Hi all,

I booked an appointment with the Neurology services at Mayo Scottsdale four months ago for my visit this week. I was a little shocked that Mayo does not contract with Blue Cross Blue Shield of AZ but that's the way it is.

When I got there the patient area at the registration/check desks does not have any chairs to sit down. I have never seen that before. My appointment was for Monday but I had another two days of testing and appointments no one mentioned. I have never heard of ordering tests before getting a history/exam but maybe this is the Mayo way.

Out of the three and a half hours spent sitting around, I probably had half an hour of time with the attending/fellow.

My attending neurologist had the personality of a dish rag and seemed very distant. I have been improving and did not feel the advanced sensory testing/autonomic/EMG studies were necessary. Anyway they would cost me quite a bundle since the hospital has no contract with my insurance carrier.

Overall I was not impressed. I would have been even more upset if I had spent hours flying/driving there. I live only three miles away.

I am a physician and strive to treat my patients better than what I experienced.

Glenn

Hi, wow sorry you had a bad time but if you check they give all imformation
on all of the Mayo Clinics,on the page on the Mayo hospitals. It did
say something about,the insurance,and just curious why you didn't
realize that there is a big differences in those hospitals,and that Dr. could
of been fired. I was at the one in MN. and there's a big difference
I'm sure,but I still check on the insurance before I make a appointment.

I checked everything at the Cancer Hospital Barnes Jewish and
the Drs. I would be seeing..If you don't have the time a family
member could e-mail or call. I'm sorry you had such a bad time. Sue

Hi,

I knew the Mayo in Scottsdale did not take Blue Cross of Arizona when the appointment was made. The trouble with out of network is as follows. If a bill is 5000, the carrier will only pay 60% or so of what they consider the usual charge of what the service should cost. So if their vision is 3000, they will pay 1800 of the bill. The poor patient needs to pay 5000-1800 for the balance of the bill. The doc told me that the Mayo in MN and Fla do take Blue Cross.

I am sure that anyone could get a bad meal at a five star restaurant. I am sure most would have a good experience at the Mayo. My experience left me disappointed.

Glenn

Appreciate feedback on Mayo in AZ - my docs have told me to go to Mayo - but my only option because of costs, travel, etc - would be AZ - (I'm in Calif)... and they arent contracted with Medicare either (I'm on SSDI) - and they told me they would bill them but they may or may not pay the charge and I'd be completely responsible.... I have heard many good things about their amyloid program (my docs have gone back and forth on this with me - had a positive biopsy in the past they couldnt repeat so was considering it)... but never heard about their neuro department....

Also, if you received such poor care as a physician - and dont you think physicians tend to sometimes have more respect for each other when treating - that a "civilian" may even have worse luck????? Just curious, 'cause my docs are still talking about me going and I'd hate to get out there and have a similar experience????

Have you checked out UCLA? They are listed as one of the top ten neuro centers by US News and World Report. UCLA would likely have a contract with medicare.

I have seen four neurologists over the years. Half were quite strange. I have had good luck with the Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix AZ.

Good luck,

Glenn

I tried scheduling an apt at Scottsdale Mayo in July and they finally called me in February to see a neuro there. I had become so tired of waiting that I began with another Scottsdale neurologist and have decided to give her a fair try before I go to Mayo, so I cancelled and postponed until summer. Their insurance is really bizarre as I'm on medicare with AARP supplement and still may have to pay some overages on allotted charges. Tom

Glenn ,
Do you have PN,and yes most neuro's are a bit odd,we have all mentioned
that in one way or other. You live in a great area,have a friend who was
a GP there.

