MEET OUR TEAM

Rebekah Hernandez

High Desert office manager

About Rebekah Hernandez

High Desert office manager

Hello, my name is Rebekah and I’m a case coordinator with Babytree Surrogacy. I am a mother of 3 beautiful children and I work in Victorville California. Things I enjoy doing are spending time with my family and going to the movies, lake, and our favorite place is the beach. I’m passionate about working in this industry because I love helping others. I know the joys a child can bring and it’s an honor to take part in the process of creating a family. A child is one of life’s most precious gifts! I am a support system for our surrogates. I love building relationships with them and letting them know they’re never alone. I consistently check up on them to see how they’re doing and am there from the moment they sign up until they deliver and are healed up and ready to move on to the next chapter of their lives. 

Motto: We’re in this together

I’m passionate about working in this industry because I love helping others. I know the joys a child can bring and it’s an honor to take part in the process of creating a family. A child is one of life’s most precious gifts!

Alyssa Alvarado

Coachella Valley office manager

About Alyssa Alvarado

Coachella Valley office manager

Hello and welcome to Babytree Surrogacy.

My name is Alyssa Alvarado. I manage our Palm Springs / Palm Desert location here within our Coachella Valley and surrounding areas. I am a two time surrogate. With my first journey having had twins, one boy and one girl. My second journey with having a Singleton, one boy.

What has brought me to want to work within the surrogacy journey was my own personal life experiences. I was once a single parent of two handsome boys living from paycheck to paycheck and I wanted better for my children.

I applied to become a Gestational Carrier online for an agency and was matched within six months after applying. Everything was great and we moved forward with legal right away. I became pregnant after our second transfer and met with Patrick who was our interpreter at the time. My journey was very amazing and loved every minute of it. At that moment in time I knew that this is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. Seeing a family finally come together after a long awaited journey was one of the most beautiful experiences that I have ever been able to do for someone else. Once I had completed my first journey Patrick and I continued to stay in touch and have decided to work together and open up an office here in our area. It has been an amazing journey and an amazing experience to be able to be a part of helping other families like myself and helping other families in need of someone special to help begin a beautiful family or expand.

Nicole Janeway

San Bernadino office manager

About Nicole Janeway

San Bernadino office manager

Hi, I’m NIkki, a case coordinator with Babytree Surrogacy.I’m a mother of 2, auntie, or Mimi as they call me, of 12 and a previous surrogate. I enjoy Reading, Drawing and coloring and try to fit in some time every day for it. 

I am passionate about Surrogacy because I have been blessed by not only my own 2 but all my nieces and nephews as well. I wish that everyone who wants to experience parenthood would be able too. 

Now I get so much satisfaction from helping to create families, on both sides! As a previous surrogate, I am able to help our current surrogates with my own experiences as well as my knowledge as a case coordinator. I feel like this helps me to better support our girls  during any stage of their journey!

Thank you for  considering Babytree! To us, you are more than a transaction, you’re Family!

Melissa Pepin

Antelope Valley office manager

About Melissa Pepin

Antelope Valley office manager

Hi my name is Melissa. I am a case manager and Public Notary for Babytree Surrogacy Lancaster office. I am a wife and a mother of 5. I was a surrogate myself. I had twins, Jonathan and Jasmine. I like to adventure out to new places, read, & watch movies with my family. I am passionate about surrogacy for I am blessed to have a family. I had friends and family not able to build their family. I want everyone to be able to feel the love of a child. Being able to work with families and find them the person to help build their family makes my job a blessing. We like to take the time and have fun with our surrogates, to show them we are a family. Thank you for Considering Babytree Surrogacy. We look forward to hearing from you. 

Breanna

Las Vegas Case Coordinator

About Breanna

Las Vegas Case Coordinator

Hello my name is Breanna I work for Babytree Surrogacy as a Case Coordinator at the Las Vegas office.

