Testing - Consultation

[big_L]

We're going to Mayo - Rochester in 3 weeks. They've set me up for (yet another) echo - third one this year, EKG, chest X-ray and blood work. I checked with Aetna and it's no problem, it's covered.

I'm not excited about the blood work, as I just had a full workup in March. My contact at the valve desk at Mayo is insistent that it MUST be done within two weeks of our visit. Now this is for a consult, no surgery planned yet. I guess I'm finding the apparent inflexibility on this to be surprising. I've pushed back and she's agreed to talk to the Dr.

I don't know that it's worth making a big deal about, but the principle of this is important to me. I expect more of an answer than - "that's just what we do". Hopefully, I'll find more out soon.

 

[Guyswell]

Be prepared to "go with the flow" when you have your surgery. Every day, they would wake me up at 2:00 am for a blood draw (fresh needle stick every time) and at 5:00 am to be weighed. All of this so the doctors would have current lab results when making morning rounds at 7:00 am. The hospital is a tough place to get good-quality sleep.

 

[AZ Don]

Interesting post. You will probably have to talk to the Dr. to find out why they do that. I expect that they look at it as one complete test. Rather than take a chance that they see something anomalous and have to order more tests, this way they have what they need (and might need) ready for the Dr. If they didn't, more tests would almost certainly require rescheduling with the Dr. If you are traveling to Rochester that could be very inconvenient. On my next post-surgery follow-up I have scheduled an echo, blood work, chest x-ray, EKG, and consult. It's pretty much an all day affair. My last appt was the same minus the echo. I go to Mayo - Phoenix.

 

[Tom C]

Big L,

It's hard not to think that all the redundant testing is done to generate revenue, and money may play some part. At the same time, however, you are going to hold Mayo's doctors and their decision making to the highest standards. They have to be certain that their decisions are not being made on someone else's lab errors or poorly performed echos. With patients coming from all over the world, I'm sure they do see a good bit of variability in the information that arrives with the patients. It has to be easier, and in their minds more accurate, to simply get new blood work and echos from everyone.

One reason the large centers have such good results is that they establish best practices and replicate them over and over. This makes the experience seem a little machine-like, but the end results are very good. I decided early on that I was going to trust the team taking care of me. I went in to the hospital knowing that I was going to be a human pin cushion for a few days and things were going to be done to me that I didn't like. I just tried to relax and focused on the day when all the tubes and wires came out. There is nothing wrong with challenging the system, but I bet they do have pretty good reasons for doing things the way they do.

Tom

 

[Jkm7]

Most of us learn fast that when we go to these large teaching hospital, finest in the nation heart centers, you do it their way. To push back against a blood test doesn't seem to necessarily be worth the fight to ME but, of course, we all pick our own fights. I think we all have certain tests/procedures we would refuse or resist but it isn't unreasonable IMO they want more current blood testing than from March.

Blood work up from March is now old. How do they know if a patient has just recently become diabetic, started using illicit drugs, has developed kidney issues etc? Current blood work really is important.

I learned very quickly at Mass General, unless there was a profound reason to resist they usual way of doing things, it was best for me to me agreeable.

We all have trouble giving up all control of ourselves in such an important setting but when we choose this 'elective surgery' which is what it is called, we have to put our faith in our doctors and the facility we have chosen.

I guess what I am saying is 'pick your fights' and this might not be the best choice in the whole scheme.

JMO....

 

[scott.eitman]

Most of us learn fast that when we go to these large teaching hospital, finest in the nation heart centers, you do it their way. To push back against a blood test doesn't seem to necessarily be worth the fight to ME but, of course, we all pick our own fights. I think we all have certain tests/procedures we would refuse or resist but it isn't unreasonable IMO they want more current blood testing than from March.

Blood work up from March is now old. How do they know if a patient has just recently become diabetic, started using illicit drugs, has developed kidney issues etc? Current blood work really is important.

I learned very quickly at Mass General, unless there was a profound reason to resist they usual way of doing things, it was best for me to me agreeable.

We all have trouble giving up all control of ourselves in such an important setting but when we choose this 'elective surgery' which is what it is called, we have to put our faith in our doctors and the facility we have chosen.

I guess what I am saying is 'pick your fights' and this might not be the best choice in the whole scheme.

JMO....

I agree. I believe that this is more to do with making sure the test results are done within their specifications rather than revenue. If you want the "best" care/result, allow the doctors to have the "best" tests. Don't make them work with what you have. I am assuming you want the best, or you would not be heading to Mayo.

 

[jhc1]

I'm with jkm7 above...we do the research and choose the best physician and hospital we can find...then the hard part-trust them to do their best for you. I'm 3 days and a wake up out from my surgery, and think that in the grand scheme of things, one set of blood test is not the thing to throw your badge on the table over...best of luck!