First visit to Mayo: How long should I book our hotel?

@kimmorris19 Hello and welcome to Connect. You might want to ask the secretary of the specialist you will be seeing how much time you should expect to be at Mayo. If they need to refer your daughter to other departments or do more testing, your stay could be extended to the next week. The Clinic is closed on weekends. I suggest call your hotel and ask about extending the stay. I have extended my stay while at a hotel there and they were very accommodating about it. If you book more days, you could always cancel the remainder if you don't need them. The first time I went, that was the case when they didn't have an opening for an MRI until the following week. I had an event to attend that weekend and couldn't stay over, so I chose to return to Mayo a week later to complete the MRI, and review it with the doctor who was ordering it. I drove to Mayo, so that was easy to do. I enjoyed being at Mayo and I loved all the artwork that is everywhere. If you have not received the call you were expecting, you can call them during business hours, and ask again because you need to be able to schedule your visit. How soon do you leave?

I stayed at Candlewood Suites and they told me they are flexible with Mayo patients and to book it out and they would not charge if I checked out early.

We have to be there August 5th but it will be about a 10 1/2 hour drive for us, so I just want to make sure I have it all figured out. Thank you so much for your help!

Actually we will be there the 4th for testing but my kids start school the following week the 11th and we will just be getting back from vacation on the 1st. So it’s all kind of crazy but I want to have everything lined out the best I can but also be prepared for unexpected things as well.

Good luck. I was in the same place last week. Drove 12 hours to Mayo MN, booked hotel for 5 days, arrived for 1st appt at 7:30am on Tues, they were done with me by 9:30am same day. The hotel desk said they are very used to stays being cut short and are very flexible. I stayed at Home2 Suites and highly recommend. I just hope you aren’t disappointed like I was.

Where you disappointed in where you stayed or that you didn’t get the answers you hoped to get?

I was disappointed that I was told to expect to be there for 3-5 days of testing and meeting with specialists, and it was a half hour dr visit and one blood test. But my stay at Home2 Suites was excellent. Very accommodating and flexible.

When I went to Mayo MN from Florida - I had each 2 days of my scheduled appts set, I had a big pt packet of where exactly the appt was and about how long to expect to be there. I have been to both Florida and MN Mayo both were this way. You have to understand though- Mayo is an operating hospital with an ER- after flying there going to all my appt in MN, my heart surgeon was actually called to a case- ironically not unlike mine that was in the ER needing surgery- so our visit with him was cut short but his staff ensured all my questions were answered and I felt comfortable with the plan of care. I was told prior to coming to Mayo that if something unexpected showed in my tests it could extend the stay if they add more- so that was a worry with us flying in and having plane tickets. After my surgery we also were able to leave earlier than expected- I was able to leave the hospital 2 days early-and Aspen Suites was great about us checking out early- in fact the lady at the desk said leaving early is usually a good sign so they would in no way penalize for someone getting better, we were there over Thanksgiving and they actually provided the patients and families staying there an authentic thanksgiving turkey dinner- I actually cried when my family came to see me and told me what a great dinner they had. I have just found in my several trips they do consider people travel and try to be as close as they can to that set schedule you receive so that is the best tool I know on gauging the time there . That schedule came to me both by mail and patient portal. But if this is the first visit remember, if they haven’t physically seen you/child before, once they see and examine physically they may add a test or see that a scheduled test isn’t necessary. Just go in understanding it’s medicine and unexpected things could happen. Best wishes!! Hope all goes well.

Jeane

I was considering going to Mayo but after reading about how patients are treated-I don't think so.

In the past I have gone to Presbyterian Hospital in NY. This hospital scheduled all necessary tests in one day. I was given a schedule to follow for the day. At the end of the day I was told my problem and problem fixes, or I will be contacted within the week, or the Dr. would tell me he was not sure but would contact a Dr. that did know.

I attempted in the past to try and find out if Mayo had this patient service and could never get an answer. Now I know.

@szyg5 Mayo does efficiently schedule appointments as best they can and generate a schedule they print for you or you can access the schedule in your patient portal online. When I came for my first consult, at my first appointment, they were scheduling same day testing and exam appointments based on what they needed after seeing me that morning, and they printed a new schedule for me while I waited for them to secure the appointments. They had planned for a 2 day visit and I saw the surgeon on the 2nd day as planned. They also allow you to wait for a scheduled test as a "checker" like stand by, so if they are finished with other patients sooner, often they can take patients early. I have had tests earlier than scheduled every time I have gone to Mayo. The only exception to that was when I returned for surgery for a broken ankle. There wasn't any extensive testing needed other than a Covid test, and blood draw that could be done anytime there. They did X-rays at the consult the first day. Surgery was scheduled and done 2 days later because of needing to wait for the Covid test results. The only tests that seemed to require more waiting were MRIs, and that is understandable because they take a long time per patient to complete, so those don't get canceled or finished early. Waiting a couple days for an MRI at Mayo was still much faster than MRIs done where I live that I have had to wait 3 to 4 weeks for.

Does this answer your question about how Mayo schedules patients? They do have a lot of capacity because they do their own testing in house. I was impressed with their efficiency and efforts to make this easy for me while I was there. I was given answers from the doctors at my appointments and offered surgery at the first consult with the spine surgeon which is the reason I came to Mayo in the first place. I should also add that while I was at my spine surgery consult, the doctor who examined me and tested my thoracic outlet syndrome in the lab, called the spine surgeon about me while I was at the appointment so they consulted each other on the spot.

I had spent 2 years trying to get local surgeons to help me, and none would. The last local surgeon kept asking for different tests for 6 months, and after I did everything he asked, he decided not to offer surgery. I had a compressed spinal cord. All the doctors could see that, but came up with excuses because they didn't understand the connection to why I had the pattern of symptoms that I had. When I compare that to coming to Mayo and having an answer in 2 days, it's quite remarkable really.