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Accepted for Cardiology, denied internal medicine, need collab team!
TL;DR: Denied by internal medicine, but then accepted by cardiology. I need doctors that communicate across specialties, how do I get appointments with other providers despite denial? Is there no hope?
List of specialists farther down in post (NO, I don’t want to see them all, but a few).
Hi, hoping someone can give guidance or encouragement as this far it’s been a very frustrating journey. Sorry this is long… I’m a 42yo F that recently experienced a rare type of Heart Attack with no previous heart issues. I am however treated for several other conditions, and now that I’m a cardiac patient, things are even more complicated, especially with meds. After my 3rd hospitalization in 4 months, my cardiologist (at northwestern, so a very reputable program) suggested Mayo as he feels some of my other conditions are at play with what’s going on and he knows hearts, but not the other stuff.
It seems to be especially challenging as there aren’t a lot of female cardiac patients my age so a lot of the doctors aren’t used to having some of these conditions cross.
My initial application through internal med was denied, and quite frankly, I was devastated. I let my cardiologist know and he was shocked and told me to call cardiology directly.
I called cardiology directly and when telling them my diagnosis and such, they got me in, and FAST. Like less than 2 weeks fast. I explained that one of the complications I was having was treating my other conditions in conjunction with the heart issues and she said when I’m there, the cardiologist may be able to write me referrals to other departments. Great!
Then, the next day I got an email saying never mind, the doctor said I’d have to go through internal medicine for any additional appointments. I called internal medicine and they said since I was denied, I’d need to wait 12 months before applying again, but there were some departments I could contact directly. She did send me the link again and say I could try to reapply, but I will most likely be denied because the doctors will see they just denied me. (Which is exactly what happened).
So now, I’ve spent countless hours on the phone, on hold with various departments going back and forth. I do not expect to be able to get everything in, especially with the fast turnaround (at this point, I fly in to MN in 72 hours, and it’s a weekend), however, the whole thing with Mayo is they are supposed to set you up with a team that works together, especially when dealing with multiple conditions. They tout making it “easy” with central scheduling making sure you see all the necessary providers and creating an itinerary to maximize your time….
But so far, after hours and hours on the phones, I’m still only scheduled with cardiology. One department said they would get me in while there if cardiology refers me, but cardiology said they won’t be able to do that, I’ll need to go through internal med for everything else.
Any condition that goes through internal med, they tell me no, I’ve been denied. If I ask about it being related or impacting the heart stuff which I’m already accepted for, they still say I need to wait a year and try again.
One department is STILL reviewing my application, another claims they can probably get me in but asked for certain documents…my doctor sent them 3 times, I sent them twice, I confirmed the fax number twice, but they keep saying they don’t have it.
Others say they can’t even go through the questions because I’m denied…even though I’m accepted in cardiology, and others spend 30-40 minutes on the phone with me to either give me a mile long list of requirements they seem to need months in advance, or tell me I need to go to said department and ask to be a “checker” while I’m there, though I may end up waiting literally all day and not being seen.
I’m already under so much stress and this process has had me in tears, literally.
I don’t understand, if the whole point is for you to have a cohesive team that works across multiple specialties, how/why is it that you can be accepted in one area and then denied access to see ANY additional providers?!
Again, I’m not asking to see every type of specialist I need, but two or three doesn’t seem ridiculous given it’s the whole model for the place! And I’m fine coming back, but with having to book so close, my air and lodging alone is already over $1500, I’m unable to work and not yet approved for disability, I can’t keep doing trips like this for one provider.
Does anyone have any suggestions/relatable experience?
Will it get better/easier once I arrive? Or, is it really just an exhausting game where you waste all your time to get denied over and over? Can I expect that I will get to work with a team of providers that work together on my case, or is it just a bunch of BS?
If anyone has any insight about ANY of the following areas, I’d appreciate it.