A little bit about myself,I enjoy helping others, I’m an old soul, kindhearted gal, I’m multifaceted, and I enjoy learning new things. I love to be outdoors, I love to be surrounded by nature, I aslo love to be indoors reading a book, playing board games with my family, and I also love puzzles. I’m a mother of a nine year old boy who I love dearly. I was a previous surrogate for babytree, and had the honor to carry twins for my ips. For futures surrogates i would love to say thank you so much for considering babytree surrogacy, with the experience I’ve had as a surrogate I would love to make sure I can provide a serene experience for future surrogates throughout their entire journey. I look forward to working with you to help create a beautiful family.

Thank you so much for taking the time to watch my video.

Michelle Young

Central California Office Manager

About Michelle Young

Central California Office Manager

Hello!  And welcome to Babytree Surrogacy.  My name is Michelle Young and I am the Manager at the Central California location.

I’d like to thank you for taking the time to watch my video.  I really appreciate it.

A little bit about myself, I am married and have two children, ages, 28 & 23 years old.  I am an experienced surrogate carrier.  I delivered a set of twins via c-section back in 2007.  It was an amazing experience and I’m glad I had the opportunity to help create a family.  And that’s what we do here at Babytree Surrogacy, we help create families.  And without nurturing people like you, we wouldn’t be able to do so. 

I’m sure you have many questions and I want to let you know that we’re all here to help you.  Most of our surrogate coordinators have been surrogates themselves so we know all the ins and outs and what to expect so we can all help you throughout this journey.  Starting when you’re being paired with intended parents, through the IVF process, through your delivery and your post-partum care because that’s important too.  I promise to keep you informed of the process along the way so you know what to expect.  If you have any questions, all you have to do is ask.  

I look forward to talking with you soon!  Thank you again for your interest in Babytree Surrogacy.

Savannah Felley

San Diego Office Manager

About Savannah Felley

San Diego Office Manager

Hello, my name is Savannah Felley. I am the office manager at the Baby Tree Surrogacy San Diego office. I am married with 5 beautiful children. I have 3 daughters of my own and a step daughter and a  step son. I  am also so blessed to have been able to help dreams come true by helping beautiful couples become parents and build their families. I am a  two time surrogate. I had two boys for two  families in China.  I love helping families. Family is everything to me . I am so happy to be given the opportunity to work for this agency. I look forward to working with you!

Rebekah Hernandez

High Desert office manager

Hello, my name is Rebekah and I’m a case coordinator with Babytree Surrogacy. I am a mother of 3 beautiful children and I work in Victorville California. Things I enjoy doing are spending time with my family and going to the movies, lake, and our favorite place is the beach. I’m passionate about working in this industry because I love helping others. I know the joys a child can bring and it’s an honor to take part in the process of creating a family. A child is one of life’s most precious gifts! I am a support system for our surrogates. I love building relationships with them and letting them know they’re never alone. I consistently check up on them to see how they’re doing and am there from the moment they sign up until they deliver and are healed up and ready to move on to the next chapter of their lives. 

Motto: We’re in this together

I’m passionate about working in this industry because I love helping others. I know the joys a child can bring and it’s an honor to take part in the process of creating a family. A child is one of life’s most precious gifts!

Alyssa Alvarado

Coachella Valley office manager

Hello and welcome to Babytree Surrogacy.

My name is Alyssa Alvarado. I manage our Palm Springs / Palm Desert location here within our Coachella Valley and surrounding areas. I am a two time surrogate. With my first journey having had twins, one boy and one girl. My second journey with having a Singleton, one boy.

What has brought me to want to work within the surrogacy journey was my own personal life experiences. I was once a single parent of two handsome boys living from paycheck to paycheck and I wanted better for my children.

I applied to become a Gestational Carrier online for an agency and was matched within six months after applying. Everything was great and we moved forward with legal right away. I became pregnant after our second transfer and met with Patrick who was our interpreter at the time. My journey was very amazing and loved every minute of it. At that moment in time I knew that this is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. Seeing a family finally come together after a long awaited journey was one of the most beautiful experiences that I have ever been able to do for someone else. Once I had completed my first journey Patrick and I continued to stay in touch and have decided to work together and open up an office here in our area. It has been an amazing journey and an amazing experience to be able to be a part of helping other families like myself and helping other families in need of someone special to help begin a beautiful family or expand.

