Orthopedic Surgery in Minnesota

Resources For Physicians

The Mayo Clinic Referring Physicians Service is your primary contact for making patient appointments and arranging telephone consultations with Mayo staff members. The Referring Physicians Service will help answer your questions and work to resolve any concerns you may have about Mayo services. Mayo Clinic's goal is to provide physicians with prompt service and communication of complete results for the patients you refer to us. We will preserve the integrity of your relationship with your patient.

Scheduling an Appointment

You are always welcome to contact one of our staff physicians to discuss a specific patient or problem. To discuss a case or schedule a patient appointment, please call the Mayo Clinic Referring Physicians Service at (800) 533-1564 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Central time, Monday through Friday. This toll-free number is exclusively for referring physicians and their staff.

The clinic is closed Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays. However, physicians representing all medical and surgical subspecialties are available for telephone consultation or referral after-hours.

Appointments

Patients with urgent medical or surgical problems are given priority in the Mayo appointment system. Appointments for nonurgent medical problems are scheduled several days to several weeks in advance. General medical exam appointments are more readily available during the winter months, November through March. Appointments for patients under age 18 are available with little delay in the Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine.

Mayo Clinic will, to the fullest extent of its resources, accept emergency cases on the same day. Patients requiring hospitalization may be referred to Saint Marys Hospital emergency room for evaluation. Patients not requiring hospitalization should be referred to Mayo Clinic for outpatient evaluation. In either case, please call in advance of the patient's arrival.

Information Needed to Schedule the Appointment

To facilitate making an appointment, please be prepared to give the following information when you call:

• Patient's name
• Address
• Phone number
• Date of birth
• Mayo Clinic registration number, if a previous patient
• Type of insurance (e.g., HMO, Workers' Compensation, Medical Assistance)
• Nature of the medical problem
• Referring physician's UPIN
• Services you would like Mayo to provide

HMO Referral Office

If your patient's health care costs are covered by a health maintenance organization or similar prepaid agreement, please contact Mayo's Patient Financial Resources.

Medicaid

Mayo Clinic participates with the state Medicaid programs of Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, North Dakota, and South Dakota. If your patient is from a state that has out-of-state prior authorization restrictions, the patient should contact the appropriate people to complete these requirements. Except in emergency situations, Mayo Clinic will not provide care to Medicaid patients from other states unless arrangements are made in advance to fully pay billed charges for both the clinic and hospital services.

Patient Follow-Up

Mayo Clinic physicians will forward a summary of diagnostic reports, treatments, and follow-up care to referring physicians. Please contact Mayo physicians through the Referring Physicians Service to discuss matters of patient care.

Services for Patients

Many special services are available for patients. If your patient has a unique need or would like a full listing of Mayo services, the patient may call (507) 538-3270.