Shady Grove Fertility - SGF Jones Institute, United States

The team at Shady Grove is outstanding, from the front desk staff and technicians to the nurses and medical providers. Special thanks to Dr. Combs, his residents Dr. Nguyen and Dr. Harris, and registered nurse Maria.

After some recent developments, my obstetrician-gynecologist recommended that I see a fertility specialist. Following extensive research, I chose Shady Grove Fertility. My first appointment was wonderful. Ms. Willia was very kind, and Ms. Nicole was excellent and provided a great deal of helpful information. I truly hoped to continue working with them. Unfortunately, my second appointment completely changed my view of the clinic. It was supposed to be for testing to determine exactly what was wrong. Unfortunately, the clinic did not accept my insurance and gave me little notice that I had to pay 625 dollars out of pocket in advance. In my opinion, since they knew they did not accept my insurance, they should have referred me to a provider who did or at least offered resources or options that could help me. They did neither. On the morning of my appointment, while driving from Suffolk to the clinic—a 45-minute trip—I checked my account and saw that I needed to pay 625 dollars. I immediately called the office and spoke with Michelle, who was rude and dismissive from the start. I explained that I had never received any notice of a balance and told her I would not have driven there if there were no other options. Instead of helping, she repeatedly implied that I was lying because she ‘could see it on her screen,’ even when I offered to show proof that nothing appeared in my account. It may have been a technical issue, but she refused to consider that possibility. She told me to ask Ms. Willia about other options. Ms. Willia tried to help, but told me the financial coordinator should already have contacted me—which had not happened—and then transferred me back to the front desk. Michelle then told me to come in because the financial coordinator could discuss possible options with me. I asked repeatedly whether there was a payment plan or any other option, but she only told me to come in and speak with them. When I arrived, no one attended to me. Michelle completely ignored me. I later spoke with Reba, who seemed confused because the staff had clearly not communicated about the issue. While I stood at the front desk in front of other staff and patients, Reba called the financial coordinator. I was forced to discuss my finances publicly, which was embarrassing and extremely unprofessional. There should have been a private place for that conversation. The financial coordinator immediately seemed impatient and essentially told me there was nothing she could do. When I asked what the point of asking me to come in was if there were no options, she replied, ‘I don’t know.’ When I asked what I was supposed to do, she said, ‘I don’t know what to tell you.’ This level of customer service is completely unacceptable. Worse still, while waiting to speak with management, I overheard Michelle and Reba talking about me behind my back, saying that I ‘should have checked the portal’ and ‘should have known better.’ This was highly unprofessional and, frankly, hurtful. Fertility issues are difficult enough, especially in your early twenties. You simply want answers, support, and guidance to understand what is happening with your body. You can never truly know what someone is going through beyond what you see, so being treated with such coldness and lack of professionalism was deeply disappointing. The clinic’s lack of empathy, communication, and customer service was shocking. I eventually spoke with two managers, who were sincere and apologetic, but I decided not to return. I later transferred to CCRM Fertility. They have already found an appropriate financing option for me, obtained insurance authorization for my testing, and treated me with compassion and professionalism. If you read their reviews, you will see that many former Shady Grove patients say they left because of poor experiences and later received better care at CCRM Fertility.

Dr. Bailey and our Care Coordinator Steve, did a wonderful job!! and I felt so welcomed, heard, and understood!! I brought a whole bag of all supplements I’ve ever tried at home and we talked through all of it together! :)

I’ve been with SGF Norfolk since December 2025 and have had an amazing experience with the exception of the billing department but that’s beside the point. When it comes to the staff I work with daily and at this point I have worked with nearly everyone on the surgical team, Dr. Harris and Dr. McAlas, every one on the lab team, the ultrasound techs and the front desk, everyone has been a joy to work with! A special shoutout to the lab techs and Margo who can always wrangle my veins the first try and the ultrasound techs who get stuck monitoring my never ending follicle count 🤣. Everyone at the Norfolk office has made this experience as comforting and warm as it can be and never once lacks in the compassion department!

