The importance of seeking a second opinion for a doctor's diagnosis & bull; hello healthy

When consulting a doctor, you definitely want a clear, convincing, and reliable diagnosis, especially for serious health problems. However, it is possible that the doctor you visit will determine an unbelievable diagnosis. Either because the doctor did not convey the information and diagnosis clearly, or because there was a mistake in reading the examination results so that the diagnosis given was not suitable. In this case, you'd better search second opinion. Second opinion In medical terms, it means the patient's initiative to obtain another opinion from a different doctor, regarding the same complaint or disease, after getting a diagnosis from the first doctor.

Second opinion is not the same as referral, because referral cases usually occur when a patient needs a follow-up examination with a specialist who is an expert in a certain field, which is not controlled by your first doctor. In addition, referrals also require a statement letter from the first doctor for the referral doctor.

When do you need second opinion ?

According to dr. Jerome Groopman, extracted from the WebMD site, there are several situations where second opinion desperately needed by the patient. Basically, if the patient is diagnosed with a life-threatening disease, you need to look second opinion . Another situation where you need to consider second opinion among others, are as follows.

The treatments offered are very risky, for example craniotomy (skull surgery) for stroke sufferers.
The treatments on offer are very new and experimental in nature.
You want to participate in a clinical trial.
You are diagnosed with a rare disease.
Diagnosed diseases are often misunderstood, eg Attention Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder in children under 6 years of age. Sometimes doctors make this diagnosis even though the symptoms are very similar to those of a child at that age. Many doctors also mistake heartburn as appendicitis.
The diagnosed disease requires long-term care and treatment, for example epilepsy or pulmonary tuberculosis.

Is it necessary to tell your doctor if you are looking for second opinion ?

You should tell your doctor if you decide to seek a different opinion from a different doctor. Do not hesitate and be afraid to offend your doctor, because they are looking for second opinion is the inviolable right of the patient. As written by Kompas, this right has been regulated in Law number 44 of 2009 concerning Hospitals. By being open to your doctor, the discussion and consultation will be smoother and clearer.

In addition, you will need to present your medical resume to the second doctor you visit. Ask for your medical resume from the doctors and health facilities you visited for the first time. That way, the information or examination results that you have undergone will be easier to analyze.

Search tips second opinion

If you have decided to look for second opinion , the hardest part may be telling your doctor. However, this is still important to do. Try asking your doctor who he or she would go to for other opinions if your doctor had the same cancer as you, for example. You can also tell your doctor that your family recommends checking with other professionals before you start the offered treatment. Don't worry when discussing this for looking second opinion is a very common thing in the medical world.

Try to find second opinion at a different health facility or hospital. This will certainly take more time and money, but the results you can get can be quite significant. Usually in the same health facility, doctors have similar views and theoretical understandings. Meanwhile, all you need when searching second opinion are different perspectives to support or disprove your first diagnosis.

When you look for other doctors, make sure that the doctor you see is as competent as or better than the doctor who first made the diagnosis. You can also choose a doctor with a different specialty to confirm the diagnosis you receive, but it's best to do some research online and consult with the first doctor or health worker at the hospital. By doing this, you will become more aware of the intricacies of the symptoms and disease you are experiencing so that you will know what things you should be sure and ask about when looking for. second opinion .

Risk seeking second opinion

Before you search second opinion , You have to really understand the risks first. When you get second opinion different from the results of the first diagnosis, there is the possibility that you will have to start over from the beginning of the half-way treatment.

Or if you haven't started any medications and treatments, the new diagnosis you receive may just make you even more unsure. As a result you need to go to another doctor to find out third opinion or a third opinion.

However, if it is deemed necessary, there's nothing wrong with trying to find second opinion so that you will be more confident and optimistic about the treatment you will be undergoing.

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