SG-Rockville- what time do you go in for monitoring? How long do you wait? Debating between SG & CFA

[Anonymous]

I am trying to determine if I should go to SG, which is a 20 minute drive for me, or to Columbia Fertility in Bethesda, which is a 10 minute drive for me. A friend of mine used Columbia fertility and although she did get pregnant with them, thought the billing and office staff to be horrid. She said she would wait about 20-30 minutes in the am to get in for monitoring (which took about 15-20 minutes).

Is it worth a shorter drive to deal with billing hassles? I get the impression that SG is a fine tuned machine and things like insurance, coverage, billing, etc. are taken care of with no issues.

[Anonymous]

With Shady Grove, it seemed like the typical wait for monitoring appointments was about 10-15 minutes...it really is a well-run practice.

[Anonymous]

FWIW, I did IUI and IVF with Columbia (in the DC office) and never had any of the problems other women have spoken of on this board. I was there in 2008 -maybe things changed before/after?

[Anonymous]

i don't know about the MD office for CFA, but i did IUI in '08 w/ CFA in the arlington office, and it was always at least an hour wait for morning monitoring. i would show up at 7:30AM and there would be a line outside the door of ladies waiting to get in, b/c nobody in the office had shown up yet....
but it doesn't sound like you'd be at the arlington office for any reason...
SG was v. efficient, i thought. i was actually surprised b/c i went in w/ the expectation that it's such a huge facility w/ so many patients that i would probably have to wait for ever and a day for blood work and u/s....but not the case. and i have been to their Annandale, Bethesda, and Fair Oaks offices...

[Anonymous]

SG lets you make appointmetns for morning monitoring, I think that cuts down on the waits. Does Columbia do that, or do you just show up at some point in the morning?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:SG lets you make appointmetns for morning monitoring, I think that cuts down on the waits. Does Columbia do that, or do you just show up at some point in the morning?

You show up at some point in the morning. I would prefer appointments, but I had a great experience at Columbia otherwise, so I will stick with them for #2.

[Anonymous]

I go to SG - I normally go to Fair Oaks or K Street, but I have been to Rockville & Annandale also.

In my experience, they are extremely efficient in getting you in and out for morning monitoring. I usually wait only 5-10 minutes, and never wait more than a minute or two once I am in the room for ultrasound. The whole process is very streamlined; even if you show up w/o an appointment, they usually fit you in quickly.

[Anonymous]

I had a successful cycle with SG and I was always impressed at how they were on time with military precision. Since then I have moved and have been to a couple appts with a clinic in california, and after waiting for 20 minutes in their waiting room last week, my husband said, "I sure do miss Shady Grove."

You can get monitoring appts first thing in the morning, too. I was never even late to work. I sure do miss them.