Getting your first appointment

I recently got admitted to Mayo Clinic. A surgeon outside of Mayo had been an intern there and got me in 'fast'. You should have all of your records. They are so organized. They had my CT scan and MRI's already in their system by I saw the doctor the same day. If you have an appointment at 2:10, you will be called at 2:10, so you better get their early to check in. Also, they do take Medicare to some extent. They charge you, the patient, and extra 15% because they won't just settle for what Medicare will pay. We also have a supplemental plan. Out of Mayo, most of my doctor bills have been paid, but this is not the case at Mayo. But, with their technology and skilled doctors, I feel I am going to the best and will be taken care of effectively. They work as a team. I am loving this place. The radiation that I will be taking for 5 weeks will be $48,000. They let you know if you ask. Our part will be about $6,100. I will still have the vascular doctor, the surgeon, etc. to pay, but it is my life and I want to live.
My question to you is have you gone to a vascular surgeon? Have you had any CT scans or MRI's? These tests are what finally told me what I had wrong with me. I had a swollen leg but no other problems. i don't even take blood pressure medicine. I am an avid hiker and exercise personal 67 years old. If my leg had not swollen, I would not know anything is wrong with me. You can ask your primary doctor for these things and they will be a lot cheaper than going to Mayo. Then you can go to Mayo. The fastest way to get things done is to have your doctor get you scheduled. They can work miracles. I hope I answered your questioin and more.

What department do I make an appointment with if I have multiple symptoms but not a clear diagnosis. I suspect it is autoimmune but none of the labs are clearly indicating enough info to diagnosis and treat

Hello. This is my first time with Mayo Clinic Connect. My 31 year old son has had multiple lower back microdicectomies (sp?) as well as hip surgery over the past 3 years. All not at Mayo. The last surgery was in February, 2020. Since then, he has developed foot drop and sciatic nerve pain in his left leg. A recent MRI indicates the same lower back disc is bulging and causing the sciatic nerve pain and numbness. He is seriously considering getting appointments at Mayo to solve his lower back/sciatica/foot drop issues. He does not want to have fusion surgery. It is his understanding lower back fusion would limit his back mobility and longer term need for further fusion surgery. Instead, thinks he wants disc replacement surgery and any other surgery to solve his foot drop issues. Has anyone on this Mayo Connect had disc replacement and/or foot drop surgery? And, if so, how did it go?

Hi @bjgwellness, welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. I'm tagging @jenniferhunter on this message. She did a ton of research before choosing Mayo Clinic for her spinal surgery and can share with you what criteria she used and her experience at Mayo Clinic.

Which Mayo Clinic location would your son prefer?

Thank you so much for responding. He prefers the Mayo Clinic in AZ.

Hello @amkaloha, Great questions! Thank you for posting them here on Mayo Clinic Connect.

You can start with a referral from your Primary Care Provider or you can refer yourself, called a self-referral.

Your first interaction with Mayo Clinic will start with our Central appointment desk. See the number to call or request an appointment online here http://mayocl.in/1mtmR63.
Here the Appointment coordinators will introduce you to how the Mayo system works. Our Appointment schedulers use decision trees to determine where you will start with your Mayo experience. For example, if General Internal Medicine happens to be where you need to start, they will then request your medical records and schedule the appointment for you.

It has been in my experience that some referring facilities don't follow up with sending patient medical records from other facilities. It would be in your best interest to gather your records and have them with you when you attend your appointment so possible testing requested by your Mayo provider doesn't have to be repeated.

I will also connect you with members @v1crew @sauvee @coastalgirl @pbo2016 @rosemarya and @kdubois who have also had experience visiting Mayo Clinic. They may have more insight on navigating the facility as a patient and getting the most out of your Mayo Clinic experience.

I hope this answers some of your questions. Best of luck to you!

I have ailmentts that thus far have not been fifxed buy local doctors