If you’re a Mayo Clinic patient flying into Rochester International Airport (RST), welcome! RST is committed to providing a positive travel experience and making your healthcare journey a little less stressful. Here are four resources and tips to help you prepare for a smooth travel day.
1. Plan ahead for your day-of-travel needs.
Mayo Clinic’s Patient Travel Services can support you with your travels to Rochester. This team not only books hotels and flights but also coordinates with airlines for your day-of-travel medical requests, including:
- Obtaining a wheelchair
- Securing in-flight oxygen
- Making accommodations for a service animal
They can also arrange van transportation with wheelchair accessibility from RST to your Rochester hotel. To contact Patient Travel Services, call toll-free at 866.551.3392. International: 720.956.6055 or click here to fill out a request form.
“We often suggest that Mayo Clinic patients fly into Rochester. Since it’s a smaller airport, people who have medical needs tend not to feel as rushed or overwhelmed as at a bigger airport,” shared Bridget Moe, Patient Travel Program Coordinator, Mayo Clinic Rochester.
2. Know the rules.
Educate yourself about the guidelines for traveling with medical equipment and medications established by the Transportation Security Administration and your airline. Here’s a quick rundown:
- TSA Screening Information for Passengers with Disabilities and Medical Conditions
- TSA’s “What Can I Bring – Medical?” List
- American Airlines Mobility & Medical Devices
- Delta Airlines Medical Supplies & Wheelchairs
- Delta Airlines Assistive Devices & Medication
3. Keep essentials handy.
“Hope for the best, prepare for the worst” is a necessary cliché when traveling. Think about what you’d need if you missed a connecting flight or needed to address a medical issue during your travel day. Wear a medical alert bracelet if you have one and keep these items in your carry-on:
- Your daily medications (prescription and over-the-counter) if you’re taking any, as well as a written list of medication doses and why you take them
- Essential medical devices like your insulin pump or portable oxygen concentrator (in accordance with your airline’s guidelines)
- Reusable water bottle
- List of emergency contacts
- Your insurance information or Medicare card as well as your prescription drug insurance card and preferred pharmacy name and address
- Phone and email information for your primary care provider
- Mayo Clinic appointment documents that include phone and email contact information
4. Utilize our airport service desk.
Once you deplane at RST, you’re in good hands and almost to your destination! For any needs, visit our service counter between the ground transportation desk and security. And once you’re on your way to the Mayo Clinic campus, connect with Mayo Concierge Services at 507.538.8438 to make the rest of your visit to Rochester and Mayo Clinic more comfortable, pleasant, and personalized.
