As a patient, there are times when you may need more information to solidify an informed decision for care. Notable times are when the diagnosis is unclear, rare, or life-threatening; there are several medical problems to address; the advised treatment is controversial or unclear; the treatments vary widely in cost; or you are not at peace with the information received from a healthcare professional.
Receiving a diagnosis of a medical condition can be a frightening experience filled with questions and uncertainty. Recently, a friend was told of the need for immediate surgery after a knee injury, but her uneasiness with this choice without any imaging propelled her to seek a second opinion. After a more complete diagnostic work-up, she avoided surgery and has recovered with appropriate stabilization and physical therapy. This example, along with the recent headlines concerning Medicare Advantage Plans’ questionable diagnoses added to patients’ records and the impact of those actions on the patients and their doctors,1 brings to light the value of a second opinion.
As a patient, you are legally entitled to a second opinion because you have the right to oversee your medical care. This will often be explained in the Patient’s Bill of Rights or the Patient Care Partnership document you signed when agreeing to receive care at an institution.2
A second opinion can create more comfort in choosing the right treatment plan as multiple treatment options available are explored. If both healthcare professionals agree on a course of treatment, that can boost confidence in the plan, which could reveal a newly developed treatment or one that is designed to meet your unique needs.
If the second opinion differs from your original information, you can go back to your first healthcare professional to discuss the new information, ask for both physicians to consult with each other, or seek a third opinion.
The bottom line is to feel confident and in control of your treatment as the understanding of options available for care is enriched. As recently reported, “A patient who has secured a strategy for fighting their cancer is a patient who can feel empowered and trust that they have explored the landscape of options and have arrived at the best one for them.”3
References
- Weaver C, McGinty T, Mathews AW, Maremont M. Insurers pocketed $50 billion from Medicare for diseases no doctor treated. The Wall Street Journal. Updated July 8, 2024. www.wsj.com/health/healthcare/medicare-health-insurance-diagnosis-payments-b4d99a5d?st=6123fj1749szcw5&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink
- Gascon A. What is the Patient’s Bill of Rights? GoodRx. Updated September 19, 2023. www.goodrx.com/insurance/health-insurance/patients-bill-of-rights
- Fontaine J. The benefit of second opinions–who needs them the most. JONS. www.jons-online.com/issues/2020/july-2020-vol-11-no-7/2994:the-benefit-of-second-opinions-who-needs-them-the-most
Sharon S. Gentry, MSN, RN, HON-ONN-CG, AOCN, CBCN, is a champion of people living with cancer and an oncology healthcare provider with over 40 years of oncology care experience.
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