As this chief of medical ethics for New York-Presbyterian and Weill Cornell Medicine notes in The Washington Post, “Every patient has a right to a second opinion.” Cleveland Clinic’s MyConsult service has provided tens of thousands of online second opinions. The service says these second opinions disagree with the original diagnosis in more than 11 percent of patient cases.
Pennsylvania’s Penn Medicine health system gives advice about when and how to get a second opinion. In general, get a second opinion if …
The diagnosis isn’t clear
Do you understand the diagnosis as given to you by your doctor? If not, seek a second opinion. You have to understand what you are being told when it comes to making decisions about your health.
You need to have serious, nonemergency surgery
Surgery is very serious, and if you don’t need to act right away, why not take your time and get a second opinion? Some insurance plans even require you to get a second opinion before a surgery.
You feel you aren’t being heard
You need to be heard by your doctor. If you feel your doctor is not listening to your questions and concerns, see another doctor for another viewpoint. You have the final say in all decisions about your health.
Treatment “seems nontraditional”
If your treatment options seem to differ from traditional or more standard medical practices, a second opinion is a good idea
Intuition is telling you to do so
You know your body better than anyone else. If you have a feeling that the diagnosis isn’t correct and there are better options available, get a second opinion. But don’t mistake intuition for wishful thinking. While a diagnosis can be tough to accept, don’t just look for a doctor who will tell you what you want to hear.
Next steps to getting a second opinion
- Talk to your doctor, and ask for a recommendation for another physician. Most doctors want you to get a second opinion because they want only the best for you and your health.
- If you’re not comfortable asking your primary physician, ask another doctor for a recommendation.
- Make sure the doctor you’re seeing accepts your insurance, or you might have out-of-pocket costs.
- Schedule a time to meet with the second doctor to go over your diagnosis.
- When the second diagnosis doesn’t match the first, talk with your primary care physician. If you still aren’t comfortable, seek a third opinion.
If you’ve received a diagnosis and want a second opinion, get it. You owe it to yourself.