The medical team is excellent, but the finance department lacks compassion and is disorganized. I received a $5,000 bill and, after questioning it, discovered that one item should have been free. They never apologized, and I hate to think what would have happened if I had not asked. The doctors follow up well, but if the clinic schedules a call rather than you initiating it, you are still charged a full consultation fee even if they do not reach you the first time. I had already paid for the consultation, yet was charged for a 30-second call communicating the results.

Thank you to Amber, Denigua, and Michelle at the front desk! Thanks also to the ultrasound technicians and Kella and Auala in the laboratory ♥️, and to the nurses who carefully explained the injection plan before the end of each day. Thank you for your support, care, and help.

We had an excellent experience with Dr. Harris and his team. Our nurse practitioner Natalie was absolutely wonderful!

We were extremely disappointed with this experience, especially the clinic's billing and administration. Unfortunately, they lived up to the Shady Grove name, like the legend of a “shady town.” From the start, they quoted extremely high medication and IVF costs. When I asked whether they had contacted our insurer—we had IVF coverage through UHC—they said no because they assumed we were uninsured. That single error forced us to restart the entire process and caused major delays. Over 17 months, we completed only one embryo transfer. The delays mainly resulted from repeated failures by billing to follow proper insurance and prior authorization procedures. Requests were submitted incorrectly or late, continually setting us back. Billing blamed others, nurses blamed billing, and we were caught in the middle with no accountability. Had I not stayed in close contact with the insurer and identified the problems myself, I doubt anyone at the clinic would have resolved them. Our first primary nurse also caused difficulties through poor communication and sometimes inaccurate instructions, which is concerning in a medical setting. I ultimately handled most communication for 17 months because the administrative burden overwhelmed my wife. Sadly, our only transfer failed. A year later, SGF is still holding our deposit while it supposedly “resolves billing issues” with insurance. Communication remains poor: promised calls never come, and replies seem templated. I still have to spend my own time pursuing updates. The stress ultimately led us to stop IVF, and I cannot help wondering how much it affected our outcome. To be fair, there were some positives: Our second primary nurse, Alanna, was excellent—compassionate, responsive, and genuinely helpful. Dr. Makaras was kind, although we had little contact with him. Alicia in billing did help resolve some initial insurance issues. Even so, we would choose another clinic if we could start over. This process is already difficult enough; patients should not also have to fight the system meant to support them.

Everyone is very kind and considerate. I receive a warm, friendly welcome at every visit! Thank you!

Words can’t truly express our gratitude for Dr. Harris and the entire SGF team. After such a long and emotional journey struggling to conceive, Dr. Harris helped us experience the miracle we had been praying for, we are now pregnant with twins! From the very beginning, he was kind, compassionate, and incredibly genuine, making us feel supported and hopeful every step of the way. The support from the team has been just as amazing. McKenna, my nurse, was always so timely, patient, and reassuring. She answered every question and guided me through each step with such care and understanding. Kimberly, my care coordinator was very timely, helped answer my questions, and made sure I always felt informed and supported. We will forever be thankful for this team. I wholeheartedly recommend SGF and Dr. Harris to anyone navigating infertility, they truly make miracles happen.

They gave me the best service I have ever received. I was nervous, but they made me feel at home. The laboratory technicians KELLA and QUALA were wonderful.

This is such a pleasant place. Special thanks to Amber, Indea, Deniqua, and Michelle!

Zipporah Davis is amazing! She made me feel very comfortable.

The team is excellent. Becky May makes you feel welcome and comfortable and ensures that laboratory testing is painless. They are a perfect team.

The staff were wonderful from the front desk to checkout. Special thanks to Quala and Kella in the laboratory, who made the entire process easy and pleasant.

Credit where it is due! Admitting Nurse - Kortney Anderson Anesthesia CRNA Tabitha Lozada OR Team Shannon Murillo & Margo Anderson, RN Recovery Nurse Rachel Emerich Procedure Physician Dr. McAlas My care team was absolutely the best. I felt very well cared for during my procedure, and their kindness, attentiveness, and support made a tremendous difference. They helped me feel comfortable and reassured throughout. I am incredibly grateful for the care I received. P.S. I really enjoyed the kind words written on the walls; it was a very sweet touch.

