Your Total Well-Being
We know that everyone’s fertility experience is unique, and we are dedicated to providing the most advanced reproductive technology and holistic patient-centered care.
We don’t just treat your fertility issues, we support your whole person. That means helping you manage the stress of fertility treatment, as well as providing information on a fertile lifestyle and alternative therapies like acupuncture that can optimize your chance of getting pregnant and having a healthy baby.
Counseling & Emotional Support
Many women describe the experience of coping with infertility and IVF treatment as an “emotional rollercoaster.” Studies show that women experiencing fertility issues have distress levels equal to women with cancer, AIDS, or other life threatening cope with fertility issues. They can help you learn strategies for dealing with stress, managing your IVF cycle, and nurturing your relationship with your partner.
Fertility Lifestyle
All couples should try to lead a balanced life. Getting proper sleep, minimizing stress, and eating a balanced diet are all important for optimizing your fertility.
WOMEN
Weight: It is important to be at a healthy weight for your height. Women with a body mass index under 19 or over 32 have a lower chance of getting pregnant and an increased risk of miscarriage. Just losing five to 10 pounds if you are overweight can significantly improve your fertility.
Smoking: Women who smoke have a lower chance of becoming pregnant and a higher rate of miscarriage.
Recreational drugs: All such drugs can have an adverse effect on your fertility and the health of your baby.
Supplements: We recommend that you take a multivitamin containing folic acid (0.4 to 1.0 mg daily). This B vitamin reduces the risk of some serious defects of the central nervous system in the fetus. You should start taking folic acid as soon as you start trying to get pregnant.
Lubricants: Avoid artificial lubricants, oils, petroleum jelly, or glycerine as they can all reduce sperm function.
MEN
Excessive heat: Avoid exposing testicles to excessive heat like hot baths, hot tubs or saunas, or tight clothing.
Smoking: Smoking decreases sperm production.
Prescription and recreational drugs: Anabolic steroids, marijuana, and some prescription medications may reduce sperm production.
Complementary therapies
Chinese medicine combines lifestyle changes, herbal treatments and acupuncture to optimize health and fertility. Acupuncture is an ancient treatment, based in Chinese medicine, that involves inserting hair-thin needles into specific points in the body in order to boost the body’s natural healing ability. Acupuncture can help alleviate stress and anxiety and may have a role in fertility treatment.
We are happy to support you as you integrate Chinese medical therapies with our treatments. We have an onsite acupuncturist from Acubalance Wellness Centre Monday to Friday to provide acupuncture treatments during IVF egg retrievals and embryo transfers.
Other therapies, such as massage, yoga and naturopathic treatments can also help you in the often stressful journey through fertility treatments. Some programs that might interest you are listed below:
Acubalance Wellness Centre
BodaHealth
Family Passages’ Yoga for Fertility and Couples’ Mind Body Program
Life streams
Viva Diva Fitness
Patient Rights
We believe that patients are entitled to:
> Receive appropriate and satisfactory health care services.
> Be treated in a considerate and respectful manner regardless of race, ancestry, place of origin, citizenship, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability or social status.
>Privacy and confidentiality
>Access information in their health record.
>Request and receive the names of the health care providers involved in their care.
>Ask for and receive relevant information about their health status, diagnosis, plan of care, including the associated risks and existing alternatives to the proposed care.
>Refuse treatment and be informed of the health risks of their decision.
>Request information on alternative therapies.
>Be informed of any additional financial costs that may be incurred for services.
>Raise concerns or recommend changes about the care and service without fear of reprisal.
>Refuse to be part of a research trial.
>Withdraw consent at any time.
Patient Responsibilities
We believe that patients have the responsibility to:
>Collaborate with their health care providers during the course of their treatment.
>Provide accurate information about their relevant history.
>Accept responsibility for the consequences of refusing treatment.
>Treat their care team and other patients in a respectful and considerate manner.
>Be responsible for personal property and valuables.
>Accept responsibility for all uninsured financial costs incurred in their care.
>Have a family member or friend available when assistance is required
>Arrange for interpretation services, if necessary.
Patient Comments/Concerns
We openly encourage patients and their families to express verbally or in writing:
>Any concerns regarding care to their health care providers.
>Assist us in improving our care through a proactive approach to suggestions/changes to care delivery
>Be clear about your expectations, so that we can work together to achieve them
Comments / Complaints Process
>A comment is defined as an observation or statement (positive or negative).
>A complaint is defined as expression of dissatisfaction requiring a response
>If you have a comment or complaint on any part of your care or service that you received at Genesis Fertility Centre you are encouraged to contact the Clinical Director of Genesis.
>If the complaint is regarding a physician’s professional practice, you may contact the CPSBC.
If the complaint is regarding a nurse’s professional practice you may choose to contact the CNRBC.
You are entitled to a review process by the person in charge of the area or service in question. We will discuss your complaint with you and will facilitate a speedy resolution to your concerns. A comment/complaint can be made by an individual patient or a person acting on behalf of the patient with their permission (consent).
how do i make a complaint or comment?
All complaints, whether oral or written, will receive a positive and full response, with the aim of investigating the complaint through a review process, offering an apology or explanation as appropriate and referring to any actions that will be taken as follow up to the complaint. Both comments and complaints are important to us in determining what we are doing right and what needs to be improved upon.
to whom should i complaint or comment?
