What to expect and chances of getting in?

Hello, and welcome. I hope you’re able to get an appointment, but I don’t think anyone can really say what the chances are…

Typically, if you’re offered an appointment, you’ll get a call in about 2-3 business days. If not, it’s most likely the request will be denied, but they’ve sent the denial letter by snail mail and it just hasn’t gotten to you. Or at least that’s how my experience has been based on one time getting an appointment and all the other times denied except for when I got in touch with a department that accepted self-referrals.

You can call them directly if the requisite number of business days has passed, and they can check the status of your request.

I can share my honest experience: I’ve been seen at Mayo Clinic twice, and once was a physician referral where he provided the maximum allowed number of pages of clinical notes, and I got an appointment that way. Years later, I self-referred twice and was denied.

Then I was referred directly to a specialty clinic that at the time accepted self-referrals. I basically called, they put me on a wait list, and in 9 months (they advised me of this estimated wait time) I got a call to offer an appointment. That seems a unique scenario though.

So it sort of depends on the specialty area you requested or were referred to. I was told by a staff member that Cardiology, Neurology, and GI are among the most difficult. I seemed out appointments in the latter two, and that turned out to be true for me. And they also base things on “urgency,” and whether or not they believe they can contribute meaningfully to the direction of your treatment, especially if you’re not able to access that care locally.

But in my experience, that can be quite subjective, as I’ve been denied twice when my local providers specifically referred me, saying they can’t connect me to said care at home. It didn’t matter.

Sometimes it seems quite random. And you’ll hear often that, “Mayo Clinic receives more appointment requests than they can grant, so unfortunately they can’t fulfill all requests.” There are many stories here, one person wrote they’d “walk on broken glass” to get established at Mayo (and did), and many others who were not so lucky. These pages are littered with tales of denials, including my own.

I personally did not have the most positive experience either time, but I realize I’m saying that owing to the privilege I had to be seen twice at all. But having seen it from both sides, Mayo is a unique and amazing organization, but it’s also not without its own flaws. It can feel euphoric to get an appointment, but it doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll get the answers or care you seek. And getting a denial can feel soul crushing. But it doesn’t mean your pain is any less real.

It’s good to keep options open and I had to remind myself they’re not the be all, end all, despite the fancy commercials.

I do hope you are able to access the care you need, whether it’s at Mayo or elsewhere.

@fuzzlepuff

After your initial phone call, your information is referred to the specialty area the screener thinks is most appropriate. Then a provider reviews the information and determines if Mayo can be a value add beyond what what can be provided locally. Every situation is different. If you have not heard back in a week, I suggest you call and ask status.

You can self-refer, and that sound like what you are doing. You can also ask your current provider to refer you.
What Mayo location did you request an appointment to?

Hi @fuzzlepuff,
I read a bit of your story in your other posts
- Unknown Heart Condition https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/unknown-heart-condition/
- Sleep paralysis during naps https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/sleep-paralysis-during-naps/

You mention that you've been seen at Northwestern in Illinois, so I assume you've requested an appointment at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. @roch is right that every stituation is different. I'm tagging a few other members like @karukgirl @jeanern01 @sall @jenniferhunter @dsisko who can share their experiences of getting an appointment at Mayo Clinic.

I’m sure you’re anxious to hear back from Mayo Clinic. Cardiology issues are very diverse and there are myriad factors to be considered when a referral has been placed. Your case information will be reviewed and then directed to a specialty care for review by Mayo specialists. So it may take some time before you receive contact.

@fuzzlepuff, did you self-refer or did your doctor submit the referral request? When you asked "Is it going to be a phone call or will it be on the portal?" - what is the "it" you are referring to? Have you made an account on the Mayo Clinic patient portal?

I recently was seen at Mayo cardiology in Rochester. I made my appointment by describing my health issues and talked to a representative from the department to determine best next steps. Next thing I did was to write my GP doctor in the clinic I normally go to and request a referral. This was done and, shortly thereafter, I received a call and subsequently an appointment. Hope this helps.

