Patient-centered care is care that respects and responds to individual patient preferences, needs, and values, and ensures that patient values guide all clinical decisions. This type of care can reduce your feelings of anxiety about your treatment and improve your feelings of well-being.

Before deciding on a fertility clinic, it is important to consider your needs and preferences. Then, choose a clinic that reflects these needs. For a list of fertility clinics in Canada, click here. Consider these 8 guidelines when making your decision:

1. Respect for your values, preferences, and expressed needs

Are there treatment options that reflect your personal or cultural values, beliefs, and expressed needs? For example, say you wanted religious supervision of egg retrieval. Is that available at your clinic?

2. Access to care

How convenient is the location for you? What are the opening hours? What are the waiting times?

3. Emotional support

Are emotional support and professional mental health services available? Are there fees for these services? Are they located at the clinic or off-site? Does the clinic provide access to support groups? To couples counselling?

4. Information and communication

Does the clinic offer written or electronic information like pamphlets or links to other resources? Who explains the treatment to you: the physician, a nurse, or another member of the medical team? Do you feel you have enough time during appointments to ask all your questions?

5. Continuity of care

Does the same doctor follow you throughout your treatment? If that is not possible, is the same team involved in your care throughout? Does the clinic offer 24-hour contact services in case you have an emergency late at night or over the weekend?

6. Coordination of services

Does the clinic offer the treatment services that are best for you, like in vitro fertilization? Does the clinic offer appointments that work with your schedule? What examinations and tests are offered at the clinic? How much do these services cost?

7. Physical comfort

Does the clinic provide a comfortable environment that respects your privacy?

8. Involvement of partners, family, and friends

Does the clinic present information in a way that includes your partner or the person that you rely upon for support during the treatment process? For example, does the staff take the time to ensure that everyone understands the procedure? Does the clinic make sure that you and the people who support you can come to appointments? That you all can share in the decision-making process? That you all can get information about side effects, or how to manage treatments, like injections, at home?