outsourcing to their pharmacy may be an effective idea,” Horne said.
Three-way calls with patients, insurance providers, and fertility practices help clarify benefits. “Asking the patient to get their written certificate of coverage or provide us with a concierge number for their benefits can also assist in clarifying benefits,” Singramdoo noted.
EMD Serono’s savings program saves eligible fertility patients an average of $1,700
EMD Serono encourages all eligible patients to apply to see their potential savings and confer with their EMD Serono network pharmacy if they do not immediately qualify to see if there is potential for other savings.
The biopharmaceutical company hosts a Fertility LifeLines Resource Hub featuring program descriptions, patient materials, program logos, and patient-facing instructional videos for clinics to educate patients on Fertility LifeLines.
Fertility LifeLines is a program for eligible patients who will be paying out-of-pocket for EMD Serono fertility medications. EMD Serono offers a Compassionate Care program to support certain eligible patients’ access to affordable fertility treatment.
On average, eligible patients save over $1,700 on EMD Serono Fertility medication, but some may save more. The savings patients can expect to make are based on several factors, including financial need, number of dependents, and military status.
This News Digest Story is paid featured content. The advertiser has had editorial input and control over its creation. However, the views and opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Inside Reproductive Health. The sponsorship of this content does not imply an endorsement by Inside Reproductive Health.
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IVF centers moving from “pay per treatment” to “pay for baby” model
Fertility clinic pricing strategies enter a new era with assistance from AI company
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AIVF™
With the prominence of sophisticated artificial intelligence (AI) systems like AIVF’s EMA progressing the fertility industry from standardization to personalization, fertility clinics can shift to a “pay for baby model” over the traditional “pay per treatment” pricing structure.
Today’s fertility industry has struggled to keep up with treatment demands. In the US, clinics are only serving 20% of the need for IVF, leaving 80% of patients giving up on starting the process of having a child, Daniella Gilboa, CEO and co-founder of AIVF, conveyed.
However, as AI-powered scoring systems, such as AIVF’s EMA, lower uncertainties, expedite embryo evaluation, and provide clear, accurate information, clinics now have the potential to meet this demand. Clinics utilizing AIVF’s software have seen a 30% increase in success rates, Gilboa said in a July 2023 New York post article.
Non-invasive AI systems analyze multiple parameters that, when put together, give much more predictive information about embryo development.
The in-depth operating systems help doctors understand implantation failures and multiple failed cycles.
“The timing of the cell divisions, the evenness of the cell divisions and the amount fragmentation of certain features will give us ideas as to the embryo’s true quality and genetic potential,” Dr Conor Harrity, Consultant Gynecologist and Subspecialist in Reproductive Medicine at Rotunda and Beaumont hospitals in Dublin, Ireland, told Inside Reproductive Health.
Predictive power
Dr. Harrity sought a non-invasive tool that would provide more information on blastocysts than standard morphology. “AIVF stands out because it gives us much more information about the potential of the embryo without the need to biopsy the embryo with the extra risk of embryo damage or the extra cost involved with preimplantation genetic testing technology (PGT),” said Dr. Harrity.
“If the embryo is not good enough, you can modify and personalize the regime,” said Dr Harrity. Therefore, AIVF helps clinicians identify scenarios where good embryos haven’t worked, and they need to modify the transfer regime. With AI scoring, the tool also lets clinicians see that embryos they thought were good morphologically weren’t as good as they had thought.
“AIVF gives more confidence to both the doctor and the patient about how to shorten their journey to either success or to knowing why it’s not working, and then changing tack and doing something that will help them succeed,” said Dr. David Walsh, Director of FirstIVF.
The use of AI and tools like AIVF indicate a move to a 'pay per baby' pricing model over a 'pay per treatment' model, Walsh confirmed. “The closer you can get to a higher probability of outcome and shared risk between the fertility clinic and patient, the more likely we are to see the move to a ‘pay per baby model”, Walsh said.
Due to its expense, clinics cannot afford to return this cost to patients, Walsh said, if treatment does not result in pregnancy. “Anything that gets closer to the prediction of outcome allows clinics to make calculated outcomes, therefore increasing their predictive power”.
Time-lapse capabilities
Progressing beyond PGT, AIVF enables retrospective use by recording time-lapse videos. Over the past year, Dr. Harrity confirmed that the industry has started to see instances where it has been very useful to look retrospectively at embryos and learn more about previous failed transfers.
AIVF’s EMA uses time-lapse monitoring to understand an embryo’s development. Several cameras record the embryo to give a multi-dimensional view of the embryo’s growth. The system shows how the embryo divides from a single cell into multiple cells until it forms a blastocyst.
