Mayo Clinic Documentary by Ken Burns

[dado potato]

PBS program... Lauds the benefits of group practice … "A medical democracy".

The documentary explains Doctors Will Mayo and sons, Mother Alfred and Sister Joseph, etc.

It is a proud history of the Mayo Clinic. It also takes a swipe at the inadequacy of the American system of "competitive medicine".

Personally, I have always believed I would go to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester for a second opinion, if I or a family member was up against disease. But the documentary suggests that it is not always possible to be admitted. Maybe I need to think about a Plan B.

[iris lilies]

I am too old to go around looking for medical answers, most likely.

My sister in law did get an elusive diagnosis when she was in her 30’s, and from the Mayo Clinic. So it was helpful for her. Also, she was only a few hoirs drive from there. Mayo is important for us northerners, thatbis probably why you focus on it dado.

[SteveinMN]

Well, there are other world-class cilnics in the U.S: the Cleveland Clinic, Mass. General, and many associated with top universities.

I think the "magic" of Mayo is partly the high-quality health-care providers they can attract and partly a system that coordinates care among all the specialists, labs, etc. Too many patients are in systems in which every specialist sees only the body parts in which they specialize and overall care and coordination is managed by the patient (not their job as such) or the patient's primary-care provider (who is not in on what all the specialists are doing in real time and who has zillions of other patients to care for) or it goes undone. I have no doubt the Mayo system could be implemented elsewhere; if not within an individual clinic then within that clinic's overarching organization (like Kaiser in California). It's a matter of will -- and, probably, shaving a few basis points off the profit margin.

[Teacher Terry]

Mayo helped my dad at age 59.

[CathyA]

I know of a couple people who didn't get much help at Mayo or Cleveland Clinics.......... But I suppose that doesn't mean they haven't helped a lot of others.

[Lainey]

I also saw someone who said part of their success is simply due to the amount of time they will spend with a new patient. If regular docs are limited by insurance to 15 minute appointments, then a 2-hour complete physical and intake appointment will likely produce better outcomes if only because the patient gets someone giving their full attention for a longer period of time.
I recently went for what's called a "well-woman" checkup. It's the free annual physical which includes the standard weight, blood pressure, basic labwork, listening to heart and lungs, a pelvic and breast exam (every 2-3 yrs) and questions about drug use, alcohol consumption, and unusual bleeding. Pretty standard, and pretty quick. No urinalysis, no skin check for cancer, etc. And before your checkup, the receptionist hands you a printed reminder that if you have any other issues you have to make a separate appointment.

Having an extended appointment where you can cover the basics and also get any other issues or questions addressed is a real luxury these days.

[Tybee]

IL, they have a satellite clinic in Jacksonville, Fl, so they serve Southerners too.

[Lainey]

We have a Mayo Clinic here in Scottsdale AZ as well. It's where they do "Executive Physicals" for high-level leaders at the Mega Corp. I retired from. My understanding it includes a treadmill stress test among other things. Not your standard physical exam.

[iris lilies]

IL, they have a satellite clinic in Jacksonville, Fl, so they serve Southerners too.
Yes that is true, my sister in law works there.

[shadowmoss]

I had my breast cancer surgery at the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale. I received top notch medical care. My issue is with their somewhat heavy handed attitude about finances. It is a place for rich folks, or folks with good insurance. They don't take any insurance on the exchanges, which I had to transition to when COBRA ran out. They also were pretty insistent about how I needed to pay all of the money for the stuff insurance didn't cover much quicker than I can afford. I told them what I could afford, and I pay it each month. I can't afford to go back to them now. I'm kinda bitter, especially when I get the glossy requests for donations for 'women who can't afford care' when nothing was offered to me nor was I asked if I needed any financial assistance when I said that I couldn't come back due to insurance issues. The social worker just shrugged.

[Teacher Terry]

Well that sucks SM. Social workers are supposed to try to help.

[SteveinMN]

Social workers are supposed to try to help.
(S)he may have. We don't know what happened in half the conversation. And social workers are no better than the rest of us at getting blood out of stones. Ask my wife, a social worker.

Based on the information relayed, I think Mayo Scottsdale acted poorly in not making shadowmoss aware of programs which could assist lower-income or under-insured patients like shadowmoss, especially when they solicit donations for those very people later. But it's hard to say what role the social worker had in securing financial assistance.

[Teacher Terry]

I know Steve as I was a social worker for awhile.

[SteveinMN]

I know Steve as I was a social worker for awhile.
Thought that was an odd thing for a social worker to say, then.

[Teacher Terry]

Some are better than others and she didn’t sound helpful although we are only hearing one side of the conversation.

[SteveinMN]

Some are better than others and she didn’t sound helpful although we are only hearing one side of the conversation.
Fair enough. This one definitely was choice D) Not enough information at this time.