Dr. Angie Beltsos, Chief Executive Physician at Kindbody and founder of reproductive health conference MRSi, has an all-inclusive philosophy.
Dr. Rob Kiltz's struggles, triumphs and vision [] The doctor fixing healthcare's information crisis eyes the fertility sector
Also in this issue:
The Digital Doctor: How Dr. C. Anthony Jones is Fixing Healthcare’s Information Crisis
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Dr. Robert Kiltz, founder of CNY Fertility and avid potter, blends Western medicine and holistic practices–with a side of steak–in his quest to make fertility more accessible and affordable.
By Tara Bellucci
In the world of fertility medicine, where treatments often come with hefty price tags, Dr. Robert Kiltz stands out for making fertility care accessible and affordable. As the founder and director of CNY Fertility, Kiltz has disrupted the delivery of reproductive medicine by integrating holistic practices with traditional treatments, all while keeping costs manageable for his patients. His journey from a struggling student to a pioneering fertility specialist is marked by a pursuit of innovation and inclusivity.
Youthful struggles
Today, his life in central New York is very different from his early years growing up in Los Angeles. The author of multiple books, including The Fertile Feast: Dr. Kiltz’s Essential Guide to a Keto Way of Life, started off as a struggling student that couldn’t read. “I couldn’t read, until I had to. I was kicked out of school…I didn’t get into medical school the first time,” he says. “These experiences made me resilient.”
“Healing isn’t just strictly with shots, pills, and surgeries.”
And those weren’t the only challenges of his youth. “I was arrested in a gang,” he shares. But a young Rob Kiltz found pottery, an outlet for stress and anxiety that he’s kept up to this day. “I bought a potter's wheel in high school. I still have it. And it's always a place to go when I need to.” Over his 55-plus years as an accomplished artist and potter, he’s created everything from tea sets to large platters, though his favorite thing to make are cups which at one point he even sold on Etsy. “Pottery is something pretty amazing in that you take mud and it forms into something,” he muses. “It’s a place for me to de-stress, refocus, and clear my mind.”
Flying is another of Kiltz’s passions. Having become a pilot 12 years ago, he finds parallels between aviation and his medical practice. “In the operating room, if you’ve got a bleeder, you just put pressure on it, take a breath, and then move forward,” he explains. “Our breath is so powerful.” This ability to stay calm under pressure is a trait he values highly, whether navigating the skies or performing delicate medical procedures.
“Clinicians frequently overestimate patients' understanding and recall of instructions, while patients, even when confused, hesitate to admit their lack of comprehension.”
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Helping vs. hurting
Stress management is something he also looks to provide to his patients. “[Western] medicine can be very stressful,” Kiltz admits. “We go into a health practice to help people, but we often find that it doesn’t work, and sometimes it hurts people.” This realization has driven Kiltz to explore alternative therapies, including acupuncture, massage, meditation, and yoga. He believes these practices can alleviate the emotional and physical stress that often accompanies fertility treatments, providing a more comprehensive approach to patient care.
Kiltz’s personal struggles with health issues, including migraines, dyslexia, depression, and anxiety, fueled his interest in holistic health. “Through the years, it got worse,” he says, listing a litany of ailments from bowel bleeding to kidney stones. His quest for relief led him to adopt a ketogenic diet and eventually the Carnivore diet, which he credits with transforming his health and well-being. “I went to strictly a meat-based diet, eliminated plants of any significance or frequency, and I suddenly felt better.”
Eat meat
While the scientific community at large has concerns about keto and its more restrictive carnivore version, Dr. Kiltz is his own proof. After noticing patients who practiced keto diets having improved fertility results, the doctor left his omnivorous, Mediterranean-style eating habits behind. He says this dietary shift not only improved his own health, but also became a cornerstone of his practice.
Despite others who may not agree with his strategy, Kiltz advocates for a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet, emphasizing the importance of ketosis—a metabolic state where the body burns fat for fuel instead of carbohydrates. “Ketosis is very anti-inflammatory and helps heal a lot of diseases,” he explains, suggesting that our modern diet, rich in processed foods and frequent meals, is a primary cause of many chronic illnesses. “That’s why I talk a lot about nutrition and meditation and other modalities, because what if we can help you remove the cause of your diseases and infertility, and you don't need us? I’m committed to that.”