You can address your concerns or comments with your physician at your appointment, with a nurse on the phone or with the Clinical Director.
You may file a complaint by:
>Filling in the complaint form Download PDF Form and emailing us (or) faxing us at 604 875 1432
>Calling (or in person) to your physician or a member of the nursing team at 604 879 3032
>Writing a detailed letter and mailing it to Genesis Fertility Clinic at the Suite 300 – 1367 West Broadway Avenue, Vancouver, BC V6H 4A7
Comments can be addressed to any physician or staff member at any point of contact.
how soon will i expect to hear from someone?
You should expect a response within 2-5 business days if calling, faxing or emailing your comments or concerns. If your are mailing your complaint, the process can take up to 14 days for a response. Please make sure to include in your request how you wish to be contacted and at what number, as this will facilitate someone getting back to you.
what is your process for review of a complaint?
Initial review is undertaken after verifying with you by phone, the concerns, dates and any other necessary details. A review with the individuals and processes involved in you care and a chart audit are undertaken to determine where and how the system failed to meet your needs by assessing the failure points in the process. Then we look for changes to the way we do things and opportunities for improvements that would ensure that we minimize or alleviate the risk of the same thing occurring again.
The important thing is to know that we take every comments or complaint seriously and see them as an opportunity to review and improve the service that we provide. Thank you for assisting us in that process.
Privacy at Genesis
We believe that patients are entitled to:
>Their individual privacy of health and non-health related information.
What is the Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA)?
“ PIPA is legislation in the province of British Columbia that governs the collection, use and disclosure of personal information in private sector organizations.” The full text of the Act can be found here
What are we accountable for?
>The protection of your personal information under our control
>Informing you of the purposes for collecting your personal information
>Not disclosing personal information on you without your consent. Consent may be implicit or in writing Download PDF Consent to Release Information Form
>To only collect information that is necessary in the course of your treatment
>To retain you personal records as long as necessary and in accordance with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia
>To ensure that your personal information is accurate and up to date.
>To ensure that your personal information is protected by safeguards.
>That you have access to Genesis policies and procedures regarding privacy protection
>To inform you of your rights to access your personal information at any time
>To have a process whereby you may challenge our compliance with “PIPA”: http://www.cchsa.ca/
How do we work to protect your privacy?
There are several ways in which we work to protect your privacy by:
>Appointing a person in authority as the Genesis Privacy Officer (see description below)
>Putting processes in place to protect your privacy
>By auditing the system to ensure it is working
>Having all staff sign a pledge of confidentiality
>Having policies in place that can result in dismissal of the individual(s) involved in a breech or potential breech
>Having a written consent process in place for release of personal information
>Designing our facility to protect your personal information and privacy
Genesis Privacy Officer
The Genesis Privacy Officer will oversee the following:
Explain what kind of information is covered under this legislation
Explain how this information is collected
Explain what information is required from patients
Explain what information to disclose and to whom it can be disclosed to
Explain how patients can access their own information and oversee the process
Explain what fees can be charged for transfer and access of patient information Oversee requests for patient information corrections
Oversee complaints from patients regarding the above
Reviewing the safeguarding of all patient information
Ensure patient information is kept accurate
Oversee retention and disposal of old records as required by law
Update review and training of employees regarding this Act
Chart Transfers
Forward all written chart transfer requests to Privacy Officer.
Privacy Officer will pull chart, review and note information to be copied.
Privacy Officer will ensure a signed consent has been received and payment for transfer and copying has been made.
Privacy Officer will return chart to reception for copying and mail out.
Reception will note in chart date of transfer and return chart to appropriate filing area.
If patient calls for chart transfer, call is forwarded to Privacy Officer.
Privacy officer will discuss with patient the fees and obtain payment information. She will also obtain signed consent for transfer.
Privacy officer will then follow the above step 4 and 5.
Calls for information from doctors’ offices or hospitals
These calls are forwarded to the Privacy Officer.
Privacy Officer will pull patient chart. If doctor or hospital is not listed in chart, Privacy Officer will request a signed release consent to be sent. Once consent is received, she will pull the necessary information and fax to requesting office. No charge for these quick faxes.
Patient access to personal information
All patient requests for access must be forwarded to the Privacy Officer.
Obtain signed “Request for Access”
Explain to patient process (timing & fees) – within 30 days
Obtain payment
Pull chart
Review chart with nurse and/or physician
Prep chart for review
Set up access time with nurse and privacy officer
Review chart with patient (nurse/officer)
Photocopy chart if requested/payment for copying obtained
Note: If a couple separates and one of the parties wishes to view or access their personal information, all information is reviewed by Privacy Officer and the other party’s name is blacked out.
Patient requests for correction of personal information
All patient requests for corrections of personal information must be forwarded to the Privacy Officer
Obtain signed “Request for Correction”
Explain to patient process (timing) – within 30 days
Pull chart
Review correction request with chart/nurse and/or doctor with officer
Make decision to correct.
In writing, notify patient that correction has been made and copies of correction is sent to all other parties who’ve received information on the patient.
Note in chart correction made and date.
If correction is not approved, patient must be notified in writing given the reasons why.
Note in chart correction not approved, reason and date.
Complaints from patients regarding personal information
All complaints should be forwarded to the Privacy Officer.
Complaints should be in writing.
Privacy Officer will investigate and deal with complaint to the best of her ability. Noted in patient chart any complaints made and action taken.