Throughout my career I have seen patients come to me for second opinions, and I have also had patients ask me if I would “mind” if they saw another specialist for a second opinion.
For the patient, seeking a second opinion is a difficult thing to do. To begin, he or she may not know who is a reputable person to seek for second opinion. Furthermore, they may have a good relationship with their ophthalmologist and may feel they are betraying their doctor’s confidence by seeking another MD. Finally, they may be concerned whether their insurance will cover a visit for second opinion.
For the doctor, discovering a patient has seen another physician may make him or her feel mistrusted or even viewed as incompetent. In some cases, when a patient seeks second opinion it may completely end their care with the first physician.
It has always been my belief that second opinions are an excellent idea. If the care rendered to date is appropriate, the second physician can confirm that and set the patient’s mind at ease. In some cases, the physician may actually find something the first doctor missed, and in these cases both the physician and patient still benefit.
This is because at the end of the day, doctors want their patients to do well. If I am unable to treat a patient completely, I am thankful that another doctor could. On the other side, I am happy to help out my colleagues when they have gotten stuck, or just to tell their patients that everything is going well.
Medicine is not performed in a vortex—referrals to subspecialists are very commonplace. While intra-subspecialty referrals are less common, I am always comfortable recommending the patient seek second opinion if they have any questions or concerns. In this way, doctor-patient relationships are strengthened rather than weakened and care can be given the best way possible.