
There are no hard and fast rules on this one, but these tips can help.
As a provider of specialty surgical treatment for people with knee injuries
or knee-related conditions, I am one of those doctors whose services are
frequently sought in the capacity of a second opinion for an initial diagnosis
or treatment recommendation. Sadly, some come to me with significant guilt
for what they think might be a “betrayal” of their original
surgeon’s advice. Even sadder, others seek me out with injury or
disease progression that has advanced to a debilitating state because
the original provider’s treatment recommendations didn’t quite
“feel right,” and so the patient waited for … in some
cases for YEARS. It shouldn’t be this way. No matter the medical
specialty or the recommendations, the ability for people to obtain a second
opinion should be praised and celebrated by patients and the medical provider
community alike.
First, not every diagnosis or treatment recommendation necessitates a second
opinion. This is a very person-specific area of medical care. Simply put,
if you feel comfortable with your provider, can trust his or her and their
team’s recommendations and care plan, great! You don’t HAVE
TO obtain a second opinion.
That caveat is important because the truth is that there is much medical
research that has shown that patients who are comfortable and confident
in the diagnoses and treatment recommendations from their doctors tend
to have better outcomes than those who aren’t. Therein lies the
beauty of the second opinion. Trusting in and being comfortable with your
doc equals a more favorable health future for you. If you can’t
get there with an initial provider, seek out someone else. I must make
an important distinction here. The seeking of a second opinion needs to
be something YOU want – not a decision a caregiver or loved one
talks you into making. This is YOUR health and future, and you must take
it into your consideration. Thoughts and advice from friends and loved
ones are excellent, but ultimately it must be you who decides.
Once you have decided to seek out a second opinion, one of the most crucial
traits to look for is a good listener. Choosing whether or not this is
true about a doctor is more art than science, less checklist than gut
feeling. Did they ask questions that got to the heart of what is going
on with your body? Were they curious about your lifestyle? Especially
in the capacity of surgical intervention for an orthopedic condition,
as an example, something I need to know about a potential patient is how
active a lifestyle they have or want to return to. My treatment recommendations,
depending on the condition, may be different for an avid marathon runner
than they might be for someone who goes on leisurely walks around the
neighborhood. But I can’t make a great decision on which way to
go with treatment if I don’t find such things out. Here’s
a test for you. If you walk out of an appointment feeling well-informed
and clear in your understanding of what’s going on and what to do
about it, that’s a great thing. Bonus points if you can easily repeat
both the diagnosis and the treatment recommendations to friends or loved
ones and they can clearly understand the plan.
Before you hit the second opinion doc’s office, you’ve likely
done a bit (or a lot) of online research. It’s important to not
walk in with a diagnosis or treatment plan already in mind. In defense
of doctors, especially in the case of specialists or sub-specialists,
we’ve done a lot of schooling and have likely had some experience
under our belts. The Internet can be a wealth of information, but not
all of it is accurate, safe, or right for your particular situation. Feel
free to share what you’ve researched. But do let the doc do the
doctoring.
Speaking of the Internet, there is likely quite a bit of information you
can find out ahead of time about the provider you’re planning to
visit. One thing to look for is something called a curriculum vitae (CV).
This is a fancy term for a doctor’s resume. From that document,
you can see where the doctor did their schooling, any specialized training
they obtained, as well as research they have been or are involved with
— bonus points for those docs that are engaged in current research
studies. A doc who is on top of their research often knows the latest
advances and recommendations in the field they practice in. This is especially
good for patients seeking second opinions.
Finally, I must comment on the topic of surgery. Contrary to what some
people think, even we surgeons may not recommend surgery right off the
bat, for many conditions. Sometimes a more conservative approach, such
as physical therapy, is the next best step. On the flip side, a doctor
who has recommended surgery as an initial approach may very well be doing
so because the condition or injury in question won’t heal properly
on its own without surgical intervention. Again, second opinions can help
you feel more confident in treatment recommendations, even if those recommendations
aren’t the ones you were hoping for.
As with most things in healthcare, and life in general, there is nuance.
In terms of seeking a second opinion for a medical concern, it is so much
less about whether a treatment recommendation is a right way for you to
proceed than it is about how right it feels to you. Your life, your body,
and yes, your choice. The best docs out there do have your best interests
at heart and want you to own your health.