When Dr. George Koulianos came to Mobile, Alabama to finish his fellowship, he wasn’t planning on staying. He planned to go back to Houston after completing his training, but then the Mobile Infirmary Hospital came to him and asked him to stay to start a practice in the area. “I had a vision of what it would take to set up the type of practice that I felt this community deserved, and together we were able to make it a reality,” he said. What kind of practice? One where “medicine mattered, one that I could mold to create something special- where outcomes and patient care mattered more than revenue.”
A commitment to excellence
In the 25 years since then, The Center for Reproductive Medicine in Mobile, Alabama has grown considerably and helped bring over 7,000 babies into the world. That kind of success and longevity is rare – and completely attributable to what makes The Center for Reproductive Medicine unique. At this practice, the commitment to scientific excellence and patient service is what helps it stand out from the rest. “As our practice gets bigger, we continue to strive to provide the same level of patient care and service that we feel makes our practice special. We are constantly looking for ways we can do better and grow.”
Compassion and respect
For Dr. Koulianos, his commitment to patient care is closely tied to why he went into the field of medicine in the first place. While some go into medicine for financial reasons, for Dr. Koulianos, it was a calling. “If medicine is a calling like it was for me, then you treat your patients, fellow doctors, staff and team members differently than if it’s all about a paycheck. When helping patients, my goal is to work towards a cure for their infertility, or at least, to help them heal.” To him, it’s about helping his fellow man and believing that everyone that walks this earth is deserving of the same compassion and respect. This belief is also why so many of his team members have stayed for so many years. “If you treat everyone with this in mind and with respect, then they feel that they matter, and that they make a difference. At CRM we want our team to know that they matter and make a difference in the lives of our patients each and every day.”
Fertility Treatment: Past and Future
Dr. Koulianos still remembers when the first IVF baby was born. “I was fascinated,” he says. When he saw the elegance of the reproductive process first hand during his training, he knew that was the field he would pursue. Since then, the field has evolved dramatically. “It has changed in every way from the medicines used, to the protocols, to the laboratory techniques and equipment. It’s incredibly rare to join a field of medicine in its infancy and to be part of its growth – to be part of a medicine that is so new, that you know those who created it!” There are more changes coming as well. Dr. Koulianos believes that the improvements in genetic testing are going to make a major difference in patients’ lives.
The way we treat infertility will also continue to evolve in two ways: “One area of focus will be on preventing infertility through health and wellness efforts, while the other area of focus will be on improved efficiencies for IVF. There will continue to be improvements that will result in the need for fewer IVF cycles to be successful and higher pregnancy rates.”
Service above all else
For Dr. Koulianos, serving the community and helping thousands of patients build the families of their dreams has been an honor. “I enjoy the deep emotional bond I have with my patients that extends far beyond the time they were patients here.” Dr. K’s patients bond with him during one of the most difficult times in their lives and they tell CRM that they will never forget all that the practice has done to help them make their families whole. To this day, patients, from throughout the last 25 years, still send messages of gratitude and appreciation to Dr. Koulianos and his staff.
Have you been trying to have a baby without success? Contact us at 251-438-4200 to schedule a consultation with Dr. Koulianos to learn what makes Dr. K and this practice unlike any other fertility center!