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Mayo is excellent, world-class medical care for many specialties. But for every-day general medicine, I don't think it's necessarily the place to go, especially if you have an added cost beyond what the insurance will cover (out of network).
I'd also add that there are certain specialties where they are not necessarily the best in the area. Neurology, pediatrics, and obstetrics, for example. I'd even venture a guess that there are better heart surgeons and cardiologists. Now that we have CCA and MD Anderson in town, we have many options for oncology care. And If I had a seriously sick kid, that kid is going to Children's Hospital.
But what Mayo does well, they do very, very well.
I'll agree with you that Mayo is excellent, world-class medical care, and that what they do, they do very very well.
It is a matter of personal opinion that they are not necessarily the best in certain fields, and my opinion differs from yours.
The problem is that when you go to different cardiologists or other doctors, it's a crap shoot. You don't know if you're getting a good doctor, or a quack. And we know there are many many bad medical practitioners in the country. My wife, daughter and I have had first hand experience with bad doctors, two of whom almost cost the life of my daughter and my wife by carelessly misdiagnosing them when the symptoms were right there in front of them.
With the Mayo Clinic you know you're getting the cream of the crop.
I'm happy with my cardiologist in Gilbert, but if I ever elect to change, it will be to a cardiologist at Mayo.
For cancer treatment, the M.D. Anderson Center in Gilbert, with their primary facility at the University of Texas in Houston is also world-class, and if I ever need cancer treatment it makes more sense to use a world class facility that is within 3 miles from my home.
Unbelievable. Some of you want the doctor to hurry the visit to stay on time and yet you'll be the first ones to retain a lawyer if you're misdiagnosed. Building more "down time" into a schedule means fewer patients that are sick will be treated. How would you like have to wait three or four days to get in if you have strep? Too bad more of you didn't go to medical school so you could just treat yourselves entirely.
They request you check in 15 minutes before the appointment, (in case there is a line) and we have always been called within 5 minutes on either side of the appointment time.
It would be a stretch to call doctors at Mayo bad.
(1) Please show me where I called Mayo doctors "bad"
(2) It depends on what type doctor you are seeing. Many physicians like myself have no control on what happens to some of their patients and will have to leave immediately to take care of those patients.
(3) Mayo restricts what plans they take based on reimbursement so they see a much smaller volume of patients which enables them to be more punctual.
(4) Mayo transfers many of their most critically ill patients to higher level care facilities in the city which also lowers their census.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Captain Bill
The problem is that when you go to different cardiologists or other doctors, it's a crap shoot. You don't know if you're getting a good doctor, or a quack. And we know there are many many bad medical practitioners in the country. My wife, daughter and I have had first hand experience with bad doctors, two of whom almost cost the life of my daughter and my wife by carelessly misdiagnosing them when the symptoms were right there in front of them.
You can research your physicians and see where they trained. For example, Mayo trained doctors don't always practice at the Mayo Clinic. But I agree the Mayo Clinic is world class and their physicians are excellent. However, you are going to pay to be seen there. Mayo doesn't accept many plans so you have to check with Mayo to see if they accept your insurance. And I agree that you should see whoever you have confidence in. I also agree there are bad doctors who are negligent. I've witnessed it first hand and have had to report some of them. But I can also tell you that where a doctor trained or went to medical school has little correlation with how they are as physicians. Being a good physician has as much to do with that physician's personal ethics and sense of responsibility as their skill. I know Ivy League trained doctors who have had their license suspended for cocaine abuse and fondling their patients. I know others whose license was suspended for repeat Medicare fraud.
The problem is that when you go to different cardiologists or other doctors, it's a crap shoot. You don't know if you're getting a good doctor, or a quack. And we know there are many many bad medical practitioners in the country.
I could write a book. And, you're right, you have to be careful. I like University hospitals a lot if they're near or even if they're not--worth the drive from wherever you live.
Not only that but it's a different industry. You can't compare the real estate industry to the medical industry. Try telling a patient their time is up and they have to reschedule for next week if they want more time. It doesn't really go over well with patients.
It's the same with any profession. Try being 45 minutes late for a real estate client. If it's a new client, then you will never see them again. If it's an existing client, they may forgive the first one, if you had called to advise them you would be late. But after the second time, you're history.
And don't even think of leaving one in the middle of an appointment. They will never come back.
Many people seem to be willing to tolerate doctors lateness, but they will not tolerate other professions.
Or sometimes an emergency arose and a patient took extra time - example: The day a patient was being seen by our doc, in our exam room, and became ill. We had to call 9-1-1 for an ambulance, and alert the patient's family that he was being admitted to the hospital with a stroke evolving.
So, yes, sometimes the doc falls behind. He/she doesn't like it. The office staff doesn't like it. The patients don't like it. BUT we all don't like it together. What I would like is that if I was the one having the stroke, I'd get the care required.