Rather than just using snapshots at certain points of development, embryologists continuously monitor the embryo’s growth over five to six days until it reaches the blastocyst stage, providing much more information.
Non-clinical benefits
EMA’s automated embryo evaluation and quality scoring modules (AIVF Day-3, AIVF Day-5 and AIVF Genetics) automate the embryo evaluation process, entirely replacing manual steps, such as visual inspections, morphokinetic and morphological annotations, and manual data recording and transfer into the electronic medical record (EMR).
The integrated system directly transfers all embryo evaluations and scores from the time-lapse incubator to the EMR through the EMA platform, eliminating redundant data recording and transfer between multiple operating systems within the IVF laboratory. “It is documented in the patient’s information record, another data point,” said Walsh.
A 2023 research study found the average manual evaluation and recording time without and with EMA was 3.1 minutes versus 30.9 seconds per embryo, respectively. Overall, using AIVF reduces the average embryo evaluation time per cycle by 83%, a case study on efficiency revealed.
By utilizing EMA's automated messaging dashboard, IVF analytics tool, and laboratory documentation for performance monitoring and calculation, clinics can also lower administrative time for each cycle from 9.0 hours to just 5.58 hours, a 38% reduction. (1)
AIVF audits field transfers; offering information about embryos that did not implant.
Developers are adding features to AVIF’s time-lapsed five-minute videos to increase predictive power. Standing out in a way that isn’t true for all other non-invasive programmes, Walsh said, “AIVF is constantly learning, so it is getting better over time”.
“The big thing about non-invasive testing is that it can become universal,” said Walsh. It is accessible to everybody going through a fertility lab because it is relatively low cost, particularly compared to genetic testing. As long as the information is stored securely, non-invasive testing enables clinicians to look back in time and use it in the future. Clinicians can receive that information and run the data. “It’s eternal,” said Walsh.
While a move to subscription pricing models is uncertain at the moment, Walsh said, “clinics may justify this move based on confidence and outcomes”. He said confidence in AI technology like AIVF and its outcomes will help clinics move to different financial models, with ‘pay for baby’ treatment a permissible and viable alternative to the 'pay for baby' treatment option.
(1) Validated by AIVF partners. Internal data on file
This News Digest Story is paid featured content. The advertiser has had editorial input and control over its creation. However, the views and opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Inside Reproductive Health. The sponsorship of this content does not imply an endorsement by Inside Reproductive Health.
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Fertility Clinics Across Globe Grow Egg Freezing Programs with AI-led Tool
Programs scale access to fertility preservation using Future Fertility’s oocyte assessment tool, Violet
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Future Fertility
The number of women electing to freeze their eggs in the US increased to 12,438 in 2020, up from 7,193 just four years prior in 2016, The Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology reported.
However, a limiting factor to fertility clinics’ egg-freezing programs has remained: patient confidence. Practitioners could not tell patients the quality of their eggs, making egg freezing programs an expensive and stressful gamble.
Some fertility clinics have been able to dramatically improve their egg freezing programs leveraging an AI-based oocyte assessment tool, Violet. This technology measures egg quality to gain an objective view of the probability of successful fertilization and blastocyst development to help clinics guide egg freezing cycles, empowering patients with personalized insights and improving confidence in clinic decision-making.
Growing clinics’ egg freezing programs through a stronger patient experience
The AI tool informs patients about their fertility health, helping to guide patients’ next steps and aiding practitioners in attracting patients to their egg freezing programs.
Professor Alison Campbell, Chief Scientific Officer at Care Fertility Group, first heard of Violet several years ago following a presentation by Future Fertility’s co-founder Dr. Dan Nayot, a reproductive endocrinologist. “I had to investigate!”, she shared.
“I was very skeptical about the power of AI to predict quality or viability potential from a photograph of oocytes in the IVF laboratory,” Professor Campbell added. With no standardized visual scoring system in place, evaluating oocyte quality had previously not been possible by embryologists.
Professor Campbell’s clinic network, Care, went on to become the first in the UK to adopt Violet and is now using the tool in all egg freezing cycles. “Having data like this from Violet helps clinic staff have more meaningful conversations with patients to support their decision-making and fertility planning,” she continued.
“The first question all patients opting for the oocyte freezing programs have, is how many oocytes they need to freeze to have a viable embryo,” said Dr. Ernesto Escudero, Gynecology Fertility Specialist at Inmater, a fertility clinic in Peru that has been using Violet for over a year now.
“Violet is a very helpful tool to show patients the real number of oocytes they need to store for, not just their age, but also for the viability of each oocyte,” he added.
These insights are guiding counselling conversations and helping patients connect the clinician’s treatment recommendations with their own personalized data – for example, when egg quality is lower than expected for their age and additional retrievals are recommended to give them the best chance of reaching their family planning goals.
