Mayo Clinic Consumer Reviews - Page 2

ROCHESTER, MINNESOTA -- I told five different doctors that I was so exhausted that my second day at a new job I told my co-workers I was going to lunch and slept in the fire escape instead. All I could do was work, eat, and sleep. I frequently slept in the handicap stall of the ladies restroom, or fire escape and eventually moved right next to my job so that I could nap for an hour at lunch. NONE of them looked into this fatigue. My only response was a psych referral. Turns out I have Hashimoto's and a goiter so large my necklaces no longer fit. All of my dizziness symptoms resolved with thyroid supplementation.

Mayo gave me an insulting pamphlet on "Chronic Subjective Dizziness". Yes, I knew I was chronically dizzy. Thank you for telling me that you see it as subjective. It was as if this shiny pamphlet telling me it was in my head and there was nothing they could do served as a diagnosis. Oh the arrogance. If as a doctor or organizations you cannot find the source of a patient's symptoms you should dig deeper until you do. Only arrogance assumes that since you cannot find a source a source does not exist.

Shame on the Mayo Clinic for taking arrogance to the level of creating a new "diagnosis" as a trash can diagnosis for all the things of which they are not competent enough to actually find the cause. Hashimoto's is a pretty easy diagnosis to catch.

Shame on the Mayo Clinic. The second time I applied (other issues), they rejected me. The numbers game they play to keep their success rate up, their "#1 in the country" claim is a joke. Make up fake diagnosis and reject tough patients and you could have the same claim as well. Anyone working in development/marketing of this organization should take a serious look at how they get to their "success numbers" and leave. Go work for an organization that focuses on helping people, not on their image.

MINNESOTA, MINNESOTA -- Needed a 2nd opinion for a surgery which went bad at local hospital and attempted to get it at Mayo Clinic. Have Medicare as primary and a major PPO as secondary. Apparently, the best I can figure it out, I must've started with a telephone screener who must've had a bad day or something. The screener was polite but, I did notice there was some sort of communicating problem, as if the screener was on the computer with something else while talking to me.

The screener told me that I needed a written referral from physician who operated in me. I explained to the screener that I did not need a referral because I had a PPO but the screener insisted I needed one. When I called back the surgeon who operated on me, I was told I did not need a referral because I had PPO on top of Medicare.

When I called Mayo back a second time, talked to a different screener who again repeated word by word what the first screener said (they just read on computer screen what the first one said), that I needed the referral because based on conversation first screener had with doctor, they were requiring me to get them a referral. After calling back and forth between hospital physician who operated on me and Mayo's preliminary screeners, the last screener told me that based on conversation he had with Mayo's gastro surgery department, that indeed I did need a second opinion.

My surgeon subsequently sent them their requested referral and I heard nothing for a while. When I finally called back, I was told by screener that the Mayo surgeon told them that I did not need a second opinion on my problem. My problem is that I had bariatric sleeve surgery and now, as a result of surgery I developed severe acid reflux which apparently is a new thing resulting from sleeve surgery. I was looking for an answer on what to do with it because the acid eventually causes stomach cancer.

I have a sneaky suspicion that Mayo's reputation is being undercut by very poor communicating (or whatever they are doing) telephone screeners. I will never again try Mayo. I contacted Cleveland Clinic and the response I got was very professional, promptly got an appointment to see a surgeon for a second opinion with a referral because my PPO insurance did not require one.

Again, I never been to Mayo, from news articles I had a very high opinion on them and now, after the "precise" screening I got from their telephone screeners, I have a very low opinion of the place. My suggestion is, if Mayo are subcontracting the screening services, get rid of them. If they are your own people, clean up your act.

JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA -- I have a medical history of kidney insufficiency, prone to kidney infections (for which I have been hospitalized already). I also have a history of renal aneurysms in both kidneys. My right already having surgery. Currently monitoring my left. I had a bad fall and for 3 days my left side, being my lower back, flank area, pain down my leg, hip, was all hurting me. Not letting me sleep or barely move around. Wanting to make sure I didn't cause any damage, I went to Mayo ER. But the moment the doctor saw the medication list I provided... he stopped listening to me... he stopped listening to my complaints... my concerns... PERIOD.

He ordered an X-ray of the L-spine, called my pain doctor and told me to follow up with him on Monday... NO urine sample, no blood work, no scan... NOTHING.. Infuriated... as my husband & I both were, asked why no other test are performed? The ER physician's reply was... "Her X-ray was negative, blood work nor anything else is going to show anything... She said she had no problems urinating". FIRST OF ALL!!... I replied to the comment this arrogant physician pulled out of his pompous ASS... NO ONE ASKED me about urinary issues which BTW I had been holding off voiding since I left my home in order to give a sample but no one asked nor wanted one.

I know I'm no MD but I also know you're not going to find out what my kidney functions are, whether or not there's blood in my urine, etc... just from looking at an L-spine. The doctor wrote his prescription (which I tore into pieces immediately after receiving in front of the nurse since that's NOT what I was there for) and we went on our way... I sit here now, the following day, NO improvement. lol. Waiting for Monday to call my vascular surgeon in hopes to resolve my issue.

Oh and BTW... it wasn't until my husband and I left and on the hour ride back home did I notice while removing my hospital bracelets that one of them was a drug allergy bracelet saying I was allergic to sulfa drugs... On my patient form I filled out upon entering the ER, I did not put any drug allergies because I HAVE NONE nor was I asked if I had any drug allergies when my vitals were taken... But yet I wore a bracelet stating otherwise.