Kella is wonderful—kind and professional.

Kelly, Becky, and Quala made my experience bright, joyful, and fun.

Everyone here is so nice! I always enjoy chatting with Kella while she draws my blood. She even helped me solve a case. She deserves a raise!!!

The staff are always friendly and welcoming whenever I come in for bloodwork. Mickella and Quala are absolutely the best lab staff! Thank you for always being cheerful and helpful throughout this process.

Special thanks to Becky, Kella, and Quala in the lab. My veins are difficult, and a weekend blood draw did not go well, but they worked together to make sure my later blood draws were quick and efficient. They are not only personable but also highly skilled. The front desk staff—Michelle, Amber, and Deniqua—are also wonderful. They are warm and friendly at check-in. They know your name every time you walk into the clinic, which feels very personal. Dr. Le performed most of my tests and monitoring (HSG, FemVue, and ultrasounds). He makes you feel at ease and is very knowledgeable about the findings. He explains everything he is doing and talks through the results throughout the exam, which is very helpful for tracking follicle development. Finally, Dr. Banks and nurse coordinator Katelyn are also outstanding. Dr. Banks listened carefully to my husband's and my concerns, ordered all necessary tests, and developed a thorough treatment plan. Katelyn made sure I understood and was comfortable with every step of the process and patiently answered all my questions. Highly recommend SGF Norfolk!

Quala and Kella were both very friendly, welcoming, and efficient in the lab this morning. Our nurse during the ultrasound was the same way!

The lab team here is phenomenal! Becky, Kelly, and Quala are personable, friendly, and make the frequent labs painless and a great experience. Dr. Banks is nothing short of amazing. She is friendly, listens, and cares about her patients. She didn’t hesitate to call even if it meant her working late which was really appreciated. She stopped by after retrieval to congratulate us on how many eggs retrieved since we saw a large increase from the 1st retrieval. Would recommend her to anyone in need! Dr. Le performed a majority of the ultrasounds during stimulation meds and was very informative and ensured he pointed out what he was measuring and how I was progressing. Dr. Marchetti (sp?) was also wonderful - he supervised a trainee in ultrasounds and really made the process feel educational and helped put the trainee at ease. He also was involved in a research study and provided clear explanation when receiving consent.

Everyone was very supportive, kind, and encouraging throughout the process. They genuinely value each person’s experience and understand the journey.

The front desk/reception team—Amber, Deniqua, Michele, Quala, and Becky—are always warm, friendly, and helpful.

This was my first visit to the clinic, and everyone was very warm and welcoming. Even during several phone consultations, they were always patient, thorough, and kind. Special thanks to Amber, Deniqua, and Michelle at the front desk. They greeted me with smiles and kindness as soon as I entered, immediately putting me at ease. These three women were very attentive, answered all my questions, and even helped confirm my parking fee. I also want to thank Quala and Kella, who assisted me throughout the process and were the friendliest people I met that day. They asked how I was doing and made me feel confident about my healthcare decisions. It was a very pleasant visit, and I look forward to seeing them again as I continue my fertility journey.

Quala and Mickella were amazing today. They were approachable and kept my husband calm even though he is very afraid of having blood drawn. Thank you for being so wonderful :)

Zipporah, the laboratory technician, did an excellent job drawing blood. She was very pleasant throughout the process.

I am very grateful for the excellent service provided by the front desk staff, especially Ms. Amber, who is consistently exceptionally kind and helpful, particularly in difficult circumstances such as heavy traffic or busy days. The challenges of infertility have caused me deep pain, and the accompanying stress can be overwhelming. Even the smallest act of kindness, such as a warm smile or reassuring manner, demonstrates empathy and understanding and means a great deal to me. Thank you for your tremendous support.

We are currently undergoing IVF treatment here with Dr. McCalla. The entire team has been outstanding and tremendously helpful. Everyone is friendly and makes me feel comfortable. I feel very fortunate to begin this journey with them. Becky and Jerica are amazing!

