Can't get an appointment: Any tips on what to do?

I have a rare cancer in a rare location that requires complex surgery. My primary care is through a Mayo location in Wisconsin. It took less than a week to get a call back from Rochester. Surgery is tentatively scheduled for May 22nd. Reading your messages about the difficulties setting up care at Mayo makes me feel very fortunate!

@heart4wi

Welcome to Mayo Connect, I am glad you were able to be referred to Rochester and have surgery tentatively schedule.

Hope everything goes as planned.

Thank you. I can only imagine the anguish others who cannot get appointments must feel. I feel for all of you.

Wow we got in so fast at Rochester.
If I had known how easy and quick, I would have tried sooner…
Maybe try there?

In fact I had to tell them to push it farther out so I could get my other son to state testing and such. My son age 11 has been at UCSF for about two years and has four genetic mutations plus seizures, encephalopathy and primary immune disease among other issues. All I hear is I don’t know and we don’t know enough of your son’s genetic mutations. He’s the only one right now. They can’t tell me if he can live to adulthood. We already lost a son to sudden death at age 23 with also epilepsy and Mild (high functioning) autism. I’m hoping Mayo Clinic will have some answers.
We went through the PC route due to the all the different issues he has not just neurology.

Maybe try that route?

We will be there the week of June 17 and social worker today there just said maybe longer.

They will still deny you, even with a doctor's referral, stating that you have to wait a year before requesting an appointment. Frankly, it's ridiculous.

That is false. I tried self-referral for Internal Medicine and was denied because I didn't have a doctor referral. So, I had my doctor send a referral, but I was denied an appointment because my self-referral denial wasn't a year old yet.

Honestly, I don't understand how Mayo can deny people without giving any legitimate reason.

I've been trying to get an appointment since 2019.

Sarah Jean, I’m sorry to hear that you had difficulties receiving an appointment at Mayo Clinic. Unfortunately because Mayo Clinic has more requests for appointments than available openings, other factors do come into play. Appointments at Mayo Clinic are prioritized on the basis of medical need. Availability depends on the nature and urgency of the problem and Mayo Clinic's ability to help (as determined by a Mayo Clinic doctor). The complexity of the medical condition and, for less complex conditions, the availability of care closer to home are also factors. I hope you’ve been able to seek care at another major academic medical center.

Same here
Best to get convenient care, i believe.
They claim they cannot make appoinments.

I had a specialist who has been working on my aliment with other doctors send a referral to Mayo in MN. I received a rejection email today that they will not take my case. No one can figure out what is causing my problems just what isn't. I've been living like this for over a year with many tests, different treatment plans, differing opinions on what is the cause. Is there anything I can do to? This was my last hope. It was for the neurology department.

@smoriah11, you may find the tips in this related discussion helpful:
- Can't get an appointment: Any tips on what to do?
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/cant-get-an-appointment/
It's tough to be denied an appointment, especially when you've invested your hopes that Mayo Clinic's team approach could be the answer. It sounds like you have taken the right steps to getting an appointment. Mayo receives more requests than appointment slots available, particularly in areas like neurology.

As others have suggested before, you might try at a different Mayo Clinic location (AZ or FL). Additionally, the appointment schedulers may have recommendations of Mayo-trained neurologists who practice elsewhere to suggest to you.