IVIRMA is so big, they had 1,400 people just at their international congress. But what does it take to implement change, scale care, and keep the patient experience high inside an organization that large?

This week’s guest, Dr. Thomas Molinaro, Chief Medical Officer of IVIRMA North America, shares what’s working, what’s still being figured out, and what challenges fertility networks of every size should be preparing for.

Tune in to hear about:

• The AI solution they’re using to save REI time (and how it’s going so far)

• What they’ve learned from piloting patient journey platforms

• Their APP-to-REI ratio and how they approach shared workflows

• The evolving debate over who performs ultrasounds (REIs or sonographers?)

• The marketing on behalf of REIs before the patient walks in that is critical to care
  

If you’re curious about the operational future of large fertility networks—or want a blueprint for scaling thoughtfully—don’t miss this episode with Dr. Molinaro.

OB/GYNs are entering the IVF space—but what role should they play?

This debate is heating up in fertility medicine, and Dr. Stephanie Kuku, a former OB/GYN surgeon in the NHS and now Chief Knowledge Officer at Conceivable Life Sciences, offers her global, tech-forward perspective

In this episode, she talks through:

• What REIs and OB/GYNs really need from each other

• Where the line is on fertility care qualifications

• What REI oversight could look like in different countries

• How new tech may expand REI roles (not replace them)

• How Conceivable is building collaborative care models (including their current 100-patient IRB study)

The field is changing. How will REIs lead the way forward?

What standards should be non-negotiable in IVF labs?

In this week’s episode of Inside Reproductive Health, we’re joined by Dr. Sangita Jindal—lab director at five IVF centers and former SART president—to discuss the urgent need for standardized embryologist training, better oversight, and technologies that minimize catastrophic lab errors.

Tune in to hear Dr. Jindal’s insights on:

• Why embryologists need national certification (and why ASRM should lead it)

• The pros and cons of expanding training requirements for embryologists

• The limits of automation without skilled human oversight

• What she values most in the lab monitoring system Xiltrix (and why her other labs don’t have it)

• Whether every IVF lab should be required to implement e-witnessing

This episode was recorded just after news broke of another embryo loss lawsuit—highlighting the real-world consequences of our field’s biggest vulnerabilities. Don’t miss Dr. Jindal’s thoughtful, candid perspective on what needs to change.

What’s the biggest thing happening in the IVF lab?

It might just be automation. This isn’t hypothetical. It’s operating now.

We visited Hope IVF in Mexico City to see AURA, the fully automated IVF lab created by Conceivable Life Sciences. We sat down with co-founders Joshua Abram, Dr. Alejandro Chavez-Badiola, and Alan Murray to ask the questions you submitted—and some of our own.

Tune in as the founders share:

• The origin of AURA and what problems they set out to solve.

• How a team of 3 embryologist technicians could run 2,000+ cycles per year.

• What IVF cycles really cost (And why CFOs should pay attention)

• The commercialization strategy behind automation.

• How this might change costs, outcomes, and the embryologist role forever.

Looking to hire top REI talent? Want more meaningful conversations with clinic execs and embryologists?

There’s one summer meeting that keeps coming up in those conversations: The Midwest Reproductive Symposium International (MRSi).

In this episode of Inside Reproductive Health, we’re joined by three of its organizers; Dr. GG Collins, Dr. Eric Forman, and Dr. Morgan Wilhoite—who share how they’ve used MRSi to build real connections that last.

What you’ll hear in this episode:

• Why MRSI is uniquely valuable for vendors, fellows, and physicians

• The best ways to meet rising REI talent

• How to make your sponsorship dollars work harder for you

• How Fellows are building their networks before graduation

• What makes the MRSi environment ideal for genuine, lasting collaboration

Whether you’re hiring, building partnerships, or just looking to grow your network, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.

P.S. I don’t get anything from this, but if you want to save 10% on your registration, use my promo code: GJONES9

Everyone wants to grow their third party IVF program, but are we neglecting patient experience in the process?

