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Switching treatments to Mayo Clinic (Esophageal cancer)
Hello. I need advice. I have been treated for esophageal cancer for the last 18 months locally at a large teaching hospital, but I am losing confidence in my team for a variety of reasons-lack of communication is the main reason. I am considering moving my care to Mayo in Rochester. What are the reasons they refuse to accept someone-as I have read mentioned here on Mayo Connect? Is Mayo concerned with "taking" patients from other teaching hospitals? Are we free to transfer care or is a taboo associated with this? Can anyone share their experience who has switched to Mayo from their local care? Thank you all so much. Finding good care is so stressful. I appreciate any insights you have.
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@dorothy314
It is definitely worth considering switching to Mayo. Think of it as getting a 2nd opinion. Mayo would review your current situation and determine if treatment plan is appropriate and if they can be a value add.
If interested in requesting an appointment, you can start the process at https://mayocl.in/1mtmR63
Which location were you thinking about?
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3 ReactionsThank you, Laurie. I went to see two specialists regarding my case. I was told I have a great team of drs. in Chicago and not to come to them. One dr. in Texas, one in dr.NYC. One dr. wrote a letter to my team in Chicago. My Chicago drs. did not agree with the specialist. Really would not discuss it with me. My team said, no, that does not work and we did not have success with "that" when we tried it with two patients. I am coming to the conclusion that there is some protocol of not taking patients from another teaching institution. Both of these specialists were saying you can get great care at home and if you come it will be hard to be away from home. These comments make me hesitate to go to the expense and time of switching. Is Mayo the same way? If I come to Mayo will they take me as a patient, start fresh and of course look at my records, but treat me as a new patient? Which location is best for esophageal cancer with esophageal lichen planus?
I am also starting the process of seeking a second opinion about my specific form of a rare autoimmune disease called Vasculitis. Mayo is one of the only hospitals in the country with a treatment and research team dedicated to this disease, and my current rheumatologist has been extremely unhelpful. My PCP can only keep up with so many referrals, prescriptions and answering all the questions and concerns I have about my condition! Which is technically not her job, but she’s wonderful! Thank God I discovered the Vasculitis Foundation, without them and my own research, I’d be lost. I hope that I can finally find a team of doctors who communicate with each other and express compassion and empathy to treat my case properly. Good luck and good vibes on your way to recovery, I hope you’re able to find the right doctors to take your case seriously and treat you like a real human being!! ☺️ Molly
Hi @dorothy314, I've added your question to the Esophageal Cancer support group as well as the Visiting Mayo Clinic support group. I'm tagging fellow members like @gdj @lionsfan @journey99 @davidwrenn @bonez3861 @dtaylor75 @pellaw @maryhelen @puprluvr @lori57216 @zzonner and others who have been to Mayo Clinic for esophageal cancer.
Many cancer patients have turned to Mayo Clinic for a second or even third opinion. The cancer education team wrote this article that you might find helpful in getting started:
- Tips for seeking a second opinion https://connect.mayoclinic.org/blog/cancer-education-center/newsfeed-post/tips-for-seeking-a-second-opinion/
At Mayo Clinic, experts in several specialties form a multidisciplinary team to care for people with esophageal cancer. Working as a team, doctors are able to provide comprehensive diagnosis and treatment plans that are tailored to your needs. All 3 locations offer esophageal cancer care. Rochester, MN would be closest for you.
Like @roch mentioned, the first place to start is to submit a request for a second opinion here: https://mayocl.in/1mtmR63
This will schedule a phone appointment convenient for you to talk with an appointment coordinator. You can ask all your questions during this phone call before any commitment is made. For a second opinion, a team of doctors will review your medical records to determine whether they can offer treatment. I hope this helps.
In our case we absolutely went to Mayo. You can’t sit back with this and trust the doctors have your best interests in mind. You have to push, fight, ask questions and hold people accountable. Mayo hit it out of the park with all of these and we actually had a care team on OUR side for once and advocates. Definitely worth it. Make the appointment.