Does anyone else have difficulty scheduling your follow up appointment

cnicole @cnicole
Very frustrating, I have been in your situation. I have visits that are rechecks once year and usually get a portal msg telling be to call. Unfortunately, many others get same message at same time. Sounds like your doing everything possible.

Next time you call to ask, ask when his calendars will open up for future appts. Or, if you are willing to see another provider in same area, ask about availability with someone else. If can get in with someone else, they can order scans.

Wish you luck,

Thank you! If I don't get anything this week, I will call to see if I can see someone else. I hate to do that, but I feel that waiting is not the best option.

@cnicole I've had similar problems in setting up follow-up appointments but that was in different departments. I see a nurse practitioner for my cancer surveillance appointments and I get a message on the portal telling me that the calendar is open and to call for an appointment. I always do that right away. I did see another provider (nurse practitioner) when my provider wasn't available one time and I felt that appointment went very well and was comprehensive for me. Since you have a time frame when you are supposed to follow up it does make sense to ask if another provider is available for you. Will you let me know what happens with making an appointment?

Thank you so much for your advice and sharing your experience 🙂 I will ask to see someone else when I call back next Monday. My hope is I get a message early Monday morning with an opening for Dr. Stan. I watch it every Monday morning 🙂 I will definitely follow up to let you know how it goes. I appreciate you.

With 12 years of experience at Mayo MN we have found that different specialties operate with differing ease of scheduling. If you can find a useful secretary for Dr Stan, ask how many weeks ahead their schedule opens up. That tells you when to call for appointments. Having a local referral can speed things up. I agree that timing is important with cancer care, but over the years I have found that many appointment schedules slip a month or two longer routinely. It seems to be even harder now. Be persistent and I hope you can find that great staff member who goes above and beyond to get you scheduled.

Thank you! 🙂

Help me understand. After several referrals to Mayo Jacksonville. We finally called neurology on our own and was given an appt next month. After the initial visit wouldn’t Mayo automatically schedule follow up visits? After reading several messages on this site it seems the patient is responsible for scheduling. Is this true?

@lautin44

Scheduling follow up appointments can depend on location, department and provider. If the provider puts in an order for follow-up, example come back in 6 months. Then when calendar opens for that time frame, someone should notify you via portal or phone call to schedule the appointment or any tests the provider ordered. This is how it should work, but sometimes thing do not work as planned.

When you see provider, ask about follow up appointment / tests and ask if he will be putting in an order.

If want to make sure you do not get missed, 3 months prior to schedule return, call and ask if you can schedule your follow-up.

Thank you for the quick reply…!

After almost a decade plus years starting with a transplant, I will say this. You have to find inside contacts, to explain Your situation. Usually that person will give you insight or may even have away to coordinate what you trying to accomplish what it's they said they'd do. I have found more time than not, going through the scheduling department, they have difficulty because their only connecting to that office is an internal instant messaging system. The scheduling personnel are at the mercy of that department/office being able to respond in a timely fashion. Basically, they end up getting about as far as you do - nowhere.
That inside person you want to connect with may be a PA specialist you made connection with or nurse coordinator. You may be able to contact them through Mayo Mail (Mayo APP) or a Mayo by their office phone. You have to be your own advocate it's the best and ONLY advice I can give you. The follow up with Mayo is never easy after the major medical event has been recovered from. It's so disheartening because the actual Mayo medical care, medical personnel and facilities are Amazing. The logical reliance on technology to coordinate the care to provide amazing medical care makes it feels like a chasm to get past to try and get what you need in follow up care. It's like a wall. It's can get frustrating. You have to get creative.