The staff are always so warm and friendly and greet me with a smile every time. Amber, Denise, and Michelle at the front desk always check me in with a smile, and Quala and Becky in the laboratory are wonderful. My blood pressure was a little high because I was nervous, so they talked with me to distract me and helped bring it down 😄

The staff are all friendly, welcoming, and excellent at easing anxiety. Casey in ultrasound, Quala and Becky in the lab, and Amber, Deniqua, and Michelle at the front desk made my experience wonderful! All the clinicians are kind, patiently explain everything, and make you feel cared for.

Honestly, I would not choose this clinic again. The clinic is clean, and the front desk staff are friendly. I liked the check-in system—you receive an appointment email, a confirmation email, and then a check-in text. Once those steps are completed, check-in itself is smooth. The actual care, however, was disappointing. For ultrasounds, you see only the technician and are then sent for bloodwork. The phlebotomists seemed more focused on chatting than working. One day, the ultrasound technician had to remind them that patients were waiting. Several of us could hear their conversation, which felt unprofessional. Given what we pay, we deserve better service. Another major issue was poor communication. They provide no information about follicle development and always seem eager to send you away without explaining anything. After bloodwork, you may choose to speak with a nurse, but it is not useful. Your assigned nurse calls later with the next steps, but they do not proactively share your blood test results or upload them to the portal—you must request everything. If this is your first time going through the process, it can be very overwhelming. I had five ultrasounds and never saw a doctor. Overall, the process felt rushed, impersonal, and not worth the cost.

They are generally fine. I just did not like that they said they would call with the lab results that day but never did. I practically had to track them down myself for something they should have done.

Quala and Becky were very professional and made me feel relaxed. They are the best women I have ever worked with!

It was a pleasure to receive help from Quala and Becky. They took excellent care of me and explained the entire procedure in detail. They are both lovely, and I hope they can assist me every time I visit SGF!

My experience at Shady Grove was amazing! Every staff member is kind and considerate. They listen to each patient and understand their circumstances. Becky and Quala always brighten my day and take excellent care of me. Even when I am feeling down, their big smiles lift my mood! The front desk staff are exemplary and truly demonstrate excellent customer service. I am grateful to have this team as my “home office.” They feel like teammates. I feel incredibly fortunate to come here and to have met them.

This was only my second visit, but the moment I entered the clinic I felt like family, as though we had known one another for years. Becky, who drew my blood that day, was so sweet!

I want to express my gratitude to Becky and Quala for the attentive care they gave me during check-in and my intrauterine insemination (IUI). From the moment I arrived, they made me feel comfortable, reassured, and genuinely supported through this emotional and private experience. Becky and Quala were both kind, attentive, and professional. They explained everything patiently and thoughtfully, and their calm, reassuring presence was comforting. It is rare today to find medical assistants who truly take time to connect with patients and make them feel like more than just another number.

Everyone, from the front desk and technicians to the nurses, doctors, and assistants, was wonderful. They were helpful, kind, and highly supportive. Every fertility journey is different, and they support everyone who walks through the door. Whether you feel excited or anxious, their attitude and attention to patients are remarkable. A supportive, knowledgeable medical team is essential during a fertility journey, and that is exactly what they are. I highly recommend them!

Casey, Becky, and Ellie handled my appointment, and I greatly appreciate their consistent warmth, care, and professionalism! Even when the appointment process can feel daunting, they make me feel welcomed and thoughtfully cared for.

I had my first surgery today and had a wonderful experience from admission through my stay. The entire October 16 team and Dr. Banks were excellent. Thank you!

Michele, Deniqua, and Amber are always quick, efficient, warm, and friendly! It is always a pleasure to see them.

Quala, Becky, and Ellie are always diligent and extremely efficient! The staff at Shady Gove are wonderful!

The staff are very warm and friendly. I feel welcome and reassured every time I visit. Special thanks to Becky, who is amazing.

The women at the front desk are wonderful. Special thanks to Quala!! She always makes my blood tests easy. My veins are difficult, but she handles them effortlessly. I am grateful to work with such an excellent team.