Kiltz’s approach to medicine is deeply spiritual, reflecting a journey from Catholicism to a broader spiritual philosophy. “Spirituality is a big part of my life and my practice,” he shares. “It helps me stay grounded and connected with my patients on a deeper level.” This spiritual perspective permeates his work, as he encourages patients to adopt a positive mindset and incorporate faith into their healing processes. “Faith, in whatever form it takes, is essential for healing,” he says. “It’s about believing in something greater than ourselves.”
Removing barriers
One of the defining features of Kiltz’s practice is its affordability. He says he has made it a mission to provide high-quality fertility treatments at a fraction of the cost. “Our goal is to make fertility care accessible to everyone,” he says. “We believe that financial barriers should not stand in the way of building a family.” This philosophy is reflected in the pricing structure at CNY Fertility, where treatments are offered at significantly lower rates than the national average, and the practice offers interest-free self-financing to those patients who need it.
“Just because you have more money than someone else doesn't mean you have more of a right to have a family,” says Justine Taylor, Clinical Chief Nursing Officer at CNY Fertility, who has been working with Dr. Kiltz for 18 years. “And he truly believes that.”
“Our business model is focused on efficiency and affordability. We constantly look for ways to reduce expenses and pass those savings on to our patients,” says Kiltz. Through bundling services and streamlining processes, his team makes it happen. “We work hard to keep our costs low without sacrificing the quality of care. It’s a delicate balance, but it’s essential for our patients.”
Accessibility is also a huge focus. The company currently has eight locations across the US with more in the works.
Kiltz’s unique blend of holistic practices and conventional medicine has not only set him apart in the fertility field, but also garnered him a dedicated following. He has amassed over 300,000 followers across social media, where regularly goes live on Instagram at 5 a.m. to chat to his carnivore community. His patients appreciate his willingness to explore every possible avenue to improve their chances of conception. “We incorporate nutrition, faith, positivity—love yourself, love the environment, love your life,” he says, summarizing his philosophy.
“We believe that financial barriers should not stand in the way of building a family.”
“He gives everyone a chance,” Christina Salzberg, COO of CNY Fertility, says. And that was the case with a couple she knew. 20-plus years ago, IVF was even less accessible, relegated to celebrities and the pages of People magazine. Salzberg shares that back then, her friends dealt with a genetic disease that impacted their ability to conceive naturally. When other doctors were turning them away, not knowing if having embryos share a tank that were possible carriers might have a larger impact (which is not an issue today, of course), “Dr. Kiltz was like, ‘that’s ridiculous, I can do it, send them here.’ And they have two beautiful children today.”
Looking ahead, Kiltz remains committed to pushing the boundaries of fertility medicine. He continues to advocate for a holistic approach, believing that true health comes from a combination of physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. “Healing isn’t just strictly with shots, pills, and surgeries,” he asserts. “We have to look at a lot of these ancient modalities and how they help humanity.”
In a field often focused on the latest technological advancements, Dr. Robert Kiltz’s holistic and affordable approach offers an additional perspective. While some of his methods are considered controversial, his career is a testament to the power of integrating mind, body, and spirit in the pursuit of health.
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And what he plans to do in the fertility space…
By: Inside Reproductive Health
In the hushed corridors of medical innovation, where the clash between innovation in patient care and business often sparks as much friction as it does progress, stands a physician-entrepreneur.
Dr. C. Anthony Jones’ journey from medical school to the helm of Frontive is a narrative woven with the threads of necessity, punctuated by a singular mission: to transform healthcare information management.
Dr. Jones’ fascination with the failings of the healthcare system began in medical school. He found himself increasingly distracted by a recurring theme: the pervasive disarray in how medical information was managed.
Errors, ranging from scheduling mishaps to potentially fatal miscommunications, seemed to sprout from the chaotic handling of data.
The urgency of these issues led him to a pivotal decision: eschew a traditional residency in favor of a postdoctoral fellowship in medical informatics at Columbia University.
Dr. Jones’ professional trajectory took him through large consulting firms and burgeoning healthtech companies, each step marked by a relentless pursuit of making the healthcare experience smoother, more intuitive, and cost-effective.
From this foundational experience emerged Frontive, a venture that Dr. Jones regards as a natural progression in his career.
The inception of Frontive was not without its tribulations. Startups, particularly in the unforgiving arena of healthcare, are fraught with challenges.
Exclusive Pilot Opportunity-FREE for One Group Only
Choosing only one fertility clinic or network, Frontive Health, led by Dr. C. Anthony Jones, wants to replicate the results they’ve achieved in other healthcare sectors in the fertility space.
