The Importance of a Second Opinion

As Americans take more interest in their health and take more responsibility for managing their health care, there has been an increase in demand for second opinions. Americans are becoming more informed about various medical problems and the number of treatment options, which leads them to play a much more active role in every decision made with their doctors.

There are new treatment options available on an almost daily basis. This, combined with the increase in medical knowledge available to everyday Americans, makes it very difficult for any single physician to know everything about every condition out there. One physician may advocate one type of treatment that will work well for some people but could be ineffective in your case. Getting a second opinion increases the total amount of knowledge going into the treatment options. This not only increases the odds of the treating physician knowing what he or she is doing but also may lead to a more effective treatment option being used.

Minor health problems do not generally require second opinions. A second opinion, however, is an excellent idea for any individual that is:

• Having major surgery
• Curious as to other non-surgical options
• Having issues talking with their current doctor
• Not seeing improvement in condition

Getting a good second opinion can be a difficult proposition. Some doctors advocate getting a “blind” second opinion. This means that the second doctor repeats all of the tests on his or her own without being told of the initial diagnosis. This is supposed to minimize the chance of the second doctor merely agreeing with the first; he or she is required to form his or her own opinion on the treatment and diagnosis.

Contact a Philadelphia Medical Malpractice Attorney

If you have been incorrectly diagnosed with a condition which has led to unnecessary or ineffective treatment, contact a Philadelphia medical malpractice attorney from Lowenthal & Abrams, P.C., at 215-238-1130.