Getting a Second Opinion

Going to see a doctor can be a very traumatic experience for many people, especially if it is followed by a negative diagnosis that requires some kind of surgery or treatment.  If you are anything like me you have always trusted your doctors and their opinions.  However, as I have learned not every doctor has all the answers and even though it does not always happen doctors can give the wrong diagnosis.  After all they are only human, just like the rest of us they can make mistakes.  In 1999 the Institute of Medicine conducted a survey that came up with results that between 44,000 and 98,000 Americans die each year in hospitals from errors that could have been prevented.  The scary part is that does not include medical errors that kill patients once they leave the hospital. 

Not all diagnosis, however, require a second opinion.  Some diagnoses are conclusive. For example, a fasting plasma glucose (FPG) test measures blood glucose in a person who has not eaten anything for at least 8 hours. This is the test they use detect diabetes and pre-diabetes in a person and does not require a second opinion because those tests are always conclusive. 

Where these conclusive diagnoses are few and far between what you really have to be mindful of are conclusions that are followed by an invasive surgery or some kind of aggressive treatment like chemotherapy.  Not only could these surgeries and treatments be dangerous themselves but they can cause complications on their own if not done properly.  

I find that peace of mind is reason enough for some people to get second opinions.  The surety of what you are diagnosed can always be in question, but sometimes getting that second opinion may help you accept your condition and move forward. 

The flip side of this debate is the fact that second opinions can be very costly.  Especially to those who do not have health insurance.  “The Commonwealth Fund Health Insurance Tracking Survey of U.S. Adults finds that one-quarter of adults ages 19 to 64 experienced a gap in their health insurance in 2011, with a majority remaining uninsured for one year or more.”  That is a lot of people without health insurance, and unfortunately a lot of people that do not have the luxury of getting second opinions.

Another reason not to get a second opinion might be that your doctor or specialist might be the best in their field, or what they tell you might make a lot of sense to you.  If you assumed you had specific allergies and you doctor confirms that, more than likely you would not seek a second opinion.  Maybe the treatment itself is minor and does not require a surgery.  If there would not be any side effects to the treatment would you consider the treatment more? Of course you would, but if it came down to cancer I bet you would most assuredly want a second opinion before you proceeded forward with any surgeries or chemo.

It is important to understand when you are in need of a second opinion.  Whether it be a minor or major diagnosis a second opinion could save your life, or be a total waste of time and money.  A second opinion will always be a personal preference.  As we get older and are faced with the eventual decline of health it is detrimental to understand these differences when making the choice of getting a second opinion.  After all when it comes to your own health what could be more important.


For more information on Sea Spine Orthopedics Institute please click on the link to visit our website.


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