Dealing with a serious health issue can be an overwhelming experience. But no matter how severe your diagnosis, you should never feel rushed into choosing a recommended treatment. Seeking a second opinion is one way to make sure you have been diagnosed correctly and you are fully aware of all treatment options for your condition. Getting a second opinion is a common practice and most doctors are quite comfortable if you wish to get a second opinion from another provider.
Here some reasons to get a second opinion:
- Your current doctor is not a specialist in treating your specific condition
- The underlying cause for your condition has not been identified
- You are unable to communicate freely with your doctor
- You have been given a very rare diagnosis
- You think there may be a better treatment available for your condition
To initiate the process, you could simply tell your doctor that you would like to do some research about your condition and explore all outcomes before you make up your mind about a treatment option. A good doctor will certainly accept your decision and help you with getting a second opinion. Once you have decided to get a second opinion, you should contact your insurance company to find out if your insurance plan will pay for a second opinion.
Be prepared to give your new doctor a copy of the following documents:
- Surgical report if you have had an operation
- Laboratory report if you had a biopsy or some tests done
- Discharge summary
- Recommended treatment plan
- List of medications and allergies
At North Central Surgical Center, our mission is to treat each and every one of our patients, and their families, as if they were our own family member. Each patient, each family, each and every time.
