Connect
Has anyone switched BC follow-up from one Mayo location to another?
I had DCIS grade 3, lumpectomy and radiation at Mayo in Rochester, MN July-December of this year. I received extraordinary care and I was in awe of the comprehensive, organized, patient-centered, integrated team approach to my end-to-end care. However, the total of five trips to Rochester and ~ 30 nights spent in hotels added up. Now that everything has healed, I am considering switching all my follow-up care (annual scans, healthy lifestyle coaching, etc) to the Scottsdale AZ Mayo Clinic to eliminate travel expenses. Has anyone else done anything similar and are you happy with the switch? I worry no level of care anywhere other than Rochester will be as thorough, organized and comprehensive as what we experienced in Rochester.
(When first diagnosed with DCIS, we reached out to the Scottsdale Mayo . . . they recommended the Rochester Mayo due to Scottsdale’s surgery backlog).
Like
Helpful
HugInterested in more discussions like this? Go to the Breast Cancer Support Group.
Connect
That’s a conundrum! I travel 3 1/2 hours to MD Anderson. I was diagnosed at a local hospital but had surgery, radiation and follow-up at MDA. I’m two years into their 5 year survivorship program, and will continue to go there for that. But I can drive.
If I were you, I’d consider doing your scans at Rochester every 3 years, maybe? And do the other scans in AZ. That way you might feel more assured that very experienced eyes are looking at your scans every 3 years. The hope would be that if any new lesion grew it would be caught in AZ, but if not you’d still have MN checking it.
A kind of rule of thumb is that it takes a grade 1 lesion 9 years to grow from a cell to a scannable cancer, 6 years for grade 2, and 4 years for grade 3. If you had a clear MRI done in MN, then a new lesion may take a while to show up. Your risk level for a possible recurrence is also a consideration.
My heart goes out to you because I know the feeling of getting such coordinated and comprehensive care. MDA is building a hospital in Austin so I could do scans there. But will I?!
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
2 ReactionsThank you for taking the time to respond! I really appreciate it!
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 ReactionI did not switch from Mayo to Mayo, but I know that Mayo has the same values across the brand. I was referred to a doctor that had been trained at Mayo and had been on staff at Mayo who now practices in my state and I still feel like I get the best care around. His values are that of a Mayo doctor and still likes to make sure you have the best possible care even though the system he works in is not remotely as good as Mayo.
The nearest Mayo for us is still over a thousand miles away. If there was one I could drive to in a day. I would go in a heartbeat.
Have you had a conversation about this with your Mayo team?
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 ReactionThank you for taking the time to respond! I really appreciate hearing the different perspectives! Very helpful.
@jcconley
I had similar treatment you had, but because live in Rochester my follow up was in Rochester. That was five years ago. I continued to see oncologist in Rochester for checkups for 5 years and then was transferred back to primary.
All Mayo locations have Cancer Survivorship Clinics:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/departments-centers/cancer-survivorship-clinics/sections/overview/ovc-20556297
Though I have never been to Mayo AZ, I have joined some ZOOM calls their Breast Cancer Survivorship clinic has presented and very impressed.
I would suggest asking your care team in Rochester for a suggestions or referral to AZ. I assume Mayo AZ would have the same technology for scans that Mayo Rochester has.
You may also want to check with Mayo AZ billing dept, each Mayo locations has their own insurance requirements.
Do you have another follow up appointment scheduled in Rochester?
@jcconley, in many instances, it is possible to switch Mayo Clinic locations for ongoing and follow-up care. You'll have to make sure that your insurance coverage applies in Arizona. i recommend starting Patient Account Services https://www.mayoclinic.org/billing-insurance/contact-us