I love the women here!!! Deniqua, Michele, and Amber always keep everything organized, and Quala handles all my laboratory needs.

Quala and Ellie are wonderful!

My experience at Shady Grove was reassuring and hopeful. The customer service was outstanding. Everyone I met had a positive attitude and made me feel at ease. Amber Denique at the front desk was patient and friendly, and MA Quaia was also very friendly and welcoming. Dr. Le took time to answer all my questions and spoke very kindly. Ellie made my blood draw smooth and stress-free. I greatly appreciate the entire team’s attentiveness and professionalism.

All the staff were very kind and helpful. This was my first visit, on September 24. Ms. Michelle and Ms. Deniqua were very patient because I was extremely nervous. Ms. Deniqua stood outside and waved to me because I had no idea where the clinic was. Ms. Quaia was very kind and patient because my blood pressure was high after rushing to find the clinic and arrive on time. She was very helpful. I did not get the name of the kind woman in the procedure room who performed my HSG and wore cute platform Crocs. She guided me through every step, from changing clothes to understanding my images. She honestly explained the pain I might experience during the procedure and was very supportive throughout. If I need further fertility treatment, I plan to continue at Shady Groves. Thank you.

The staff were super friendly! Quala and Ellie did an amazing job today!

Updated August 2025- Spoke with the cowardly supervisor Leslie. What a joke. They pass blame back and forth with no accountability. The offices communicate poorly, so you must handle everything yourself! Beware: bills may take a year and may come from Georgia and Maryland before Virginia. Billing is a nightmare. I contacted them for a year about incorrect bills. They only email and refuse to call. Tiffany at the office was nice, but billing did nothing. Half my claims were filed in Norfolk, where I was seen, and the rest in Georgia. Deanne B blamed me for their billing errors despite having my correct insurance card. BCBS told me to have them refile and mark the check void, but Deanne demanded an expired check I had been told to shred. If she were right, why were some claims paid and others denied? SGF billed GA and blamed me. I called from 1 p.m. to 3:55 p.m. more than 35 times without reaching anyone. Contacting them is difficult, and billing is a joke. I work in medical billing and claims and know this information is wrong, but billing refuses to call back or refile correctly. This is the last thing I need when I am about to give birth! My initial experience here was poor and nearly made me quit. After speaking with a manager and meeting the staff, I became glad I continued. It is a small practice where faces become familiar. The morning and front desk staff are excellent, and the technicians are friendly and explain each step and what you are seeing. Dr. Harris saved me. He is passionate, gets to know you, and follows up, even on a Sunday during football ;) You are not just a number. He could not understand my earlier frustration and tears. This journey is difficult, but this team made appointments less frightening and helped me understand what they were tracking. Thank you for the remarkable turnaround and reassurance. If you want friendly faces and clear explanations, this is the place. I wish improvement had not required speaking out, but it was a real turnaround.

We have just begun treatment at Shady Grove, and everyone has been pleasant. Amber patiently helped arrange everything when I had technical problems. Deniqua was warm and kind. Dr. Banks explained the process and options clearly. Kim was welcoming and did an excellent job explaining everything else. Every woman we met today was friendly and made us comfortable. We look forward to continuing our journey at Shady Grove!

The front desk staff are very helpful, both by phone and in person. Amber and Deniqua were kind and helped with check-in.

Everyone in the office is very friendly and welcoming. I am new here, and so far the experience has been good.

Amber and Quala provided outstanding service. Their professional care made visits more pleasant during this difficult time.

I truly want to thank every Shady Grove staff member! You made my husband's and my dream come true! The front desk staff are wonderful, very friendly, and always helpful. Keep up the great work! The nurses and clinical staff in the back are the best! They speak to you as if they have known you all your life and treat you like family. They are always there when you need them, and I am grateful to every one of them! Finally, Dr. Banks is amazing. She is thorough, thoughtful, knowledgeable, kindhearted, and the best at what she does! Thank you, thank you! I cannot express enough gratitude to the Norfolk office staff! The only area I would say needs improvement is their partner billing service. I am currently handling a billing issue. Although they have answered all my questions, the amount of time required to resolve it is too long and concerning.

