Saturday, July 30, 2011

What if the Second Opinion differs from the First?


What course of action should the patient adopt if the second opinion differs from the first? Such a situation can be very confusing. Consequently, the patient needs to do a good deal more homework before making a decision. It would be worthwhile to get a family physician (preferably one who has no vested interest in the matter) to advise you. It would also be prudent to discuss the differences in the two opinions with the concerned doctors, so that they can explain and justify the reasons for the discrepancies in their diagnoses or plan of treatment. Remember that it's your body which has to bear the consequences and you need to make your own decisions intelligently. It would be highly sensible to ascertain your options in advance, rather than to burn your fingers and then regret your actions later on!

Friday, July 29, 2011

Dr.Malpani says:


I always encourage my patients to get a second opinion. As I explain to them: If two different doctors happen to reach the same conclusion, at least you know you are on the right track! However, don't always assume that just because the opinions of both doctors are identical, you are safe. For example, if you have angina and you consult a cardiac surgeon, there is a high likelihood that he will advise you to undergo bypass surgery. A second cardiac surgeon is also likely to recommend the same; after all, it's just simple financial common sense from the surgeons' viewpoint! Therefore, getting a second opinion from a non-surgical specialist (in this case, a cardiologist) can be helpful in preventing unnecessary surgery.

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Consulting a second doctor individually


It may be difficult to get an unbiased opinion from a second doctor who is a member of the staff in the same hospital as your doctor. If at all possible, you should consult an independent doctor in another hospital for a second opinion. Most medical insurance policies that cover consultation fees will pay for this. In case of disagreement between two specialists, a third opinion could prove helpful. In the present age of the telecommunication revolution, the 'magic' of telemedicine enables one to get a second opinion from a leading medical authority in any part of the world. The procedure usually consists of sending such an authority your clinical findings and medical reports through the Internet, so that you can get an unbiased opinion usually in as short a period as two days. Many clinics in India now offer this service in collaboration with leading hospitals from all over the world.

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Second Opinion: Needed for Patient or Gain for Doctor?


Often, many patients tend to become sceptical or dissatisfied if their doctor suggests that they seek a second opinion, because they feel that such a suggestion indicates that their doctor is not competent. However, one should not forget that medicine is a highly complex science in which rapid advances are the order of the day and it is not humanly possible for one doctor to keep abreast of all developments in all fields. Consequently, a second opinion proves very useful for those patients afflicted with rare or complex problems. Unfortunately, some doctors tend to refer patients unnecessarily to other members of their fraternity. Also, doctors will often cross refer patients to each other for personal financial gain. In hospitals, especially, specialist consultation is often automatic and mandatory, and this process is inevitably overused. The upshot is that the patients’ bill shoots up! Thus, a hospitalized patient should ask the family physician (who should act as your medical manager) to intervene if the number of specialists involved in the treatment seems excessive.

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Second Opinion


At present, getting a second opinion has become a common practice among doctors; in fact, the American Medical Association advises that 'physicians should seek consultation upon request; and in doubtful or difficult cases'. That is why family physicians often consult with specialists, and specialists, in turn, consult other specialists - and superspecialists. (Sometimes, though, the process could be misused, and the patient may feel that he is stuck on a non-stop merry-go-round of consulting a wide variety of specialists!)

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Second Opinion

At present, getting a second opinion has become a common practice among doctors; in fact, the American Medical Association advises that 'physicians should seek consultation upon request; and in doubtful or difficult cases'. That is why family physicians often consult with specialists, and specialists, in turn, consult other specialists - and superspecialists. (Sometimes, though, the process could be misused, and the patient may feel that he is stuck on a non-stop merry-go-round of consulting a wide variety of specialists!)

Often, many patients tend to become sceptical or dissatisfied if their doctor suggests that they seek a second opinion, because they feel that such a suggestion indicates that their doctor is not competent. However, one should not forget that medicine is a highly complex science in which rapid advances are the order of the day and it is not humanly possible for one doctor to keep abreast of all developments in all fields. Consequently, a second opinion proves very useful for those patients afflicted with rare or complex problems. Unfortunately, some doctors tend to refer patients unnecessarily to other members of their fraternity. Also, doctors will often cross refer patients to each other for personal financial gain. In hospitals, especially, specialist consultation is often automatic and mandatory, and this process is inevitably overused. The upshot is that the patients bill shoots up! Thus, a hospitalized patient should ask the family physician (who should act as your medical manager) to intervene if the number of specialists involved in the treatment seems excessive.

It may be difficult to get an unbiased opinion from a second doctor who is a member of the staff in the same hospital as your doctor. If at all possible, you should consult an independent doctor in another hospital for a second opinion. Most medical insurance policies that cover consultation fees will pay for this. In case of disagreement between two specialists, a third opinion could prove helpful. In the present age of the telecommunication revolution, the 'magic' of telemedicine enables one to get a second opinion from a leading medical authority in any part of the world. The procedure usually consists of sending such an authority your clinical findings and medical reports through the Internet, so that you can get an unbiased opinion usually in as short a period as two days. Many clinics in India now offer this service in collaboration with leading hospitals from all over the world.

I always encourage my patients to get a second opinion. As I explain to them: If two different doctors happen to reach the same conclusion, at least you know you are on the right track! However, don't always assume that just because the opinions of both doctors are identical, you are safe . For example, if you have angina and you consult a cardiac surgeon, there is a high likelihood that he will advise you to undergo bypass surgery. A second cardiac surgeon is also likely to recommend the same; after all, it's just simple financial common sense from the surgeons' viewpoint! Therefore, getting a second opinion from a non-surgical specialist (in this case, a cardiologist) can be helpful in preventing unnecessary surgery.