Tips: Traveling to Mayo to get medical care safely during COVID-19

Medical needs don't go dormant and wait for the current pandemic to pass. People still need cancer treatment, heart surgery, diagnostic procedures, joint replacements, lung assessments, wound care and compassionate care. Some medical needs can be met through telemedicine, but certainly not everything.

Compassionate care at Mayo Clinic COVID-19

Postponing nonessential appointments and surgeries in March allowed time to increase Mayo Clinic's COVID-19 testing capabilities. Mayo Clinic hospital and intensive care capacity meets and exceeds the current projected needs for COVID-19 patients, due to a revised, smaller expected COVID-19 peak. With these important favorable developments, Mayo Clinic is ready to safely treat patients whose care was delayed, in adherence with federal and state executive orders and guidance. Mayo is also welcoming new patients, and able to offer more phone and video visits to new and established patients. Read more about the new precautions Mayo added to minimize risk of COVID-19 transmission

What can you do to stay safe when:

  • Going to the hospital for appointments
  • Traveling to a hospital out of your local area
  • Staying at a hotel
  • Getting food

What are your tips?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Post-COVID Recovery & COVID-19 Support Group.

Best of luck, you are headed to the best possible facility! We have been there twice this summer with one more visit. You are in good Hands! Safe travels, there will be many along the way who will keep you safe!

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@karukgirl

Happy 4th of July! Thank you for the great suggestions listed here about travel to Mayo Rochester. We are leaving this morning, driving to Sacramento to board a non-stop flight on Delta to MSP. From there we use a shuttle for the hour and half drive to Rochester. I spoke with the PA in the Cardiovascular Surgery Dept on Wednesday this week to go over Covid-19 questions. They have changed the appointment schedule for Pre-Op patients. Now all Pre-op lab work is done through one 'stick' at your Covid test. Both nasal and blood are tested. Your companion is only screened by questions and has to wear a mask, as all who enter do. So consolidating the labs with Covid was a good idea. Less stress. And those who face surgery surely are stressed.
We are taking hand sanitizer, wipes for surfaces, wearing masks and will practice the 6 ft social distance to the best of our ability. I would hate to get exposed to this virus in the airport after three months of being stuck at home and not going anywhere. So first trip out 'there' for us. Lots of testing ahead. And then the big surgery on the 8th. This site has been great for information and encouragement. I'll be thinking about the others here who are going to Mayo this month. God Bless America! Happy 4th of July!

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@karukgirl, Enjoyed reading your post and what you are taking with you for your Mayo visit. I can certainly empathize with you as you make your "first trip out there" after being stuck at home for three months!

I just made my first in-store shopping visit this morning after having been self-quarantined since early March. I felt some anxiety, covered up like a mummy, found few shoppers even though I'd been told wrong that this morning was the private time for elders and most vulnerable folks. Our gov. just mandated that masks would be required by all and today was the very first day. Glad to see all employees and shoppers adhering to the mandate and being courteous along aisles.

Have heard nothing but the greatest reports on treatment from all of the Mayo clinics. Long before discovering Mayo Connect, I used Mayo online for my "go to" site for any questions/concerns about medical issues. Hope you'll report back after your experience and will be wishing you the best during your time at Mayo and return home.

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@karukgirl

Happy 4th of July! Thank you for the great suggestions listed here about travel to Mayo Rochester. We are leaving this morning, driving to Sacramento to board a non-stop flight on Delta to MSP. From there we use a shuttle for the hour and half drive to Rochester. I spoke with the PA in the Cardiovascular Surgery Dept on Wednesday this week to go over Covid-19 questions. They have changed the appointment schedule for Pre-Op patients. Now all Pre-op lab work is done through one 'stick' at your Covid test. Both nasal and blood are tested. Your companion is only screened by questions and has to wear a mask, as all who enter do. So consolidating the labs with Covid was a good idea. Less stress. And those who face surgery surely are stressed.
We are taking hand sanitizer, wipes for surfaces, wearing masks and will practice the 6 ft social distance to the best of our ability. I would hate to get exposed to this virus in the airport after three months of being stuck at home and not going anywhere. So first trip out 'there' for us. Lots of testing ahead. And then the big surgery on the 8th. This site has been great for information and encouragement. I'll be thinking about the others here who are going to Mayo this month. God Bless America! Happy 4th of July!

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Hello, This is Team Mayo #1 Happy 4th to you too. I do have a question, why are you not going to the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix AZ?. I also live on the west coast and I am just wondering . Best to you and your family.

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@teammayo1

Hello, This is Team Mayo #1 Happy 4th to you too. I do have a question, why are you not going to the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix AZ?. I also live on the west coast and I am just wondering . Best to you and your family.

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Hello there,
I am not certain, but I think Mayo Rochester is the center of excellence for heart procedures like mine. I’m having a septal myectomy on Wednesday.
Only a few places in the nation perform these procedures so choice is important for outcome. I believe Mayo is one if not the top in our great Country.

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I just returned from Mayo Clinic in Rochester for my first in-person visit since Covid-19 started and I felt perfectly safe! Until now I have been able access most of my care through video chats but today I had a dermatology appointment which requires an in-person visit. Thank goodness I went in because they discovered a small spot that needed to be biopsied to check for cancer.

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My husband has renal cell carcinoma that metastasized to his brain. We have our first appointment at Mayo next week. Looking for tips and tricks on where to stay, places to eat, and what to expect from the facility?

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@mskbetz12

My husband has renal cell carcinoma that metastasized to his brain. We have our first appointment at Mayo next week. Looking for tips and tricks on where to stay, places to eat, and what to expect from the facility?

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Hi @mskbetz12, welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. You'll notice that I moved your message to this existing discussion in the Visiting Mayo Clinic group.

Click VIEW & REPLY to see all the past posts in this discussion. There are several discussions in the group that may also interest you. See all discussions about Mayo Clinic here: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/group/traveling-to-mayo-clinic/

Mskbetz12, are you and your husband going to Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, Florida or Arizona?

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@colleenyoung

Hi @mskbetz12, welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. You'll notice that I moved your message to this existing discussion in the Visiting Mayo Clinic group.

Click VIEW & REPLY to see all the past posts in this discussion. There are several discussions in the group that may also interest you. See all discussions about Mayo Clinic here: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/group/traveling-to-mayo-clinic/

Mskbetz12, are you and your husband going to Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, Florida or Arizona?

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@mskbetz12, How are you and your husband doing?

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Hi everyone, I am going back to Mayo Clinic for follow ups in September. This is my second time back during the pandemic. Last time my doctor wanted me to consider a Statin but I didn't like the idea. So he let me get a CT scan for something called calcium score. My calcium score was 0 which means no plaque so I didn't have to take statin. I recommend getting a calcium score if any doctor thinks you should take a statin. Calcium scores are more accurate than those probability scores of heart attack or stroke in 10 years. But the CT scan I got show a little node in my lung. So now I have to go back for another CT scan to see what happened to the node. Hope it hasn't changed. I really would not worry about Coronavirus at Mayo Clinic. You have to go through questions, a temp check, and wear a mask to enter clinic buildings. Plus it looks very clean. I never worry when I am at Mayo Clinic. I think there's far more chance of getting infected from going to a gas station, pumping gas, and buying snacks or salt for the water softener.

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@ihatediabetes. Why did your doctor want to put you on statin? Was your cholesterol high?

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