If you liked Barrow why didn't you stay there? I just wish you could tell
us a little more about your problems and some of test you given..I'm
glad you brought this up.Being a Physician doesn't always mean you
will get better care.After being a nurse for 25 years,I've seen it go
both ways. I not sure but didn't you have more of a pain problem
in you spine? Nobody here would want to see anybody in pain.
I wish you luck. Sue

Glenn, I actually started my neuro experiences with them when I first got sick - they did great NCS/EMG's they even repeated the test twice in the same day on different machines cause they were doubting the results) and my sural nerve was sent to them for biopsy from another center and it was very thorough too, but often an appt would streach out for 6 hours waiting for resident to consult with attending - then they would eventually come back... their conclusion at the time (now they are quite a trek from me to get down there) - was "we've never seen someone's sensory nerves completely die in six months - and we will consult with other centers, etc... and get back to you"... never heard another word... if you have a name of someone that maybe I could get a private appt with that would be wonderful though - I know they have a PN support group that meets down there so they definately have an interest in it! (they definately do have contract with Medicare - Mayo was one of the few that didnt!

(in regards to UCLA I should add - I have gotten excellent cardiac care there, in addition to excellent MOHS surgery, and they have some of the best natured nurses and assistants I've ever come across)

(I was hoping first Mayo cause then they could look at all at once - gatroparesis - cardiac - back pain - abd stuff, etc. instead of constant trips to different docs etc... I wish they would just toss me in the hospital even here and do all the tests at once - dont know why they just cant do that for people who have multiple issues and cant get around easily, etc... but I have a feeling has to do with insurance also!)

Thanks

Sue,

I have had symptoms for over 20 years. They have been mostly mutifocal burning dysesthesias with some paresthesias and other neuropathic goodies thrown in. My neuro exams have been normal. I think the stress of having two foot operations in one month(10/07) really flared things up again, in terms of bad burning pains. The symptoms have waxed and waned. My Barrow doc feels it is a variant of small fiber neuropathy.....though I do not have any deficits. As many in the groups with this know the skin biopsy is a new quick diagnostic tool for this. There are also the expensive autonomic and sensory tests. Currently the Barrow does not offer these. In terms of the skin test my neurologist feels it has to be done by a good lab. He recommends only the labs at Mayo and Barnes in St Louis......thus the Mayo appt for another opinion.

Unfortunately Mayo in Scottsdale does not offer the skin biopsy...only the other expensive tests. I have had the million dollar blood workup in terms of all the diseases with small involvement such as diabetes. I feel better now and did not want the out of pocket costs with the Mayo tests. They would probably tell me... idiopathic small fiber disease.....no cure anyway.

Barrow has a new peripheral nerve attending who trained at Mayo Mn. Maybe he we set up the biopsy and other tests. Sorry for the long post.

Glenn

I would wonder if as an anesthesiologist...how much nitrous oxide you have been exposed to in the past 20 years? This is a huge risk factor for B12 metabolic failure.

What does one expect from the Mayo experience? A better diagnosis? ANY diagnosis? So you have small fiber...what will that tell you to do?

PN can be
hereditary
toxin induced (alcohol, occupational exposures)
drug induced (chemo, statins, HIV drugs, etc)
Chemically induced (solvents, nitrous oxide, etc)
nutritionally induced (low B12, and low thiamine, gluten intolerance)
autoimmune induced
rare disease connected (amyloidosis)
disease induced (hypothyroidism, prediabetes, paraneoplastic situations)

What is Mayo going to do for you that your own doctor cannot? Since you are a doctor yourself, you can get tests more easily than others posting here.

There is no miracle cure you know. The majority of the task is finding the correct diagnosis, for sometimes one CAN heal. However, the doctors will not offer healing to you...only drugs to suppress symptoms. Since Mayo Az....failed you, now you must take your own
case in hand and do it yourself. Like many of us here.

What kind of surgery did you have on your feet? I would start there.
But since you have had symptoms for 20 yrs? Thyroid, prediabetes, and occupational drug exposure should be your first stops, I would think.
Next up would be gluten intolerance/ B12 and MMA tests.

PN is a vast wasteland of wasted time, pain, and doctors who seem to not care much. When this happens people need to turn to support and other methods to find their answers. That is why there is an internet now.