60% Reduction in Patient Questions
25% Reduction In Nurse Time
20% increase in patient satisfaction
Dr. Jones is willing to pilot Frontive Health’s program for free…. But for only one fertility clinic network.
One clinic or network will receive several thousand dollars in value for free, but they must be innovative leaders and have an integrative EMR.
To see if your group qualifies, simply e-mail Dr. Jones and say hello.
FUNDING, FOCUS, AND FEAR
The so-called three Fs—funding, focus, and fear—loom large, but for Dr. Jones, the real adversary was the entrenched skepticism of healthcare providers. Their default posture of caution, while vital for patient safety, often becomes a barrier to the adoption of genuinely transformative technologies.
Dr. Jones approached this skepticism with a methodical strategy: focus on solving substantial problems, delve into the nuances of these issues from multiple perspectives, and substantiate claims with rigorous data.
Following a minor outpatient procedure, he observed the disorienting confusion faced by patients and their families as they navigated the whirlwind of pre-op and post-op instructions. The disheartening realization was that even educated individuals struggled to grasp the often convoluted instructions they received.
This was exacerbated for non-native English speakers, who battled not only a knowledge gap but a language barrier. What struck Dr. Jones was not just the confusion but the reluctance of patients to seek clarification, driven by a fear of seeming uninformed or judged by their clinicians.
This observation led to a profound insight: clinicians frequently overestimate patients' understanding and recall of instructions, while patients, even when confused, hesitate to admit their lack of comprehension.
DATA AND INTEGRATION
Addressing this disconnect became a central focus of Frontive, where digitization was employed not as a goal but as a means to deliver clarity, timeliness, and personalization.
Frontive Health™, the company’s flagship product, employs a novel approach to information personalization and dissemination. It dissects each physician’s clinical instructions into digestible pieces, creating a repository of searchable FAQs and integrating real-time data to generate a daily Health Briefing™. This briefing—categorized into what to expect, what to do, and what to avoid—is dynamically tailored to the patient’s journey, streamlining information delivery and enhancing patient autonomy.
By interfacing directly with practices’ electronic health records (EHRs), the platform works seamlessly with a clinic’s workflow and ensures that patients receive accurate and timely information, thus alleviating staff burden and improving overall efficiency.
The success of Frontive Health™ is illustrated by a compelling case study with a cosmetic surgery practice. After implementing the platform, the practice saw a 60% reduction in patient inquiries and a 20% increase in satisfaction. More remarkably, the practice was able to cut its front-desk staff in half, reallocating resources to new patient intake and consultations, which in turn bolstered revenue and staff satisfaction. These metrics underscore not only the platform’s effectiveness but also its role as a strategic asset in a competitive market.
VISION FOR THE FERTILITY SPACE
Now, Dr. Jones’ vision extends into the realm of fertility medicine, a field rife with emotional and procedural complexities. Here, Frontive aims to mitigate patient anxiety and streamline protocol adherence, a goal that is particularly poignant given the emotional and financial stakes involved. The platform’s flexibility allows for rapid adjustments based on pilot feedback, a testament to Dr. Jones’s commitment to continuous improvement and adaptation.
In conversations about the future, Dr. Jones is both pragmatic and visionary. He acknowledges that Frontive will have to prove themselves in the fertility space, and is eager to do a pilot program with one forward thinking fertility clinic or network.
Ultimately, Dr. Jones’ work embodies a commitment to reshaping healthcare into a more intuitive, patient-centered experience. His journey from a disillusioned medical student to a pioneering tech entrepreneur reflects a deep-seated resolve to address systemic inefficiencies with innovative solutions.
In an industry often bogged down by inertia and skepticism, Dr. C. Anthony Jones’ story is one of relentless curiosity and a vision for a more coherent, compassionate healthcare system.
Exclusive Pilot Opportunity-FREE for One Group Only
Choosing only one fertility clinic or network, Frontive Health, led by Dr. C. Anthony Jones, wants to replicate the results they’ve achieved in other healthcare sectors in the fertility space.
60% Reduction in Patient Questions
25% Reduction In Nurse Time
20% increase in patient satisfaction
Dr. Jones is willing to pilot Frontive Health’s program for free…. But for only one fertility clinic network.
One clinic or network will receive several thousand dollars in value for free, but they must be innovative leaders and have an integrative EMR.
To see if your group qualifies, simply e-mail Dr. Jones and say hello.
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