ORL, Firule

I noticed there isn't a thread dedicated to the administrative side of things, such as how the logistics actually work, and I think it’s incredibly necessary because every department seems to have its own little set of rules. It often feels like they just assume you already know the drill, which can be a real headache if you end up wasting five hours sitting in a waiting room without realizing why.

I’m looking for some insight regarding the ORL department at Mayo Clinic, as I just received a referral for an exam. Does one need to schedule an appointment in advance, or do you just show up, grab a number, and wait? Or is it a bit of both? I'd love to know how long the wait times have been lately. Also, if a situation is urgent, am I correct in thinking that should be explicitly noted on the referral? Has anyone here dealt with this recently? (I'm not currently in Chicago, and I'd really rather not make the trip just to hunt down this information.)

Jamie Johnson6 said:I noticed there isn't a thread like this yet—one focused on the administrative side of things, like paperwork and logistics. I think it’s actually pretty necessary. Every department seems to have its own set of rules, and they just sort of "assume" you already know how everything works. It would be great to have some info so you don't end up wasting five hours sitting in a waiting room, no joke.

Does anyone have some info on ORL? I just got a referral for an exam. Do you need to make an appointment ahead of time, or do you just show up, grab a number, and wait? Or maybe it's a bit of both? I'm also wondering how long the wait usually is. If it's an emergency, I assume that should be noted on the referral—is that right? Has anyone been there recently? I'm not in ST and I really don't feel like making the trip just to find out.

You’ll need to grab a number first, and then you just wait until your number is called—it usually says "urgent" on the screen. The actual check-up doesn't take very long, I guess, but there are always quite a few patients lined up. So, maybe just make sure you snag a number right away so you're all set.

You really have to schedule an appointment well in advance because the wait times are easily a month out. They tell you to show up at nine in the morning, but then you just sit there waiting indefinitely for your number to be called. I ended up sitting in the waiting room for six straight hours—and to make matters worse, they actually sent me to the wrong clinic first, sent me right back out, and told me to start the whole waiting process all over again. After those six hours were finally up, they performed a biopsy on my salivary glands using local anesthesia, where they cut a piece from the inside of my cheek, left me with stitches for two weeks, and all that. Then, three weeks later, I get the results back and it says: "The provided sample does not contain any salivary gland tissue!!!!!!"
It is honestly unbelievable. I had a maxillofacial surgeon perform the entire procedure with the specific goal of TAKING A SALIVARY GLAND SAMPLE.
Apparently, my salivary glands are located on the top of my head, because that’s clearly the only way he could mess up this badly after all his years of medical school. Just brilliant. Anyway, if you're planning on going, just be prepared for an incredibly long wait.

Thank you all so much!
On a personal note, I’ve been dealing with some nerve inflammation on one side of my face lately. It’s actually starting to turn a corner; for a few days there, I couldn't feel my face at all, which was quite unsettling, but now the main issue is just some pain near my ear and gums whenever I try to chew. I’m really crossing my fingers that this discomfort means things are finally heading in the right direction rather than taking a turn for the worse, because I honestly don't have the patience to wait around for more symptoms to show up.

Your best bet is to hit up the doctor around 2 PM with your referral in hand—and honestly, just be extra nice to the receptionist so they actually squeeze you in.