HYDERABAD: The anxiety that comes with having to go through numerous tests to be able to diagnose what one is going through is scary enough. Coming to terms with what we’ve been diagnosed with is another trauma by itself. We know what most people run to do immediately upon learning about the diagnosis — seek a second opinion.
The very idea of believing what we just heard could be wrong or that there could be multiple other options to try and treat an issue, offer relief. But, how important is it to go for a second opinion? How often should one go for it? Doctors in the city share answers to these questions and many more. Explaining when a patient can seek a second opinion, Dr Anupam Sibal, group medical director at Apollo Hospitals, says, “It can and must be considered when: the diagnosis has not been made yet, there is no improvement, the suggested treatment is very complex and for rare diseases.”
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While he believes that going for a second opinion for every little issue can be unnecessary, he adds that in several cases, a second opinion is quite valuable. “It can result in modification of treatment, a very different treatment plan and sometimes, the second opinion might reveal that no treatment is necessary! We have to realise that collective wisdom can be of immense value.” Recently, in a first in the country, Apollo Hospitals announced a collaboration with The Clinic by Cleveland Clinic to bring international second opinion services to their patients.
Dr G Navodaya, consultant, general medicine, at Care Hospitals in Banjara Hills, says a second opinion can offer insight into additional treatment options that the first doctor may not have mentioned. “Many of us choose to see another doctor after we have received an initial diagnosis. Getting a second opinion can help us make better decisions for our health,” says Dr Navodaya. However, when going for a second opinion, patients should share all information with the doctor.