Behind the Scenes: IntegraMed CEO Gerardo Canet

Knowing that fertility patients are savvy consumers, we felt readers might enjoy getting to know a bit about the staff of IntegraMed who work behind the scenes. We start at the top -- with IntegraMed America's CEO, Gerardo Canet -- to discuss the business end of this extraordinary field of healthcare.

What is your background as it relates to IntegraMed?

For the last 25 years, I have been leading national networks of healthcare service providers in specialty fields of healthcare. My dream has been to develop a preeminent brand where patients receive the best treatment available from the best providers in the country. When the opportunity presented to join IntegraMed, I jumped at the chance. IntegraMed now has been servicing the needs of infertility patients for 19 years.

What do you feel is IntegraMed's role in the treatment of infertility?

Fertility treatments are highly complex medical therapies which require efficient management of resources. There are many factors that call for patient education and financial support --

-the high level of specialized skill and technology required for comprehensive patient treatment;

- the costly state-of-the-art medical equipment, laboratory and clinical facilities required for the most up-to-date treatments;

-the high cost of treatment when most patients have no related insurance coverage, and the high cost of pharmaceutical products.

It is IntegraMed's role to effectively manage all of these components so that patients can avail themselves of the latest fertility treatments.

Who are the clinical leaders of IntegraMed?

IntegraMed sponsors COPS (Council of Physicians and Scientists), which is led by prominent physicians and scientists from the IntegraMed network who are setting the pace for the reproductive treatment industry in areas of safety, clinical improvements, reduction of high order multiples, and patient satisfaction.

Where is IntegraMed currently available and what plans are in the works for future expansion?

IntegraMed has network sites in 22 major market areas throughout the country. Most of our network sites have multiple clinic locations for patient convenience. Our goal is to have network sites in 45 major markets covering 85% of the US population.