Re: Mayo-INFO for Susiecue

[Guest guest]

Does anyone have a 800 number for the Mayo Clinic? I want to get in touch with them and see if I could make some kind of arrangements to go there.

Thanks, Sharon

[Guest guest]

Susiecue,

I'm so glad you've been approved by your insurance provider for the Mayo Clinic. After I totally baffled my local doctors with my complex symptoms, they put their heads together and decided to send me to Rochester. My first visit was March 2001, and I go back 3 or 4 times a year for follow-up. I received a diagnosis and treatment plan at the end of 4 full days of tests, examinations, consultations, and even an out-patient procedure (bronchoscopy). The Mayo doctors are great about working with my local doctors and even call me back within hours when I need them!

Once your referring PCP gets an appointment for you, you should get a call and/or letter from Mayo for medical/insurance information. They should also give you an 800# for the Rochester, MN Chamber or Commerce who can give you local hotels, phone numbers, prices and current "specials".

I'd like to share a few tips we learned from our first visit. (1) Start now rounding up all of your medical records, x-rays, scans, lab work, etc. as they will be asking you to bring all of it. (2) The Mayo Clinic is connected to several hotels by skywalks so you don't have to get outside or hassle with parking or snow. If you choose a hotel farther away from the downtown area, they will probably have a shuttle/van service that makes round trips back and forth to the Mayo every hour or two. This will save on parking expenses that you'll incur if you stay downtown. (3) After you check in and start filling out more paperwork you should be introduced to a "Patient Relations Representative". If not, ask for one. This person can help you move through the system faster. For example, if you have a blood test scheduled for 8:30 A.M. and a chest x-ray at 2:30 P.M. and nothing in between, the Patient Rep will help you scrunch up all your appointments so you can get through with your whole visit faster. Always ask when you have a lot of wasted time between appointments. Mayo sees 1000 patients each day and scheduling is constantly changing. (4) Wear comfortable shoes because you'll be going up and down elevators and from building to building within the complex all day long. The Mayo experience is a very exhausting one, but very rewarding. (5) And, yes they even have a nice indoor mall. If you have any energy left in the evening there's a larger mall in the southwest part of Rochester.

If I can think of anything else, I'll pass it along. My Mayo Rheumatologist is Dr. Clement Michet. He's a lovely, cheerful man who reassured my husband and me that I could expect to live a pretty good long life with RP. He can also tell you about other RP patients that he treats and how well they get along. It's very reassuring. My Pulmonologist is Dr. Utz and he's great also. Since I have a rare overlap of RP and WG, they often bring in the younger doctors to educate them on these diseases. That's encouraging.

If you have any questions, please ask. I know you've been suffering so much and I want you to get the best help you can, and the Mayo Clinic is one of the best.

Take care,

(KC) MayoContent-Type: text/html; charset=US-ASCII

Talked to my insurance co. this morning. They said as long as the PCP gives me a referral that has been approved by the site that I belong to there is no problem getting coverage to go to the University of Illinois or Mayo. So I will work on that tomorrow when she is in the office.

SusiecueDISCLAIMER!!WE ARE NOT MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS, THEREFORE ANY INFORMATION THAT IS RECEIVED HERE IS FROM EXPERIENCE ONLY. PLEASE CONSULT WITH YOUR DOCTOR BEFORE TRYING ANYTHING THAT IS SUGGESTED. WE ARE NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR YOUR PHYSICIAN AND ARE NOT TRYING TO BE. REMEMBER EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT AND TREATMENT MAYBE DIFFERENT FOR MANY OF US. THANK YOU

[Guest guest]

Hi Sharon I could not find a 800 #for the mayo Clinic.

The last time I talked to my Dr. up there the told me the do not have a 800 # !!! So here is the Phone # for the Clinic

to make appointments and get information.

1

Heidi

Does anyone have a 800 number for the Mayo Clinic? I want to get in touch with them and see if I could make some kind of arrangements to go there. Thanks, Sharon DISCLAIMER!!WE ARE NOT MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS, THEREFORE ANY INFORMATION THAT IS RECEIVED HERE IS FROM EXPERIENCE ONLY. PLEASE CONSULT WITH YOUR DOCTOR BEFORE TRYING ANYTHING THAT IS SUGGESTED. WE ARE NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR YOUR PHYSICIAN AND ARE NOT TRYING TO BE. REMEMBER EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT AND TREATMENT MAYBE DIFFERENT FOR MANY OF US. THANK YOU