Nicole Janeway

San Bernadino office manager

Hi, I’m NIkki, a case coordinator with Babytree Surrogacy.I’m a mother of 2, auntie, or Mimi as they call me, of 12 and a previous surrogate. I enjoy Reading, Drawing and coloring and try to fit in some time every day for it. 

I am passionate about Surrogacy because I have been blessed by not only my own 2 but all my nieces and nephews as well. I wish that everyone who wants to experience parenthood would be able too. 

Now I get so much satisfaction from helping to create families, on both sides! As a previous surrogate, I am able to help our current surrogates with my own experiences as well as my knowledge as a case coordinator. I feel like this helps me to better support our girls  during any stage of their journey!

Thank you for  considering Babytree! To us, you are more than a transaction, you’re Family!

Melissa Pepin

Antelope Valley office manager

Hi my name is Melissa. I am a case manager and Public Notary for Babytree Surrogacy Lancaster office. I am a wife and a mother of 5. I was a surrogate myself. I had twins, Jonathan and Jasmine. I like to adventure out to new places, read, & watch movies with my family. I am passionate about surrogacy for I am blessed to have a family. I had friends and family not able to build their family. I want everyone to be able to feel the love of a child. Being able to work with families and find them the person to help build their family makes my job a blessing. We like to take the time and have fun with our surrogates, to show them we are a family. Thank you for Considering Babytree Surrogacy. We look forward to hearing from you. 

Breanna

Las Vegas Case Coordinator

Hello my name is Breanna I work for Babytree Surrogacy as a Case Coordinator at the Las Vegas office.

A little bit about myself,I enjoy helping others, I’m an old soul, kindhearted gal, I’m multifaceted, and I enjoy learning new things. I love to be outdoors, I love to be surrounded by nature, I aslo love to be indoors reading a book, playing board games with my family, and I also love puzzles. I’m a mother of a nine year old boy who I love dearly. I was a previous surrogate for babytree, and had the honor to carry twins for my ips. For futures surrogates i would love to say thank you so much for considering babytree surrogacy, with the experience I’ve had as a surrogate I would love to make sure I can provide a serene experience for future surrogates throughout their entire journey. I look forward to working with you to help create a beautiful family.

Thank you so much for taking the time to watch my video.

Michelle Young

Central California Office Manager

Hello!  And welcome to Babytree Surrogacy.  My name is Michelle Young and I am the Manager at the Central California location.

I’d like to thank you for taking the time to watch my video.  I really appreciate it.

A little bit about myself, I am married and have two children, ages, 28 & 23 years old.  I am an experienced surrogate carrier.  I delivered a set of twins via c-section back in 2007.  It was an amazing experience and I’m glad I had the opportunity to help create a family.  And that’s what we do here at Babytree Surrogacy, we help create families.  And without nurturing people like you, we wouldn’t be able to do so. 

I’m sure you have many questions and I want to let you know that we’re all here to help you.  Most of our surrogate coordinators have been surrogates themselves so we know all the ins and outs and what to expect so we can all help you throughout this journey.  Starting when you’re being paired with intended parents, through the IVF process, through your delivery and your post-partum care because that’s important too.  I promise to keep you informed of the process along the way so you know what to expect.  If you have any questions, all you have to do is ask.  

I look forward to talking with you soon!  Thank you again for your interest in Babytree Surrogacy.

Savannah Felley

San Diego Office Manager

Hello, my name is Savannah Felley. I am the office manager at the Baby Tree Surrogacy San Diego office. I am married with 5 beautiful children. I have 3 daughters of my own and a step daughter and a  step son. I  am also so blessed to have been able to help dreams come true by helping beautiful couples become parents and build their families. I am a  two time surrogate. I had two boys for two  families in China.  I love helping families. Family is everything to me . I am so happy to be given the opportunity to work for this agency. I look forward to working with you!

LAWYERS

Brian Klein

Located in San Diego, California, the law firm of Falletta & Klein provides expert attorney services in the areas of Surrogacy Law, Egg Donor Law, Fertility Law and more for more than 30 years. We have worked with them to help families across the world, from Spain to China, and throughout the United States, including Oregon, Nevada, New York, Florida – and everywhere in between.

