Just 3 percent of patients always seek a second opinion.

I think that’s a mistake. There are enough gray areas in medicine where studies give conflicting guidance, that another physician opinion is warranted in many cases.

Patients often “worry that their primary physician will be less than cordial in future visits,” but I can tell you that nothing’s further from the truth. I encourage all my patients who are unclear or uncomfortable about the management course to obtain another opinion. I’m always interested in how another doctor can approach the same clinical situation.

Elective surgery and diagnoses of cancer are two instances where second opinions would come in handy.

The article also cites the online consultation, where patient records are e-mailed to and reviewed by doctors at a tertiary academic center. It’s a convenient way to get another pair of eyes to look at the situation, and can grow in use as physician access is declining.

topics: second opinion, diagnosis