I did not have a good experience with Mayo on this last visit. I did not know enough about their style, so I made several bad errors. I had a diagnosis and multiple lab tests (positive) of a very serious disease (Serum Free Lite Chain Amyloidosis). I really felt I needed a confirming diagnosis from a major clinic.<br><br><br>My first mistake: Picking a med school rather than a strong and experienced clinic. The people who set up my appointment had no clue of what I have, nor what would constitute a diagnosis. So I suffered through 4 months of general first year med school irrelevance. What I needed could have been achieved in a couple weeks.<br><br><br>My second mistake: Assuming that all people at Mayo had a clear sense of their own function and ethics. At least 5 MDs said to me, in effect, " I don't care the skill level of med personnel you have seen before. Here we operate this way: If we did not discover it, you do not have it." This was made worse by the MDs ignoring numerous lab reports, even from Mayo labs because they interfered with the MDs pre-conceived guesswork. <br><br><br>Third: I found a book edited by numerous staff members from Mayo at Rochester, including Dr. M.A.Gertz, a ranking professional at Rochester. I studied that book, and became familiar with terminology and processes and diagnoses. I assumed the staff I would be working with at Arizona would be familiar with the material and persons listed therein. No Way! Only two or three had any notion of either until I started beating them over the head with it.<br><br><br>Fourth: I finally, after spending several thousand dollars, left there to go someplace to get the diagnosis. But because I had spent all my money, I still don't have the diagnosis, just the symptoms. In the process, I did find out I had a small cancer to be removed, although there was considerable disagreement whether that was needed or not. But I still cannot afford to get my needed diagnosis. I just have a list of symptoms, and knowledge of a likely life span time.<br><br><br>No, it was not pleasant, except the techs, and junior medicos, and schedulers, and ........<br><br><br>So here I am, just waiting ....

I can relate to all that. I was seen once in the Neurology Clinic at Jacksonville several years ago and was also impressed. When i needed to be reevaluated recently even my Mayo oncologist's PERSONAL intervention couldn't get me in. If you live close by (or even if you don't) you can show up and ask to get on the stand-by waiting list. If someone doesn't show up you can take their slot. This has never worked for me at Jacksonville but it worked 4 different times (much to my surprise - and I didn't even have to wait that long) at Mayo-Rochester.

That said, the Pain Clinic tried hard to help me with my back pain but they could neither diagnosis it or treat it. A local PT has isolated a cramped muscle (long name I can never remember) and physical manipulation has given me the first relief I have felt in years. So far the relief only lasts about a day but at this point anything is an improvement!

Mayo-Rochester has a Pain Program (which believe Jacksonville also has) which is a last ditch/I've tried EVERYTHING else/ALL else has failed program and is a combination of meditation, behavioral stuff, psychological stuff that I was 't eligible for when I looked into it b/c I still had medical options to investigate. But if worse comes to worse . . . it might be worth checking out.

I went thru the chronic pain clinic at Mayo Rochester. I was referred by my primary and also my Dr. at Rochester. First question was there goal to get you off meds so they can treat and recognize your symptoms...Yes. The biggest problem I saw with this was that I was not informed of this ahead of time so no tapering program was started before I went. It is definitely a wide ranging program as you mentioned. Someone mentioned the cost which can certainly be prohibitive luckily it was covered by my insurance but I still had living expenses during the month I was in the program and had to stay in Rochester. They were strict about working the program if you weren't serious they kicked your butt out...there was a long waiting list. All of this is from several years ago so take it for what it is worth.
I go to Mayo Rochester every 3 months or more if needed. I have always been told they do not make appts more than 3 months out.
I have tried (and tried) to make it clear that in oncology I do not find it acceptable to see students who know absolutely nothing about my rare cancer, they are welcome to shadow but not be my primary...this does not always work and sometimes end up with an appointment that is a disaster,like my last oncology appointment. I must mention though that Mayo has bent over backwards to get me the care I should have had the first time around and they strive to deliver.