@fuzzlepuff I self referred to Mayo by filling out the questions online to request an appointment. I got a phone call the next day and they set up a temporary account so I could mail in my imaging CDs. I think the call was from the neurosurgery department and they asked further questions about my symptoms and if I wanted to have surgery. I needed spine surgery and was requesting a specific doctor I thought would be a good match for my symptoms because I had read medical literature he co-authored which mentioned specific symptoms that I had. I mailed in the medical records and CDs and it was 5 or 6 weeks later that I got a call offering an appointment because there had been a cancellation and that appointment was 5 days away. I had not heard anything up until that phone call and I had been told a normal wait was around 3 months for a consultation at the time I applied. I accepted and quickly got hotel reservations.

I think what may have helped was that 5 locals surgeons had failed to diagnose me correctly, and I had been seeking help for 2 years while my spine symptoms progressed. I had been rejected by surgeons so many times, and when looking for a new surgeon I was reading medical literature to understand what their interests were. I also have Thoracic Outlet Syndrome which produces overlapping symptoms with cervical spine symptoms and Mayo is familiar with treating TOS, and most doctors miss or misdiagnose TOS. By coming to Mayo, I could be evaluated for both problems, and thought that was needed in order to narrow down the specific causes of my symptoms.

I'd like to provide this general information for others asking similar questions about the appointment process at Mayo Clinic.

When you submit an appointment request online here http://mayocl.in/1mtmR63, you will receive a call within 3 business days to set up a time to talk with an appointment coordinator. You or your doctor will be given instructions on how to submit relevant medical records, test results, imaging studies, etc.

Mayo Clinic doctors review records sent by you, the patient, or the referring physician carefully in order to tailor each patient's visit to the right tests needed and to avoid performing unnecessary tests. This also helps ensure the patient is scheduled with a physician who has the expertise best matched to their needs and condition. Naturally, this attention to detail takes time, but in the end, this optimizes the visit when you come to Mayo Clinic.

Because each request is specific to each patient, the time to hear back will differ from person to person. As others have mentioned, you can always call the appointment office to check on the status of the referral.

The one in Minnesota!

Hi! My doctor referred me but the person said on the phone that my insurance doesn't need a referral from a doctor so I self-referred. And the "it" I meant are appointments going to be sat up via phone call or on the portal.

@fuzzlepuff, you should receive a phone call. If the appointment scheduler suggested that you set up an account on the patient portal, you can do so here:

Patient Online Services https://onlineservices.mayoclinic.org/content/staticpatient/showpage/patientonline

As @jenniferhunter mentioned, the portal can be used to send any imaging studies, test results or medical history. Later, it can be used to set up your appointment itinerary once your appointment request has been confirmed by phone.

@jenniferhunter sorry you went thru so much I’ve been turned away by 4 Neuro surgeons. The one that done my L4 -S1 fusion says everything is structurally sound no scar tissue, no pinched nerves (liar my pain doctor just pointed out Monday my MRI from October shows a pinched nerve at L3 so he has left me miserable with severe pinched nerves ) last 4 visits never got me out of a wheelchair to check my back. I hope to hear from Mayo sooner than the 4-6 weeks since the nerves are getting pinched more everyday. Not sure which way to go if not accepted since the other 3 surgeons don’t want to redo his work and not sure if I want him to redo his work honestly . Now the issue I hope some of you can answer if I’m accepted at Mayo it’s a 9 hour drive that I’m not sure I could do in one day. If I get a hotel not sure how I would sleep since I’ve not been able to sleep in a bed for 3 weeks so finding a place to stay with a comfy recliner is going to be hard. If I fly which I’ve never done not sure how I would handle any delays or lay overs let alone get around in an airport since I can’t walk very far . If anyone has any suggestions do I can start checking into accommodations when I get the phone call ( I’m believing and praying I’m going to) I can be prepared and not stressed out Thanks in advance for any help