Russell Werts

Russell Werts began working with our office in 2013. He became an associate attorney in January of 2016. Russell’s passion for law and family has led him into the legal field of Assisted Reproductive Technology.

Russell has always had a passion for knowledge and education. After graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Azusa Pacific University, Russell went on to receive a Teaching Credential in Math and finish with a Master’s Degree in Teaching from Chapman University.

In May of 2015, Russell graduated “Cum Laude” from Western State College of Law with a Juris Doctorate. While attending law school, he was a member of the Family Law Society. Russell passed the July 2015 California State Bar Exam and became a licensed attorney in the State of California.

Brian Klein

Located in San Diego, California, the law firm of Falletta & Klein provides expert attorney services in the areas of Surrogacy Law, Egg Donor Law, Fertility Law and more for more than 30 years. We have worked with them to help families across the world, from Spain to China, and throughout the United States, including Oregon, Nevada, New York, Florida – and everywhere in between.

Russell Werts

Russell Werts began working with our office in 2013. He became an associate attorney in January of 2016. Russell’s passion for law and family has led him into the legal field of Assisted Reproductive Technology.

Russell has always had a passion for knowledge and education. After graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Azusa Pacific University, Russell went on to receive a Teaching Credential in Math and finish with a Master’s Degree in Teaching from Chapman University.

In May of 2015, Russell graduated “Cum Laude” from Western State College of Law with a Juris Doctorate. While attending law school, he was a member of the Family Law Society. Russell passed the July 2015 California State Bar Exam and became a licensed attorney in the State of California.

DOCTORS

Dr. Nelson

Dr. Nelson is known for his compassionate and unrushed approach to patient care. Dr. Nelson takes all the time necessary to educate them regarding the cause of their infertility, presents them with treatment options available, and then together develop an individualized treatment plan based upon their specific needs.

Dr. Jeffrey Nelson received his medical degree from North Texas State University Medical Health Science Center in Ft. Worth, Texas. 

Dr. Nelson chose to attend an osteopathic medical school because it offered the most comprehensive medical training along with a holistic approach to patient care.  His medical school has been consistently ranked as one of the top 50 medical schools in the country. After finishing his residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology, Dr. Nelson completed his fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia. 

Dr. Nelson joined HRC Fertility (previously Huntington Reproductive Center) in 1992, and is the longest tenured physician at HRC.

Dr. Wilcox

Dr.  John Wilcox graduated medical school from University of Southern California, Los Angeles, and completed his residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles County Women’s and Children’s Hospital. After completing his fellowship training, Doctor Wilcox joined Huntington Reproductive Center in 1996 and became a partner in 1998.Dr. Wilcox has received numerous awards including the IAHCP Leading Physicians of the World Award, Top Docs Los Angeles, America’s Top Obstetricians and Gynecologists Awards, and resident teaching and research awards including; Searle Pharmaceutical Outstanding Teacher Award and Ortho Pharmaceutical Uwe Goebelsmann MD., Memorial Resident Research Award.

Dr. Kolb

Dr. Kolb specializes in the care of complex fertility problems at HRC Fertility Pasadena and, under his guidance, has helped improve HRC’s donor pregnancy rate.

Dr. Kolb is internationally known for his expertise in complex reproductive matters and is one of the largest providers of egg donation and surrogacy in the United States with patients traveling from around the world to HRC Fertility Pasadena to see him.  His practice is known for helping to develop and implementing cutting edge technologies in the genetic screening of embryos, the development of new laboratory technologies and the development of highly efficient treatment. In addition to his high success rates, patients are also impressed with his warm bedside manner, compassion and dedication.

Dr. Feinman

Dr. Michael Feinman graduated from UCLA School of Medicine in 1980. He completed his residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Sloane Hospital for Women, Columbia-Presbyterian Hospital of New York, in 1984 and his REI fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania in 1986.

Dr. Feinman went on to help establish the IVF program at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in NY. His team performed the first vaginal ultrasound guided egg retrieval in New York and created one of the first successful egg donor programs in the world.

