Inside Reproductive Health Podcast

272 The Massive Blindspot in IVF Costing. Dr. Jason Barritt. Steve Rooks.

How much does an IVF cycle cost? Seems like a simple question. But as this week’s guests explain, it’s not. The way most of us account for “an IVF cycle” hides how many individual work orders and variables are actually involved. That lack of clarity can distort cost, efficiency, and strategy. This week on Inside Reproductive Health, Griffin talks with Steve Rooks, co-author of a groundbreaking paper in JARG on activity-based costing in IVF, and Dr. Jason Barritt, Chief Scientific Officer at Kindbody, to unpack what’s really behind those numbers. Together, they discuss: – Why “an IVF cycle” isn’t a single service but a set of unique work orders – How retrieval volume, ICSI, and PGT each reshape the cost per cycle – The dramatic efficiency differences between labs performing 200 vs. 4,000 cycles per year – The growing impact of managed care on margins – How scalable systems like AURA from Conceivable Life Sciences could expand IVF access

271 Things Are Changing Fast. The Need for Genetic Counselors. Dr. James Grifo

“They expect us to be perfect.” That’s how Dr. Jamie Grifo, Chief Executive Physician of the Inception/Prelude Network, describes the expectations placed on reproductive endocrinologists from patients, payors, and policymakers alike. And while perfection may be impossible, preparation and partnership aren’t. He discusses: – Why NYU Langone has three in-house genetic counselors in their REI department – How they counseled over 700 new patients last year – What led to 300 PGT-M cycles out of 5,500 retrievals – The challenges of sharing counselors across a growing network – Regulatory complexities from state and federal oversight – Why some REIs may be missing key opportunities to help patients with mosaic embryos

270 Quality in IVF Labs. From Acceptable to Exceptional. Drs. Michael Baker & Robert Mendola

Embryologists have a lot riding on the line. Bad supplies can cause big problems. Good supplies can create big improvements. Either way, success rates and patients’ lives hang in the balance. Every detail in the IVF lab matters.  “Good enough” can cost more than it saves, because only the highest standards protect consistency, outcomes and trust..    We’re joined this week by two of the most respected leaders in embryology. Dr. Michael Baker, Lab Director at Aspire HFI, and Dr. Robert Mendola, Lab Director at CCRM and member of the network’s Innovation Advisory Board. Together, they break down: – The full chain of quality assurance, from suppliers to networks to individual lab – The burden and importance of retesting lab materials – Why labs should evaluate not just blastocyst formation but cell counts per blast – The tension between cost control, standardization, and lab autonomy – The suppliers and products that stand out for exceptional quality (including Vitrolife’s media and oils) – Why transparency and competition should set the standard for lab supply quality (instead of regulation)

269 Why Clinicians Are Struggling. Dr. Alice Domar

How are clinicians doing? Patients are expecting more, offering less gratitude, and leaving negative reviews faster than ever. Sound familiar? Dr. Alice Domar, Chief Compassion Officer at Inception, talks about the emotional toll of working in reproductive medicine and what can be done about it. Dr. Domar shares: – Practical strategies for burnout prevention – The one small intervention proven to improve patient retention – Results from three psycho-social trials currently underway at Inception – The patient traits most predictive of treatment dropout – How Inception Fertility supports providers through empathic communication training - What needs to change to better support front-line fertility professionals.

268 The IVF Lab in 5 Years. Dr. Denny Sakkas

What will the IVF lab look like in five years? Trying to predict and shape that response is Dr. Denny Sakkas, Chief Scientific Officer at Boston IVF and head of the scientific advisory board for AutoIVF. In this episode of Inside Reproductive Health, Dr. Sakkas about what automation really means for embryologists, and how new technologies could transform lab operations, chain of custody, and patient safety. Dr. Sakkas shares: – The potential downsides to automation and where caution is needed – How AutoIVF differs from AURA by Conceivable Life Sciences –  His prediction about time-lapse imaging within five years – The areas where embryologists must hold firm on lab standards – The next big innovations he’s watching (and what Boston IVF plans to purchase next year)