At its core, Mayo Clinic has always practiced medicine based on one overriding value: the needs of the patient come first.

This is the basis for a unique model of caring for patients that shapes every aspect of Mayo Clinic today.

Dr. William Worrall Mayo -- who along with his sons, Dr. William J. Mayo and Dr. Charles H. Mayo founded Mayo Clinic -- once said "no one is big enough to be independent of others." In other words, medicine has become so complex that it requires a team of physicians, specialists, medical professionals and scientists all working together to provide the absolutely best medical care.

The fundamental elements of the Mayo Model of Care include:

• A team approach that relies on a variety of medical specialists working together to provide the highest-quality care
• An unhurried examination of each and every patient with time to listen to the patient
• Physicians taking personal responsibility for directing patient care in partnership with the patient's local physician
• The highest-quality care delivered with compassion and trust
• Respect for the patient, family and the patient's local physician
• Comprehensive evaluation with timely, efficient assessment and treatment
• Availability of the most advanced, innovative diagnostic and therapeutic technologies and techniques

The Team Approach
In the search for an accurate diagnosis and the best treatment options for each patient, Mayo physicians from multiple medical specialties work together in teams. This cooperative science is a hallmark of Mayo Clinic patient care. The Mayos understood that medicine was far too complex for any one person to fully know. As a collaborative team, medical specialists work together to diagnose each patient and recommend courses of treatment.

Physician-Directed Care
Each patient is assigned a personal physician who directs the patient to other medical specialists and discusses care with the patient when all evaluations are complete. Whenever possible, patients returning to Mayo Clinic are scheduled to see the same physician. The Mayo physician also communicates and coordinates with the patient's local, hometown physician.

Modern Systems
Mayo Clinic utilizes an electronic, up-to-date, integrated medical record designed so patient medical information, lab test results and reports are all available when the physician and patient meet. This system, along with many others, and a set of well-defined processes, allow patients to have multiple medical evaluations and tests on the same day or be scheduled for next-day surgery or other procedures.

Respect and Compassion
Patients report that the most significant difference between Mayo Clinic and other health care centers is that at Mayo Clinic, everyone cares about them.

In each step of the patient's care, the medical team listens to the concerns of the patient and family and responds with respect and compassion, to best meet the needs of the patient.

When the patient meets with the physician, the examination is unhurried. Because physicians at Mayo receive a fixed salary, their pay is not based on quantity or number of patients seen. Rather, physicians spend the time they deem necessary to provide quality patient care.

Mayo Clinic respects the patient's time through a simultaneous, efficient evaluation process. In many cases, within a short period, patients can be examined by multiple medical specialists and complete testing and evaluation, followed by next-day surgery. This capability is appreciated by patients who travel long distances to seek health care at Mayo Clinic.