Dr. Feinman currently sees patients in the Encino, Westlake Village and West Los Angeles offices.

Dr. Frederick

Practicing in California since 1990, Dr. Jane Frederick is an internationally noted specialist in reproductive endocrinology and infertility. She is the Medical Director of HRC Fertility in Orange County, where she developed a diverse clinical practice in reproductive surgery, IVF, and the genetic screening of embryos. Dr. Frederick is board certified in both Reproductive Endocrinology/Infertility and Obstetrics/Gynecology from the University of Southern California.

Dr. Yelian

Frank D. Yelian, M.D., Ph.D., Founder and Medical Director of Life IVF Center, is a board certified Obstetrician and Gynecologist who received special fellowship training in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility.

Dr. Yelian has over 30 years experience in the field of reproductive medicine and women’s Health.  Dr. Yelian graduated from Zhejiang University School of Medicine (a prestigious University in China) in 1983. He then received Obstetrics and Gynecology training and earned a Master Degree at the same institution in 1986. He then came to the United States in 1987 and worked with Dr. W. Richard Dukelow at the Endocrine Research Center at Michigan State University. He earned a Ph.D. in Reproductive Endocrinology and embryology in 1991. Subsequently, he joined the IVF program as a post-doctoral fellow and working as an embryologist at Wayne State University. In 1993, Dr. Yelian performed the first intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) case in the state of Michigan. During this period, Dr. Yelian studied embryo implantation for many years working with Dr. Randy Armant, and he has published many papers in the field of embryo implantation and human reproduction. He was promoted as Assistant Professor in 1993 in the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Wayne State University.

Dr. Yang

Dr. Mingxue Yang is an internationally celebrated, NY infertility doctor, board certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology, a clinical Instructor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Weill Cornell Medical College. He has been selected as a Top Obstetrician & Gynecologist in the United States since 2009. He joined Legacy IVF as the most experienced senior physician.  

Dr. Yang specializes in minimally invasive procedures and gentle ovarian stimulation protocols. In the past 10 years, Dr. Yang has independently finished more than 15,000 egg retrievals and hysteroscopy procedures as well as more than 10,000 fresh and frozen embryo transfers. He has a strong interest in treating patients with PCOS, diminished ovarian reserve, low-dose stimulation and high-dose stimulation IVF and uterine lining issues.

Dr. Yang is the founder of the “moderate stimulation protocol” which has been used in most clinical practice. He was also a pioneer and contributor in the development of GV retrieval.

Dr. Rosencrantz

Dr. Rosencrantz established Reproductive Health and Wellness Center (RHWC), a state-of-the-art IVF center, with a single purpose: to give patients the highest fertility success rates.  “We know there is more to fertility success than eggs and sperm,” says Dr. Marcus Rosencrantz.   “Research shows that things like stress and nutrition clearly play a role in our fertility and we need to start paying attention to them. We have to commit ourselves to not just the science but to the whole person if we really want to give our patients the best chances of success.”

Dr. Smotrich

David B. Smotrich, M.D., F.A.C.O.G., is a Diplomate of the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology specializing in Reproductive Endocrinology and Fertility. Dr. Smotrich earned his M.D. degree from the Sackler School of Medicine, University of Tel Aviv, Tel Aviv, Israel. He completed his Post-Graduate Residency studies and Fellowship training in the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Fertility in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at The George Washington University School of Medicine in Washington, D.C., and in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Albany Medical Center Hospital in Albany, N.Y.

Dr. Daneshmand

Dr. Said Daneshmand is an internationally recognized fertility specialist with extensive experience in providing third-party reproductive services. 

Dr. Daneshmand serves on the board of several surrogacy advocacy groups. He has collaborated to develop in vitro fertilization (IVF) protocols to improve pregnancy rates, including PTEC (post-thaw extended culture), which is one of the most successful IVF regimens currently available. These groundbreaking findings were published in the internationally respected medical journal, Fertility and Sterility, where Dr. Daneshmand also served as a reviewer.

