How long did you have to wait for an appt?

Once they decided to grant you an appointment, how many weeks did you have to wait? Just looking for a range or an average. This would be for a pediatric patient in Rochester, MN. Thank you.

Hi @carolinekernahan, that is impossible to answer as the wait times depend on many things including the medical urgency as well as the availability of appointments. You can contact the Children's Center at Mayo Clinic. They should be able to give you a time estimate for your appointment with your child.

Mayo Clinic Children's Center
https://www.mayoclinic.org/departments-centers/childrens-center
855-629-6543

I assume it varies (just as Colleen mentioned), and you could call and ask. They’ll tell you what they can.

But I dunno, I would have liked more information because the process seems so opaque. If you’re thinking about the “Request Appointment” process that’s all over the website:

If it helps any, I’ve submitted a few appointment requests through the regular appointment request option online—two were requests from my doctor and one from me (if you’re wondering, only one of the above was granted). One possible benefit of faxing the request or working with your doctor is we were able to submit the maximum number or clinical notes allowed attached to the referral to support my case. But it’s hard to tell if it made any difference, though it helped for when I got there.

In my experience, it took just a few days, definitely less than a week to be offered/declined an appointment, but it took longer to hear back on the denials because they sent snail mail, or you can call to inquire. When I was offered an appointment, they called. My situation was non-urgent, so the appointment was 3 months out. But I think that also depends on the department.

Ultimately, I got into a different clinic that allowed self-referrals—meaning I called, they asked me a few screening questions, concluded it was appropriate to see me, and they put me on a waiting list they told me was about one year in length, but I got a call in 7 months for an appointment 3 months later. I feel like that last situation was unusual though.

Good luck to you and your child.

Thank you, this is very helpful

You’re welcome. I know it’s tough, and it must be especially difficult helping a child.

A therapist of mine once commented, “This feels like a ‘Lord of the Rings’ style quest to get an appointment,” and I kind of had to agree.

Wishing you the best of luck!

Is this the Mayo Clinic in AZ? They're are other states that have a Mayo Clinic right? I need to go to one for my 3 year Long Covid symptoms that are debilitating. Im just not getting all the help in need in my state.

@emj17, there are Mayo Clinic's located in Phoenix, AZ, Jacksonville, FL and Rochester, MN as well as the Mayo Clinic Health System in central mid-west. https://www.mayoclinic.org/about-mayo-clinic

You can find out more about Mayo Clinic post-COVID programs here: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/blog/post-covid-recovery/tab/next-steps/

More information here: https://www.mayoclinic.org/coronavirus-covid-19/post-covid-19-conditions

I went in mid-Marchto the adult clinic. I spoke with appointment line on a Monday. She said I needed a referral from my doc and records. I made appt with my PMD’s nurse practitioner for the next Monday-first available. I gathered records, wrote a draft summary of my respiratory issues and CT findings, took it all with me to my local appointment. ANP was happy with the draft, signed it and I faxed everything that afternoon. I got a call the next morning that I was approved and they could see me the next Monday. (She said they get a lot of cancellations and it would be May otherwise). It took two weeks for me to be seen, but I could be flexible.

@emj17 - same here. I self-referred via the online "Request and Appointment" to the Rochester Clinic. Completed an intake call with a non-clinical person and then filled out a detailed form listing my concerns and what I have had done thus far and what I hoped to get from a visit with Mayo. Two days later I received an email stating they were not offering me a visit. On the intake call I had been told if this happened to have a provider call and appeal that decision. I'm hoping my PCP will advocate for me successfully! I wish you luck. Oh- I was also told that their Long Covid clinic only takes on new patients who are between 3 months and 18 months from their infection. You might want to frame your request or your doctor's referral less about long Covid and more about the individual symptoms you may have- ie POTS, fatigue, shortness of breath etc. I have a high likelihood of coronary microvascular disease and Mast Cell Activation (in addition to POTS)- I'm hoping they will be able to address the latter and am sure they can address the former.

I self referred to Mayo - Rochester for my husband, four times over 9 years and he was given appointments each occurrence. I did not use the on line form. I called each time having all the medical information in front of me and I had written out all symptoms, dates, etc, so that I would be prepared. I was able to send reports from scans, procedures, etc.
I don’t know if it’s “easier” to be accepted in one specialty once you have received care at Mayo.

My husband was seen by neurology/neurosurgery, cardiology/electrophysiology, GI/medical oncology/radiation oncology in Rochester, and is now followed in Jacksonville.