Violet is also filling a gap in ensuring patients have appropriate expectations for the usage of the frozen eggs in the future – information that, until now, has been shared only in terms of general estimates, based on population health statistics that consider only the patient’s age and number of mature eggs retrieved.
Delivering this level of information and building a relationship of trust means these patients are more likely to return for future treatments, enabling clinics to grow their programs. This also helps create a positive reputation in the patient community, helping to attract new clients through differentiated service levels.
Dr. Sergio Papier, Medical Director and CEO of CEGYR in Argentina, attests to this approach – his clinic has adopted Violet as part of every freezing cycle as the clinic expands its precision medicine program. “It is a tool that we have quickly incorporated for all patients,” he says.
AI tools scale access to fertility preservation through standardization and repeatability
“AI has the potential to improve reliability, accuracy, efficiency, and reproducibility in the IVF lab and wider clinic,” Professor Campbell relayed. Using advanced deep learning technology to evaluate oocyte images, Violet answers the need for more certainty regarding oocyte quality.
“My concern has always been to have an objective biomarker that can evaluate oocyte quality, the most important variable in the results of ART,” said Dr. Papier. It was this interest that led Dr. Papier to discover Violet. The AI tool not only informs treatment planning but also provides clinics with new research projects, exploring the impact of clinical and lab variables on oocyte quality.
“It’s very important in a lab to have tools that will help achieve better pregnancy rates and reduce time to pregnancy – AI is the future for that,” comments Dr. Escudero.
Future Fertility’s technology has also proven to integrate seamlessly with existing lab set-ups and workflows. “It doesn’t need to alter what the clinical embryologists do with the eggs, in terms of cryopreservation, and it can help the team counsel patients, set their expectations, and aid their decision-making,” said Professor Campbell.
“Future Fertility makes AI accessible to IVF laboratories,” she highlighted, detailing how the company stands out as the go-to AI egg-freezing tool.
“They have a strong expert team and work closely with clinics to educate staff and implement their technology,” added Professor Campbell. Care Fertility has seen its egg freezing program grow since implementing the tech.
“Without a doubt, Violet is a very useful tool for evaluating oocyte quality and gives doctors, biologists and patients a more objective perspective of potential future results,” shared Dr. Papier.
This News Digest Story is paid featured sponsor content, where the Advertiser has editorial control. They do not reflect the views of Inside Reproductive Health.
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20 Years After Toft Report, Most Fertility Centers Have Yet to Automate
90% OF Fertility Centers Still Doing Manual Witnessing, Exec Says
A boom in demand for fertility treatment means more embryologists are turning to management to invest and implement processes and systems to modernize fertility care through implementing automated technologies.
“As the UK regulator of fertility treatments, we expect clinics to have robust systems in place to ensure eggs, sperm, and embryos are safely stored for patients,” Rachel Cutting, Embryologist and Director of Compliance & Information at the Human Fertilisation & Embryology Authority (HFEA) told Inside Reproductive Health.
Long-standing, antiquated, manual tools have traditionally been the process of choice, despite the risks associated with being prone to human error and inconsistencies that subsequently compromise the standard of care.
However, some fertility managers and embryologists are changing their approaches to embrace automation and ensure they continue to deliver a standard of care to patients that provide cell transparency and safety. For example, managers want to automate the tracking and storage of frozen eggs and embryos.
Swapping antiquated for automated
Regarding IVF laboratories, the main problem with automation and artificial intelligence (AI) is “a lack of standardization”, Danilo Cimadomo, Science and Research Manager of GeneraLife IVF, told Inside Reproductive Health.
While there is a “very good concordance and reliability”, among people working within the same IVF center, the same is not true across different centers. “When it comes to the procedures as well as to the assessments that we make, there is not very much concordance between embryologists,” says Cimadomo.
Global managers are exploring automation in response to the estimated over 300 million anticipated to be born from IVF by 2100. Automation enables them to continue to provide cell transparency and safety – while ensuring compliance.
“Advances in technology have meant greater success for patients using cryopreserved eggs and embryos and therefore, more patients are storing them for treatment or to preserve their fertility,” Cutting shares.
“Even now, around more than 90% of fertility centers around the world are still not using any form of electronic witnessing,” says Matt Pettit, Chief Scientific Officer at IMT International, responsible for developing and implementing Matcher, an electronic witnessing and quality management system. Many fertility centers still handwrite Petri dishes, test tubes, and items.
“It is still a problem within the industry, still a change that needs to take place,” says Pettit. Serious adverse events are still happening, he continues. There are still reported incidents, year after year, where incorrect sample handling means babies are born to the wrong parents or embryos have been discarded.