This week on Inside Reproductive Health, Eloise Drane, 3 time gestational carrier, MBA, and founder of Family Inceptions, shares her honest take on how responsiveness and individualized care have declined, even as demand has stabilized post-2021.

Drawing from 17 years of experience running her own surrogacy agency, Eloise offers a kind but direct update on:

• Why patient experience is harder than ever to deliver (and how to improve it)

• How consolidation impacts intended parents and surrogacy wait times

• The challenges of startups and in-house agency models in IVF networks

• What she’s looking for in a surrogacy agency before considering merging or acquiring

• Why the “same workflows” just won’t cut it for gestational carrier cycles

If your practice or network is looking to scale GC IVF—and actually retain intended parents—this is a must-listen.

What’s your exit strategy?

For single providers and small fertility practice owners, the difference between a multimillion-dollar sale and walking away with nothing often comes down to timing and preparation.

This week on Inside Reproductive Health, I sit down with Bob Goodman, Richard Groberg, and Dr. Brijinder Minhas of MidCap Advisors to discuss:

• The current state of fertility clinic mergers & acquisitions

• Why many fertility MSOs are preparing to sell their networks

• When it’s too late to maximize your practice’s value

• How selling with a competitor could radically increase your exit price

• The biggest risks that lower your practice’s valuation

If you think you might sell your practice in the next 10-15 years, now is the time to start planning. MidCap’s team works with clinic owners to increase their valuation and secure the best possible deal—and they don’t charge fees unless you get paid.

Don’t leave money on the table. Listen now to learn how to secure your financial future.

Genetics is nobody’s baby—or at least this week’s guest seems to think so.

Dr. Mili Thakur, an REI, geneticist, and consultant through Genome Ally, joins us to break down the gaps in genetic testing, the impact on patient care, and why ASRM and others must step up to set industry-wide standards.

Tune in to hear:

• The risks inconsistent genetic testing poses to patients and clinics.

• How the lack of standardization creates unnecessary workflow burdens.

• Why genetic discrepancies hurt patient retention and third-party treatment conversion.

• The missing tools needed to improve third-party IVF programs.

• Dr. Thakur’s call to action for genetics companies to step up and lead the charge.

Who’s adding the most value in IVF today—and who might not be here tomorrow?

This week on Inside Reproductive Health, Dr. Cristina Hickman, founder of Avenue Center for Reproductive Medicine in London, breaks down the fertility field’s evolving landscape. As a PhD embryologist and clinic owner, she shares her perspective on industry leaders, automation, and the shifting role of technology in fertility care.

Tune in to learn:

• Why some clinic networks might be overextending by bringing too many verticals in-house.

• How automation could scale embryologist efficiency to 2,000+ cycles per year.

• The surprising relationship between robotics and AI in embryology.

• Which companies are providing the most value right now--in lab automation, EMR, financial management, and cryo storage and more

• How new intelligence could challenge the current standard of single embryo transfer.

Listen now to hear Dr. Hickman’s take on where the field is headed—and who’s leading the way.

What if 30% of your fertility clinic’s egg retrievals were for egg freezing?

That’s the reality at FertGroup in Brazil, where Dr. Marcus Dantas Martins, Chief Operating Officer, is leading a transformative approach to fertility care. In this episode, Dr. Dantas reveals how Fert Group is leveraging technology and private equity to expand their influence in the rapidly growing Brazilian market.

Join us as Dr. Dantas discusses:

• The Rise of Egg Freezing (And how the trend is reshaping fertility care in Brazil)

• How Private Equity has shaped their rapid expansion

• FertGroup’s Impact on patient outcomes (And its implications in the broader fertility landscape)

• How FertGroup is making egg freezing more accessible across Brazil.

• Why they bought >50% of the embryoscopes in Brazil to make it happen

Tune in to hear more about the future of fertility care in Latin America and how private equity is shaping the industry.