Sharon’s Thoughts on Our Scottsdale AZ Mayo Visit…

During our four years of fulltime RVing we have found the Mayo Clinics as a wonderful, convenient place to go for our yearly physicals. John first thought of it the first year when we found ourselves due for care near Jacksonville Florida and urged me to call to see if they accepted our insurance. Much to our amazement we were accepted as patients and were mailed some health forms to fill out prior to our first visit. The clinic in Jacksonville impressed us beyond belief. It was a very welcoming atmosphere where money or fees were never once mentioned. All we received upon check in was our “itinerary” which outlined our scheduled visits, directions on where and when to show up and instructions for preparations needed for each visit.

Sax at the Mayo…

This fourth year we are in Mesa and visited the Scottsdale Mayo Clinic for our yearly physicals. One month ahead we called to make an appointment and both were happily scheduled with the very same primary consultation doctors we saw when we visited here two years ago. This time John wanted blood work, full body mole/cancer screening and a physical. I wanted the same as well as my yearly mammogram and gynecological visit. John’s itinerary had him finishing everything in two days and mine took four days. The first day we both saw the dermatologist as this department is usually very busy and the wanted us to have the first available appointment should any return visit be necessary. John passed this visit with flying colors whereas I had a suspicious area on my nose requiring biopsy for a possible basal cell carcinoma (thus I have had to wear a Band-Aid on my nose for two weeks). This biopsy was done on the spot and I was told to wait 7 to 10 days for results. If further treatment was necessary I would be called for scheduling the day the results would be ready. Thankfully the specimen was benign and we are both good to go for another year.

Two of the days our appointments required our being there morning and afternoon. One of the days we packed a lunch to enjoy on the beautiful campus surrounding the clinic. We also enjoyed walking the interpretive desert nature trail on campus most of the days we were there. Also between appointments on the lower level we were treated to a jazz duo or some mellow piano music while awaiting appointments. What a treat that was as John loves jazz and the saxophone!

As with all our other visits no money was ever asked for. We will be billed our copayment in a month or two after our insurance pays. Often this total is under $100.00 which is less than half as much as we would pay had we returned to our doctors back in College Station because at home we have a copay for each doctor whereas at the Mayo Clinic there is only one copayment. We have never been made to wait more than 10 minutes in any waiting area at the clinic and the compassionate, efficiency of the clinic is comforting especially with both of us being cancer survivors. These visits are always a little nerve wracking (for me especially) and we really appreciate how quickly results are given. Most results are received the very same day which is wonderful. Thank you Mayo Clinics, both in Arizona and Florida for the excellent care extended to us. They make this chore an easy one, so much so that in our future when we “settle down”, I for one, want to be near a Mayo Clinic.