People are quick to complain about long waits at the doctor's office, but yet will wait in line at a book store to get an author's autograph, or stand in line to buy concert tickets or tickets to a sports event.
Just remember, when you are finally seen, you're done. When the doc finishes, he still has to go over charts, return phone calls, order refill scrips at the pharmacy, and probably still needs to make hospital rounds.
Right now, I have lots of medical professionals caring for me. My Primary Care - I've been seeing him for almost 20 years. My cardiologist - he takes care of me since I had my aorta replaced. My surgeon who resected my colon when I was diagnosed with Stage II cancer. My oncologist who watches me to make sure the cancer doesn't come back. The GI guy who does the periodical colonoscopy to check my innards for any signs of recurrence. Sometimes, I get in at the appointed time and sometimes I have to wait. Sure, I'm not thrilled about it, but I've been on both sides of the sliding glass window so I bring my Kindle and try to smile.
Thank You! I appreciate your candid post. Many people are ignorant and unaware of what occurs behind the scenes and don't know what we go through and demonize us. I don't take it personally because I remember what it was like before I became a physician and was annoyed with the long waits and made the same assumptions most of the respondents have made thus far. I just hope some of my comments will make people realize there are two sides to these issues.
And what makes you qualified to make that statement? Have you gone to medical school? Did you do 7-8 years of residency? Have you practiced seeing patients? Have you done a catheterization? Have you had to consult a thoracic surgeon during a cath to repair an LAD? That's right, YOU ARE NOT QUALIFIED I've worked in the business world before medical school so I do know the difference but you clearly do not and your statement is ignorant at best. Sorry but medicine is clearly a different field with different demands and your attempt to compare it to real estate or anything else is ridiculous.
If you are my patient that just came into the ER with chest pain and I'm in clinic with a different patient, I'm telling that clinic patient I have to go so I can do a cath on you and save your life. I'm sorry but what real estate emergency will result in someone losing their life to justify them leaving a meeting. It's not the same so don't even try to make that argument.
Last edited by azriverfan.; 10-30-2011 at 05:20 PM..
That's it in a nutshell. If you scheduled 2-3 fewer patients and spaced the appointments out accordingly, this would not be happening. But then you would be making less money. I gather from the discussion that some folks would rather go to a physician who operated that way.
This gentleman you're talking to is an interventional cardiologist, one of the best type of doctors. If you had an emergent heart problem (and I hope you never do), you're going to place your entire life into his hands, and be grateful for life when he saves you. On the other hand, people here are acting like he's too stupid to figure out how to stay perfectly on time every day and acting like the solution is easy. It's not. It's a multi-factorial problem and it's not going to get better. I say vote with your feet. When you find someone who is always on time, you're going to find someone that cuts you off mid-sentence and doesn't show compassion when you need it; someone who practices "cookbook medicine".
It's the same with any profession. Try being 45 minutes late for a real estate client. If it's a new client, then you will never see them again. If it's an existing client, they may forgive the first one, if you had called to advise them you would be late. But after the second time, you're history.
And don't even think of leaving one in the middle of an appointment. They will never come back.
Many people seem to be willing to tolerate doctors lateness, but they will not tolerate other professions.
Surely, you're not comparing an interventional cardiologist with a realtor now? This argument is getting more ridiculous by the moment!
You can research your physicians and see where they trained. For example, Mayo trained doctors don't always practice at the Mayo Clinic. But I agree the Mayo Clinic is world class and their physicians are excellent. However, you are going to pay to be seen there. Mayo doesn't accept many plans so you have to check with Mayo to see if they accept your insurance...
For medicare as primary insurance, like me, the Mayo specialty building does not accept assignment. But any surgical procedure in the hospital does accept assignment.
As I understand it, any HMO patients must be referred to Mayo to be accepted. Medicaid is treated as HMO, but they only accept it for transplants. I can't imagine what other types of insurance the Mayo would not accept.
The extra cost for paying the "assignment" difference that Medicare does not pay, is worth knowing that you're getting the best care in a world class facility by the top doctors and other health practitioners who are not going to be careless in their diagnosis and possibly cause a death.
Mayo can only charge up to 15% over the medicare allowed amount. In most cases, it has been no more than 10% for us. So a $1,000 fee would usually cost us no more than $100 with our secondary insurance. Without secondary insurance the assignment would only cost a medicare insured without secondary insurance a maximum of 15% of the bill.
I know that many private practice doctors do not accept medicare assignment. And I believe that doctors are not required to accept medicaid patients, and if I'm correct, then there are probably many who do not.
And if they were required to accept them, it would be easy enough to make appointments 8 weeks out, then cancel them because the doctor is not available and keep pushing the time out so the patient soon decides to go elsewhere.
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