Top 5 Reasons to Get a Second Opinion

Some people feel awkward about seeking a second opinion about a medical concern, and they shouldn't be. Second opinions reinforce a principle known as informed consent in which you, as the patient, are given full information about the risks, benefits, and alternatives to a medical procedure "in a language you understand without coercion or undue influence."

Seeking a second opinion doesn't mean that you "distrust" your healthcare provider. Rather, it allows you to participate fully in treatment decisions and ensures that you are comfortable about any choice you make, particularly when a solution is not perfect.

This article describes five reasons to seek a second opinion whether for a serious condition or simply to get the information needed to make an informed choice.

When Should You Get a Second Opinion?

Though you do not need a reason to get a second opinion, there are times when getting one may be essential. The key is to keep asking all of the questions you need to fully understand the possible risks, benefits, and alternatives of a recommended treatment. Without these, your decision can never be fully informed.

Reason #1: High-Risk Procedures

A second opinion may be needed if a treatment is risky, particularly surgeries. A high-risk surgery is one in which the risk of death is greater than 5%. This not only includes the overall risk of death (based on statistics of all people diagnosed with your disease) but also your individual risk of death (based on your age, current health, and other health factors).

A second opinion is important for any procedure in which there are variable outcomes. Even if your surgeon is top-rated, it often helps to seek a second opinion from someone who will look at you holistically, assess your individual risks, and help you decide if the benefits outweigh the risks.

In some cases, another procedure may be more appropriate.

Reason #2: Treatment Failure

If your symptoms persist even after treatment, it may be time to seek the advice of another specialist. Too often, people will not advocate for themselves and will instead assume that they will always have to live with chronic pain or that the next treatment will not be "as good." This is not inherently true.

Science advances continuously, and a treatment that may have once been the "gold standard" may give way to newer, more effective treatments months or years later. Sometimes it takes time for this information to filter down.

At second option offers a fresh look at your condtion, starting at square one if needed, It doesn't mean that your first treater "failed"—treatment failure occurs even with the best practitioners—but rather that more input is needed to better weigh the option, particularly if a subsequent treatment is more invasive.

Reason #3: Rare Conditions

Sometimes diseases are so rare that there is little research about them or very few specialists skilled in their treatment. When this happens, more input may be needed to reach a treatment decision. This is especially true when a treatment is experimental or uncommonly performed.

Studies suggest that 25 to 30 million people in the United States are living with a rare disease, both manageable and severe. What's more, nearly 7,000 new disorders are discovered each year, according to the Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center.

If you live someplace where specialist care is limited, research which experts are at the forefront of your condtion. Even if they live far away, you may be able to meet over a live telehealth service. They may even be able to consult with your local specialist.

Reason #4: Cancer

With something as serious as cancer, second opinions are not only common but something your oncologist may recommend.

This is especially true with advanced Stage 3 and Stage 4 cancers in which treatment decisions are often borderline. In some cases, it may be a close call between whether surgical resection (removal) of a tumor should or should not be done. For some people, doing so may prolong life, and, for others, not.

Even if your cancer is not as advanced, you may want to seek a second opinion if a treatment worries you. Many people, for example, describe chemotherapy-induced hair loss as their biggest concern and will want to explore any way to avoid it.

Second opinions are important if you feel you are not getting all the answers you need or believe there are alternatives your oncologist should seriously consider.

Reason #5: Gut Reaction

You are ultimately the person who will make all treatment decisions for yourself. So, if you are not getting all the answers you want or feel that something is "off," follow your gut instinct and seek a second opinion.

Reasons for this may include:

• Your healthcare provider is overly technical and speaks over your head.
• Your provider dismisses or ignores your concerns.
• Your provider won't explain certain things because "you wouldn't understand."
• Your provider "tells" you what to do rather than acting as your partner.
• Your provider does not give you ample time or seems distracted.

The truth is that you can't always replace a specialist. They may be tops in their field; there may be a lack of specialists in your area; or your insurance may direct who you can or cannot use. A second option can provide you with the peace of mind that the right decisions are being made, even if communications fall short.

However, if you find that you cannot work with a specialist, ask your primary care provider for referrals or get a list of approved specialists from your insurance provider.

What Does Research Say About Second Opinions?

Second opinions are not simply about calming your nerves. Research conducted by the Mayo Clinic in 2017 offers a clear rationale as to why a second option may be invaluable to your health.

According to the study published in the Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice, which involved 286 patients who sought a second option from January 2009 to December 2010:

• 67% left the consultation with a new or revised diagnosis.
• 21% left with a "distinctly different" diagnosis. 
• 12% left with the same diagnosis.

A controversial study from Johns Hopkins Medicine also suggested that medical errors should rank as the third leading cause of death in the United States.

According to the study, more than 250,000 people in the United States die each year from medical errors, outranked only by death due to heart disease and cancer. This further supports the need for second opinions as an essential facet of informed consent.

Summary

A second opinion is appropriate if you are not provided with the information needed to give informed consent. This is especially true if you are about to undergo high-risk surgery, have experienced treatment failure. have a rare disease, or are diagnosed with cancer.