ROCHESTER, MINNESOTA -- I live near Mayo Rochester.. My family has gone there for decades. We have decided any type of VOODOO is better than Mayo clinic. Here's part of the story. I had a heart attack 2 1/2 years ago.. We went to the emergency room at St. Mary's. During my 4 days there I got little or no sleep.. (later hospitalization by other family members were the same!). The attendants stood outside my room discussing Basketball Final 4 half the night. I closed my door. They duct taped it open. Then continued their sports talk.

My cardiologist said "sleep is overrated" and "You can sleep when you get home." Nice Fella! Food was restricted. The medications prescribed were a nightmare in themselves. I did not tolerate 2 of the Golden Four medications. PROCOR gave me horrible flu symptoms. Lopressor later caused me to get frostbite since it reduces blood flow to hands and feet. The arrogant doc refused to moderate the meds. I later fired him and went to a less arrogant clinic.

My wife required surgery to correct a colon problem. She reacts very badly to morphine and related pain killers. We met with 2 docs on the day of the surgery AND she was wearing the orange drug reaction band. They gave her a Morphine family drug anyway.. She was in ICU for 2 days.They gave no reason for it.. Our family doc found out why a year later.

Managed care.. I went to Mother Mayo for 5 years for severe back pain (2 canes to walk were needed). They gave me an epidural 3-4 times a year for the pain. The pain got worse. They refused any other treatment. I went to a great Doc in Edina MN, had surgery and was almost pain free 4 months later. I wasted 5 years of my life with Mayo. Inactivity contributed to the heart attack. In conclusion... Some departments at Mayo are Good.. Others should be avoided.

ALBERT LEA, MINNESOTA -- Had our second child at Mayo after a wonderful experience with our first born at Avera in Sioux Falls. Mayo is supposed to be the greatest medical system in the country. Well, guess what? They're not! Let's start with the basic accommodations.

At Avera, we have a larger, more well appointed delivery room. We have a cafeteria on the ward where you can go get food when you want it. We have a separate recovery room with a queen bed, huge bath, plenty of room and seating for guests. At the great and powerful Mayo? We get a tiny room with no space to move around, no place to even put the small amount of stuff you bring for delivery, tiny bathroom and tub, no seating for guests, and then they expect you to stay in that crappy little room laying on the delivery bed for your entire recovery.

But the best part about Mayo is the absolute MONEY-GRUBBING ** of the whole experience. Not only do they charge more than any other medical system and then cheap out on the care and recovery of their patients, they make it even more blatant by forcing unnecessary services on patients in a ridiculously transparent attempt to pad the bill.

In our case, even though we couldn't possibly rest or recover given their ** room setup, we were forced to pay for an entire extra DAY in the hospital all because their useless moron of pediatrician couldn't get her ** in great and finish tests on time. So in a nutshell, Mayo's facilities are a disgrace, their billing is a joke, and their staff are nothing but a bunch of mindless corporate drones ready to do anything to serve the teat they suck from.

The aftercare is awful. I need to have lab tests done once a month. Then to find out the results I have to call 3 or 5 times. After surgery was told to come back in 3 months, but when I tried to schedule it they didn't see it on my chart. Well I went for checkup because I was told. The Dr didn't even know about it. Didn't find out anything.

When I got home there was a letter in the mailbox for my appt and to fast. I didn't know that I was supposed to fast and have labs done when I went. Needless to say nothing was checked. The letter was mailed on the 9th (veterans day was in there so no mail went out). I received the letter on the 14th same day that I was supposed be checked at the hospital.

JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA -- Treated for heart attack in 2010, brought in with ambulance without insurance. First told I would get open heart bypass, then two days later told I would simply get a stent and need to return as an outpatient for bypass, but an angel from the cardio group got the bypass back on. They did the bypass. It saved my life, but a nurse overdosed me with insulin and the VP of Mayo told me so.

12 hours later I was being treated like a criminal and being threatened by every doctor and janitor till I got out of there. They provided security for me doubling as a spy for them. I praise the doctor that performed the bypass and the stents. My advise is to have a friend or family member stay with you at all times.

MINNESOTA -- I went to Mayo in MN about 2 years ago for my daily chronic migraines. The Doctor I saw was not very good to me. He treated me like I wasn't worth his time. I'm on the states insurance, and my primary Doctor pulled some strings to get me there. And the Doctor that I saw did a MRI and said everything was normal. And then did spinal tap and said my presser was 63 and said that was normal. I took his word on it, at the time, but later found out that the lowest it should be is 70, which I looked up on the Mayo website. Then went on to tell me that I would have to live with this the rest of my life.

JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA -- Firstly, I read about their cutting edge technology. So I having a heart issue, decided to make an appointment. No response! Next step to check in ER. Everything went well. They ask all the right questions and performed preliminary test. The visit turned out to be fruitless. As I said I have a severe heart issue but I never saw a cardiologist. They let me out quickly. I am having chest pounding and the service was so poor. I couldn't believe it. I saw one doctor for a few minutes on a Monday morning.

All this cutting edge hype is nothing but that. Hype! I would not suggest anyone to go there, especially if you have a chronic issue. No good help whatsoever. They are a total disappointment. Don't go there. I might just save a life by writing this.

JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA -- Went to the Mayo for unknown fevers, aching, fatigue expecting a "team approach", expecting physicians who listened, expecting a partnership to help me figure out what is wrong with me. That did not happen AT ALL. Once in a while I got a doctor who really cared, the rest were no different than my local physicians. After seriously draining my insurance on tens of thousands of dollars, they have dismissed me as a patient and told me they simply can't help me and have not given me a diagnosis. WHAT??

I couldn't believe it. If they accepted me as a patient they should stay with me and try to figure out what is wrong. They should be ashamed of the way they tossed me aside because I wasn't "easily diagnosed". DO NOT SPEND YOUR MONEY HERE!