When should you ask for a second opinion?

Getting a second opinion from an experienced specialist helps to clarify doubts and gain confidence in the recommended therapeutic process.

Find it worthwhile to get a second medical opinion. After all, there may always be unclear and misleading data or pertinent and relevant doubts that remain, no matter how professionally all procedures and evaluations have been carried out.

According to a recent study which evaluated cases of patients with a specific disease:

📌 About 21% of those who sought a new opinion obtained a completely new diagnosis.

📌 On the other hand, in 66% of the cases the diagnoses were partially correct and were complemented by the new doctor.

📌 The orientation of 43% of cancer patients at a given center changed when they sought a second opinion from a multidisciplinary board.

What do you need to ask for a second opinion:

Questionnaire with generic framework

• • Personal Information
  • Pathology
  • Treatments already performed

Medical report with updated clinical information (if possible) – some patients do not have this type of report available

Exams available

A second opinion is “another opinion, issued by another doctor, which allows the patient to complement or question the information already existing and available about his health condition, in order to allow him to make decisions, in a more informed way, about the treatment to be pursued”.

Despite many similarities in training, physicians may vary in their opinions on how to diagnose or treat some diseases.
The differences occur because the evidence of benefits and risks is not clear.

Getting a second opinion from a doctor can provide other ideas and more information about what to do. It can help to reassure the patient and reduce anxiety.