Allergy testing
Genesight testing
Genetic counseling
Rheumatology
Medication therapy management
Pain management/fibromyalgia
Sleep medicine
Spine care
Plastic surgery (related to spine, not cosmetic)
Urology
GI
Neurology (the ones still reviewing application)
Gynecology (the ones who never receive the documents)
Psychiatry (the ones who say they will see me if cardiology refers me)
Audiology (The ones who say to come as a “checker”)
I KNOW that’s a long list, and no, I didn’t put that ALL on my application because I read about people being denied for being “too complicated”. And like I said, I’m not delusional thinking I’ll get a team with all of those covered, but please, how do I get anything in addition to cardiology?
Having Northwestern telling me they aren’t sure what to do with all the co-morbidities was so discouraging. Then they suggested mayo and after reading I thought I had my answer.
The first denial had me really down and then when I was so easily accepted by cardiology I thought there was light at the end of the tunnel. Now I feel like there’s just a bottomless pit.
I get in late Monday night, Tuesday have ECG & ECHO, Wednesday have bloodwork and cardiology consult, will be done by noon. I’m not set to fly out until Saturday morning because 1) surprisingly the airfare was much less and 2) I had foolish hopes of having additional appointments.
If you got this far, thank you for your time.
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Oh my goodness, I love that…..”Mayo-naised”!
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2 ReactionsThank you.
I do have orders from my dr’s back home for the genesight test, allergy testing and hearing test (I already wear hearing aids as well).
Today I had an ECG & echo, tomorrow early am I have bloodwork and then cardiology consult at 9:15.
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1 ReactionThank you… the names was supposed to be “doesthatcomeinglitter” but too many letters 😂
Yes, I’ve downloaded the portal and also connected it to my other providers 👍🏻
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1 ReactionThank you. That link on Minoca is helpful. Haven’t made it all the way through as it’s pretty long and dense, BUT, it will be very useful for my list of questions for my appointment tomorrow.
And yes…only comfortable. While I definitely overpacked…per usual, I didn’t bring a drop of makeup, only jewelry is my Apple Watch and wedding rings and I brought multiple comfy outfits that are either athletic leggings and t shirts or “athleisure” which could pass (and may be used at times) as pajamas. No bras with wires (I’m pretty full chested), and I brought one pair of jeans because my good friend that lives in St. Paul is coming down tomorrow evening and I thought I might need “real pants”, but I wasn’t even thinking, she’s 7 months pregnant and refusing to buy maternity clothes, so she will be in something comfy too.
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1 Reaction@doesitcomeinglitter, I am looking at your list of what you need addressed, quite a few familiar to me. I think you are right in thinking you are not going to be able to fit them all in particularly if you have tests scheduled as a result of your cardiology consult. The doctor you see will have a good idea of what is critical for you and do everything they can to help get you where you need to be. It may help to think about what all you want to accomplish from the perspective of prioritizing, so you are sure to hit your top few if you run out of time.
If you can’t find something, just ask who you see. I find if they don’t know, they know where to send you to find out.
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1 ReactionYes! I saw that last week and was able to connect it with multiple providers back home.
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1 ReactionHad ecg and echo today, and then tomorrow, blood work in the morning and consultation 9:30ish.
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2 ReactionsI keep suggesting that we patients who have gone through the amazing blender of medical care from Mayo should get t-shirts that say, I’ve been Mayo-naised! 😅
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1 ReactionI wanted to say that but held back as not to sound…..I don’t know. But, now that you say it I am ALL IN WITH YOU! I stop at the small cancer shop in the subway every time I’m there to find a new t-shirt. Do we make our own or let them know we have a minimum order all ready for them when they order? 🙂
😅I think if it has Mayo on it anywhere it has to come through Mayo Clinic itself. But I keep waiting. I check out all the gift shops in the Clinic when I’m there and really think those shirts would be a hit. The only thing I’ve ever seen was “I’ve been repaired at Mayo” or something like that. Mayo-naised is so much better! LOL.
Where I got the idea was my pre-transplant testing. Had 25+ appts with procedures, educational classes, tests, in 4 days! I felt like I was in a blender and it was amazing!! Who but Mayo Clinic can pull off that kind of schedule with specialists, imaging and testing! It was like Purée on the blender sending…
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