As a result, today, we are seeing “a paradigm shift towards the use of electronic systems”, Pettit notes, continuing, “we are seeing a big wave now where there has been a very rapid
adoption of electronic systems”. “Covid has expedited that realization,” Pettit adds.
Despite the release of the Toft Report almost two decades ago, implementing new automation-led processes and systems to support the fertility sector has been slow to adopt. Yet, increasingly, managers are conducting audits to recognize risks in manual systems and seeking tech to reduce the risks of these existing systems.
Managers are exploring tech with specific features to improve digital tracking, robotic automation, and 24/7 remote monitoring to take the burden off of manual staff procedures and overcome identified risks. They see the benefits of automating embryo tracking and storage to reduce errors and ensure their infrastructure is robust to meet patient demand.
Advancing tech encourages acceptance and adoption
Electronic tech innovations are entering the reproductive health space and finding acceptance in the wider healthcare sphere, helping to foster trust and uptake among managers of fertility centers and donor banks.
With a focus on automation, transparency, and standardization, the tech connects to the company’s software, which assigns a unique identifier for each specimen and captures real-time information. It aims to reduce most manual inputs that risk failure in the existing cryogenic process.
“Systems such as electronic witnessing systems and other automated technologies are becoming more commonly used, and clinics will use these to ensure security and safety is optimized,” Cutting details.
Electronic witnessing systems are currently “the easiest and most effective way” for fertility centers to embrace automation and AI, Cimadomo says, describing it as “one of the most impactful automation tools” he has seen implemented in his clinic.
Fertility centers and donor bank managers are implementing automated patient tracking information to reduce errors, like Matcher IVF electronic witnessing technology. Described as a double-checking system, IMT’s Matcher tech is a barcode-based electronic witnessing, labeling, scheduling, traceability, and data insights system.
Teaming up with academia to provide education on the potential of automation in IVF is a priority for fertility researchers, clinicians, and embryologists. The electronic witnessing system’s upgrade is in response to an increasing number of treatments that require labeling, identifying, selecting, and matching a specific embryo for a predetermined fate, such as biopsy, transfer, cryopreservation, or disposal.
In an MIT Technology Review, researchers found almost three-quarters of health professionals (72%) show significant interest in implementing AI in their work. Embracing the technology appears more likely as professionals perceive it to be an extension rather than an extinction of professional capacity in health care. Research has found that the number of AI publications in medicine and health has also grown, with 61.6% of the papers dated between 2008 and 2017.
Encouraging change through embracing convenience
Sharing information between databases is a powerful tool. It enables centers to cross-reference data across different systems and use that to effectively help drive further efficiencies, mitigate error, and for root cause analysis.
Describing this realization as “probably the tipping point”, Pettit continues, it means people will “very rapidly adopt these types of technologies because it is more about the collection of data and that knowledge is power than it is about the prospective error prevention”, says Pettit.
“The real advantage of automation will be for smaller centers that do not get the same experience as centers that are managing large volumes in terms of procedures,” says Cimadomo. However, cost-effectiveness remains a barrier to implementation. “That perhaps is the reason why we still do not have any automatic tool in the IVF laboratory, you need an investment in terms of money that should be justified from the volumes you have,” Cimadomo adds.
The use of technology and its specific applications varies from lab to lab. Research labs, for example, may require automatic timing and sanitation, whereas a lab engaging in clinical activities may not need this data. Therefore, the technology and the strategies need to be framed for the country, the regulations applied, the population of patients, and the specific center’s needs.
“There is not really any effective automatic tool in the lab, it is still very manual the activity that we do, but that doesn't mean that there's no research,” says Cimadomo.
Automation
However, researchers have found that the answer does not have to lie in automation. Scientists developed an embryo tracking system (ETS) with six control steps to see if it increased the safety, efficacy, and scalability of massively parallel sequencing-based preimplantation genetic testing (PGT). The researchers found that the ETS approach precluded error-prone manual checks and did not impact preimplantation embryos’ genomic landscape.
Yet, increasingly, the benefits of automation in assisted reproduction technology (ART) are being recognized. Researchers of the review, Paving the Way for the Future of Infertility Treatment, said in August 2022 that implementing novel technologies to automate ART “will soon become a reality”.
On 13th May 2023, the Italian Society of Embryologists Reproduction (SIERR) is dedicating its 2023 event to understanding the role of AI in IVF, demonstrating the growing interest in the possibilities of automation in fertility. Understanding how AI applications in embryology and reproductive medicine work and defining the state of the art is the goal of the 2023 event.
“We thought it was about time to talk about AI because there are lots of companies commercializing tools and are approaching us in the laboratories, and there are people who do not know what AI is”, says Cimadomo, a member of the Italian Society of Embryologists at Production and Research.
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