Who will you meet at our leading fertility clinic in Sandton
Dealing with infertility can be extremely challenging – physically, emotionally and financially. That is why, at Medfem Fertility Clinic, we strive to create a warm and compassionate environment where you feel supported throughout every step of your fertility journey.
We do this thanks to our supportive team of fertility professionals, who all share the common goal of providing you with the very best care delivered with great empathy. In this article, we introduce you to the Medfem Fertility Clinic team members you are likely to meet when you visit our world-class fertility clinic, who will ensure you have a fond memory of being part of the Medfem family.
Going to any medical facility can seem daunting – unless, of course, you already know who you will be meeting and how they will support and assist you during your fertility journey!
When you come to visit us at Medfem Fertility Clinic, you can be assured that each person you meet – from our experienced reproduction specialists to our embryologists and administration staff – is 100% committed to providing you with the most positive experience imaginable.
Often, it is taking the first step – which is booking your initial consultation – that is the most difficult. But at Medfem Fertility Clinic, we make it easier for you: simply click here or contact us telephonically on +27 (11) 463 2244, and you will likely speak to our receptionists, Elsabie Theron and Debbie Cranko, who are ready to answer your call or enquiry and to welcome you. In addition to greeting patients and visitors, answering phones and scheduling appointments, these helpful ladies also interact with patients and provide general support to clinic staff.
During your initial consultation at Medfem Fertility Clinic, you will meet one of our fertility specialists, who have more than 100 years of collective experience diagnosing and treating infertility: Dr Nicholas Clark, Dr Tony Rodrigues and Dr Johan van Schouwenburg.
Medfem Fertility Clinic’s fertility specialists are nationally and internationally recognised as experts, as well as pioneers and innovators in the field of infertility treatment. Dr Clark’s experience extends across several countries, including working with Professor Lord Robert Winston, a pioneer of his time in the field of fertility and particularly IVF. Dr Rodrigues is a well-known expert and leader in minimally invasive endoscopic surgery, while Dr Johan van Schouwenburg was involved in the first successful IVF treatment carried out in South Africa in 1983.
During their more than 30 years of practice at Medfem Fertility Clinic, our reproductive specialists have performed an average of 1,100 IVF treatment cycles a year and helped to bring more than 18,000 babies into the world.
However, Medfem Fertility Clinic patients benefit not only from the expertise of all of our fertility specialists but also from the combined knowledge and innovation of the entire team, including embryologists, theatre staff, lab technicians, pharmacists and nursing specialists, theatre and support staff, as well as a clinical phycologist specialising in fertility.
Certainly you will meet our registered fertility nurses, Sr Eleanor Magardie, Sr Christina Cross, Sr Heather Sparrow, and Sr Cornie van der Merwe. They are called fertility coordinators because they spend far more face-to-face time with patients than any other members of the fertility team.
They will draw blood for analysis, assist the specialists with ultra-sounds and other procedures, and provide updates on test results. Fertility coordinators also provide invaluable assistance with the day-to-day realities of fertility treatments, for example, teaching patients to give themselves or their partner injections, and ensuring other medications are taken correctly and consistently.
Fertility is also often an emotional issue for patients, and fertility nurses are typically understanding, empathetic and kind. These nurses change lives and touch patients’ hearts with compassion and kindness. Fertility coordinators answer questions and explain procedures, coordinate the fertility team for a smooth treatment process, offer information and assistance at every step of the fertility journey, share the results of tests and treatments in a caring and compassionate manner, and provide emotional support and encouragement.
At Medfem Fertility Clinic, we have one of the best teams of fertility coordinators in the country, and arguably in the world.
Our patients undergoing IVF treatment are also supported by the IVF (In-Vitro Fertilisation) lab team, including embryologists Vicky Wolf, Monique Cagnazzo and Marlize Swanepoel, as well as Margaretha Janse van Rensburg, Head of Endocrinology/Andrology; Karin Bosch, lab technologist and administrator; Cathleen van Staden, lab receptionist; and Swazi Kamhaise, general lab assistant. The team works under the guidance of our Lab Director, Edolene Bosman, who directs and oversees all the operations, administration and technical aspects of the lab, as well as ensuring compliance with regulations, which requires advanced IVF and clinical laboratory knowledge and skills.
If you are using donor eggs in your IVF treatment, you will also meet Sr Hanlie Monnery, who has been with Medfem Fertility Clinic since 2001. She is the egg donor co-ordinator and works hand in hand with egg donors from the beginning of the egg donation cycle to its completion, serving as the primary point of contact for all egg donors.
All our patients meet our resident psychologist, Mandy Rodrigues. Dr Rodrigues is a clinical psychologist in private practice and has been involved in the field of infertility for eighteen years, working with individuals, groups and couples to understand the emotional and psychological issues of infertility treatment.
Our patients will also meet the qualified and experienced pharmacists Alida Venter; Val Rowles; Trish Howitt; Sonelle Basson; and Mareina Basson from Medfem Fertility Clinic Pharmacy, one of very few dedicated fertility pharmacies in South Africa. For more than 28 years, Medfem Fertility Clinic Pharmacy has specialised in the accurate delivery of fertility drugs, working closely with the doctors at Medfem Fertility Clinic and assisting thousands of patients undergoing fertility treatment.
In addition, our team also includes Chimone Smuts at the switchboard, our administrator and personal assistant Tracy Ferreira, and our accounts team, Kim Rietskins, Ulrika le Roux and Belinda Roodt, and an extensive team of theatre and support staff who take care of the countless details.
All these amazing people come together in multidisciplinary fertility team, ensuring Medfem Fertility Clinic offers the largest staff-to-patient ratio of any fertility clinic in South Africa, ensuring all our patients receive the best care possible.
Together, we are a collaborative, supportive team of professionals with years of experience in the field. Daily team meetings are held where each patient’s progress is discussed, with valued input from nurses who interact with the patients daily, embryologists who are intimate with the daily developments of the embryos in the lab, and specialists with years of experience, which is then turned into treatment plan recommendations.
At Medfem we believe in helping you reach your family dream through:
* World-Class Fertility for Everyone – we believe in making world-class fertility treatments available for everyone
* A Positive Fertility Journey – It is our joy and commitment to give you a positive outcome to your fertility journey
* Delivered With Empathy & Caring – So you may have a fond memory, of a feeling of empathy, caring and being part of the Medfem family
If you would like to meet us, simply click here to book an initial consultation or contact us telephonically on +27 (11) 463 2244.
We can also meet with You During a Virtual Consultation Via Zoom or Skype. Click here to book a virtual consultation now.
We all look forward to meeting you at Medfem Fertility Clinic!