Dealing with infertility can be stressful, however, there are some things you should do to make your transition to your fertility doctor as stress-free and seamless as possible. Your fertility clinic might probably be very busy and while the staff is working relentlessly to ensure efficiency and accuracy, as with any type of medical care, it is important that you become your own advocate.
Here is a list of essential dos and don’ts:
- Make sure that you have your important test results and referral (if any) sent from your previous fertility doctor or OB-GYN. This is essential so make sure that both your complete name and date of birth are indicated on these records – especially if they are being sent through the mail, email, or fax.
- It is also important that you have a general understanding of what your insurance will cover, if there are out-of-pocket expenses, and if there is a financial personnel or counselor at your fertility clinic that will discuss with you your insurance plan as well as your fertility treatment costs. In many cases, they will be well-versed in insurance coverage, but it will be helpful for you to have a basic understanding of the common terms used.
- In advance, you should confirm your consultation appointment. Be sure to have the complete directions as well as the phone number to the appropriate office.
- Do not forget to bring your insurance card, your partner’s insurance card – bring one form of ID for each. Your last name should match on both your ID and insurance card. If it does not, it is best to bring an additional form of identification. The same last name should be used every time you are referring to your medical records. For instance, if your last name is Adams, there could be 20 other women by the name of Mrs. Adams at your clinic, while you are the only Mrs. Smith-Adams. Calling for test results as just Mrs. Adams can cause confusion.
- If a semen analysis was requested in advance, make sure that the results of the test are forwarded to your fertility clinic. If you have also been charting your Basal Body Temperature, then those charts should be with you when you visit your fertility clinic.
These are just some of the things that you should do to help you transition well to a new fertility clinic. If you have other questions about the process, feel free to visit our website for more information or simply give us a call at 416.221.7545 or 416.924.4666.