Although my interactions with Shady Grove staff were generally pleasant, there were also many shortcomings. If Hampton Roads had a better option, I would have left Shady Grove long ago. I am writing this in the hope of improving patient care and the patient experience. 1. SGF failed to communicate when I should start and stop medication, resulting in a less-than-ideal stimulation protocol and wasting thousands of dollars in medication. Although I asked the nurse when to stop oral contraceptives before beginning the stimulation cycle, I did not receive a clear answer, and I received my treatment calendar two days after I should have stopped them. As a result, I had to stop stimulation after 3 days of injections and undergo a less-than-ideal "random start" stimulation protocol. I believe this negatively affected the outcome of the stimulation cycle. 2. I never received formal, in-person instruction on administering injections at home. The only guidance I received was a link to a website with videos. The nurse on duty that day shrugged and said, "I don't usually do this, so I don't really know how to explain it to you, but here are some videos." This is completely unacceptable for a patient's first stimulation cycle. At minimum, I expected live training from a clinician to ensure that I did not misuse $5,000 worth of medication that I paid for myself. 3. My doctor lost the notes from my initial consultation and said she had "completely forgotten" what we discussed. This was unprofessional and reflected SGF's poor organization. 4. The attending physician who performed my first embryo transfer had poor visualization and was unsure where the embryo had been placed. My husband, who is a physician, asked where in the uterus she had placed the embryo. She replied, "Well, the visualization wasn't very good..." I understand that medicine can be challenging, but this unsympathetic and indifferent response completely destroyed our confidence that she had successfully performed the procedure. My husband and I left SGF shocked and distressed, feeling that the physician had not given us her full support. The transfer failed. 5. SGF nursing staff's use of medical terminology and provision of contradictory information are inappropriate and dangerous. The nurse who reviewed my post-FET instructions told me to "avoid NSAIDs" but did not explain what NSAIDs are or provide examples. I knew what she meant, but not every SGF patient will. In addition, after the embryo transfer, the head nurse repeatedly suggested that I take naproxen for neck pain. Her colleague reminded her that naproxen is an NSAID, which I had been specifically told not to take. SGF should be ashamed that a senior clinician gave advice that was contraindicated and could have affected the success of the embryo transfer. 6. My physician was not even listed in the directory, while a doctor who had left SGF Norfolk nearly a year earlier was still listed. This is an embarrassing display of disorganization, lack of attention to detail, and laziness. At best, my experience resulted from SGF's failure to truly understand what this process means to patients or care enough to take action. At worst, SGF has a monopoly on mediocrity—answerable to no one, exploiting vulnerable people desperate to build families, and relying on the goodwill of a community forced to trust a system that has failed them to escape allegations of serious negligence and medical malpractice.

I had an excellent experience at SGF! Everyone was kind, attentive, knowledgeable, and helpful. Thank you to all my nurses and the wonderful front desk staff, Deniqua, Jordan, Amber, and Quala!

I went in for my egg retrieval and had an unexpected complication. Everybody on my team responded appropriately to save me. They even came to see me in the ER after and reached out to me the next day to make sure I was OK. Special thanks to Margo, Kathryn,Rachel, Linda, Beth. Dr. Morshedi and Dr. McAlas for literally saving my life.

I had a wonderful experience here, and the staff were excellent. Deniqua, Jordan, Amber, and Quala were all amazing and very welcoming.

SGF Norfolk is wonderful! The nurses and staff, especially Quala, are amazing!

Dealing with fertility issues is physically and emotionally exhausting, so support and encouragement are essential. My appointment with Dr. Banks was highly informative and reassuring. The staff were also exceptional. Kelsey (PCC) was pleasant from beginning to end and kept me comfortable, informed, and in good spirits throughout the appointment. The front desk staff were friendly and helpful. Overall, my first appointment was wonderful and renewed hope for my partner and me on our journey to parenthood.

The woman at the front desk always makes you feel welcome.

This is an excellent team of positive, energetic professionals. They are experts in their fields and make you feel informed and comfortable during every interaction. I am very grateful to them.