Dr. Zhang

Doctor Zhang is the Founder/CEO of New Hope Fertility Center in New York City where he has served as the Medical Director since opening in 2004 and oversaw the expanding fertility network internationally to China, Russia, and Mexico.  A true pioneer in the area of minimally invasive (Natural Cycle and Mini-IVF™) fertility care, Dr. John Zhang is an active researcher and medical technology developer. He has been behind several notable achievements in the area of assisted reproductive technology (ART), including the birth of a child by a 49 year-old using her own eggs, helping to restore a young woman’s fertility through a recent ovarian tissue transplant surgery in February of 2012, and being named one of New York’s Top Doctors. 

Dr. Zhang completed his medical degree at the Zhejiang University School of Medicine, and subsequently received his Master’s Degree at Birmingham University in the UK. In 1991, Dr. Zhang earned his Ph.D. in In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF), and, after studying and researching the biology of mammalian reproduction and human embryology for nearly ten years, became the first Fellow in the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility of New York University’s School of Medicine in 2001.

Dr. Ghadir

As a founding partner of Southern California Reproductive Center, Dr. Ghadir is board-certified in both Obstetrics and Gynecology and Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility. He is currently an assistant clinical professor in the department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and at the Keck School of Medicine at USC.  A native Angeleno, Dr. Ghadir is continuously voted as one of the Top Doctors in the U.S. by Los Angeles Magazine’s national poll and Super Doctors of Southern California. He remains one of the most popular, approachable, and well-liked fertility specialists in the country with amazing reviews online.

Dr. Chang

Dr. Wendy Chang is partner and scientific director of Southern California Reproductive Center. Fluent in English, Mandarin Chinese, and French, and proficient in medical Spanish, she brings a wealth of research and clinical expertise to benefit each patient she treats. A board-certified reproductive endocrinologist and obstetrician/ gynecologist, Dr. Chang serves as assistant clinical professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive medicine at the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine and the USC Keck School of Medicine. 

Dr. Chang is a strong believer in education for herself and her patients. With new scientific findings announced constantly in reproductive medicine, she values staying abreast of developments in reproductive endocrinology, in vitro fertilization, and other pertinent topics.

Dr. Surrey

Dr. Surrey is a board-certified reproductive and endoscopic surgeon and serves as clinical professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. He is also associate director for advanced technologies at SCRC, providing IVF services to UCLA and Cedars Sinai Medical Center. He has been in practice for more than 25 years.  Dr. Surrey earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Pittsburgh and his M.D. from George Washington University. Following an internship and residency at UCLA Medical Center, he completed a research fellowship in reproductive endocrinology and an infertility fellowship at the University of London, Hammersmith Hospital. He then continued his training in preimplantation genetic diagnosis at the University of London and Monash University, Melbourne.

Dr. Werlin

Dr. Lawrence B. Werlin   Practicing in Orange County since 1982, Dr. Lawrence B. Werlin is a nationally noted specialist in Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility (REI), is the founder and Medical Director of Coastal Fertility Medical Center, Irvine, California, USA. 

Dr. Werlin was the Founder & Director of the Hoag Memorial Hospital Fertility Services. He serves as Professor in the Division of REI at the University of California, Irvine (UCI), where he has been a member of the clinical faculty since 1982.His credentials as a leader in Reproductive Endocrinology and infertility earn Dr. Werlin the respect of his peers and patients.

Dr. Werlin pioneered the use of Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD) in Southern California, and is considered a nationally noted expert in its application. He was the principal investigator of three major PGD studies that are forging the way for the future of reproductive medicine.

Dr. Salem

A graduate of the University of California-Los Angeles in psychobiology and neuroscience, Dr. Shala Salem earned an M.D. degree from St. George’s University School of Medicine before training in obstetrics and gynecology at New York’s Brooklyn Hospital Center. She joined the Pacific Reproductive Center in 2009.  She believes that successful infertility treatment begins with the integration of body and mind. “We succeed best when we strive to help keep the whole person in balance. That requires not just good medicine but also a steady focus on nutrition, exercise, and emotional well-being. Maintaining the balance takes an active partnership between patient and doctor, whose first job is to be the best listener possible.”