• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • The Magazine
    • The Peachy Team
    • 2025
      • Spring 2025 (Båstad, Sweden)
    • 2024
      • Spring 2024 (Jacksonville)
      • Summer 2024 (Boston)
      • Fall 2024 (Aspen)
      • Holiday 2024
    • 2023
      • Spring 2023 (Anniversary Issue)
      • Summer 2023 (Turks & Caicos)
      • Fall 2023 (Charlotte)
      • Holiday 2023
    • 2022
      • Spring 2022 (Nantucket)
      • Summer 2022 (Austin)
      • Fall 2022 (Asheville)
      • Holiday 2022
    • 2021
      • Spring 2021 (Charlotte interiors)
      • Summer 2021 (St. Louis)
      • Fall 2021 (Palm Beach)
      • Holiday 2021
    • 2020
      • Spring 2020 (Richmond)
      • Summer 2020 (Greenville, SC)
      • Fall 2020 (The Hamptons)
      • Holiday 2020
    • 2019
      • Spring 2019 (Santa Fe)
      • Summer 2019 (Charlotte Garden Issue)
      • Fall 2019 (Cape Cod)
      • Holiday 2019
    • 2018
      • Spring 2018 (Boston)
      • Summer 2018 (Ponte Vedra)
      • Fall 2018 (Anniversary Issue)
      • Holiday 2018
    • 2017
      • Spring 2017 (Birmingham)
      • Summer 2017 (San Francisco)
      • Fall 2017 (Jackson Hole)
      • Holiday 2017
    • 2016
      • Spring 2016 (Savannah)
      • Summer 2016 (Los Angeles)
      • Fall 2016 (NC Mountains)
      • Holiday 2016
    • 2015
      • February March 2015 (Nashville)
      • May June 2015 (Washington, D.C.)
      • July August 2015 (New Orleans)
      • September October 2015 (Austin)
      • Holiday 2015
    • 2014
      • January February 2014 (Park City)
      • March 2014 (Chicago)
      • April May 2014 (Charlotte)
      • June July 2014 (Charleston)
      • August September 2014 (Santa Barbara)
      • October November 2014 (Atlanta)
      • Holiday 2014
    • 2013
      • September 2013 (Charlotte)
      • October November 2013 (Dallas)
      • Holiday 2013 (New York)
  • Style
  • Beauty
  • Entertaining
  • Interiors
  • Gardens
  • Wellness
  • Insiders’ Guides

Peachy the Magazine

You are here: Home / Wellness Matters / The Power of a Second Opinion

September 3, 2015

The Power of a Second Opinion

WRITTEN BY Nancy Palermo Lietz, MD

Caroline was a healthy 46 year old diagnosed with breast carcinoma in situ following a radiology biopsy done after an abnormal mammogram. As with many women, she was eager to proceed with treatment and was quickly referred to a surgeon through her primary care with no forethought or research on treatment options. She was scheduled for a lumpectomy and node biopsy only to find out a month later that the cancer was more advanced, and she would require further surgery and treatment. Review of the pathology from the first surgery confirmed an invasive high-grade cancer that would have been better treated with mastectomy, chemotherapy and postoperative radiation. Performing the incorrect surgery only delayed treatment and added more pain and confusion to an already stressful situation.

Caroline is like many patients in that she did not consider a second opinion prior to her surgery. In fact, only one in every five patients seeks a second opinion. This number is fairly constant even when the diagnosis involves cancer or another complicated or serious diagnosis. A 2015 study in the American Journal of Medicine reviewed the outcomes of a National Patient Initiated Second Opinion program from Best Doctors, Inc. It revealed patients only sought second opinions in about 20 percent of cases. When they did, it was most commonly related to treatment options (41 percent) and diagnostic concerns (35 percent). The study found that second opinions resulted in changes in the diagnosis or treatment 41 percent of the time.

Patients generally don’t seek a second opinion because they do not want to upset their current physician, or they are eager to proceed with treatment. Many patients are also concerned that a second opinion will be an extra cost to them. The reality is that most insurance companies encourage second opinions, and the majority cover the cost fully. The more complicated or serious the condition, the more useful a second opinion may be, especially given data suggesting differing opinions.

Many of the top medical centers, like Cleveland Clinic, Johns Hopkins and MD Anderson, offer remote consultations pending the review of a patient’s record. These specialists require a close review of all of the patient’s medical records including physician notes, x-rays, lab tests and pathology. Additional testing should not be necessary unless an inadequate initial workup was done. When such a consultation is made, it often is provided by a specialist in the field. A second set of eyes, especially expert eyes, can only be beneficial. Many of these remote consults are covered by insurance companies, but they may cost the patient up to $1,500 in out-of-pocket costs.

Getting a second opinion does not require the patient to change physicians or accept the advice or treatment of the new physician. Only 61 percent of patients ultimately proceed with the advice given in the second opinion. Even when the experts agree with the initial physician, the patient is offered significant reassurance and peace of mind.

When a patient is faced with a confusing, complicated or serious diagnosis, a second opinion can serve to optimize outcomes and further educate the patient on his or her situation. An informed patient is always better off in the long run.

Wellness Matters 1 Comment

Previous Post: « BeautyKind…Beauty That Gives Back
Next Post: The September October Issue of Peachy is Here! »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Teresa Lee says

    January 4, 2016 at 7:56 pm

    What a great article. I would love to reach out to Dr. Palermo about a second opinion I have concerning my hormones. Thank you for forwarding this email and my personal information on to her. Kind regards, Teresa Lee 704 408 3689

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Instagram icon   Facebook icon   Pinterest icon   LikeToKnow.It icon

Subscribe to Peachy

Sign up for your free subscription to Peachy the Magazine.

Kirsten Dexter Spring 2025 Ad
Capizzi Fall 2024 Ad
Cake For Dinner Spring 2025 Ad
Road to Resolution Ad
Ellen Kelly Homes Spring 2025 ad
Wendy Bilas Ad

Contact Us

Questions? Comments? Interested in partnering with us? We would love to hear from you.

Privacy Policy and Disclaimers

Footer


A special thanks to our fabulous partners:
Kirsten Dexter Fine Jewelry logo     Capizzi MD logo     Road to Resolution logo       Ellen Kelly Helen Adams Realty logo       Cake For Dinner logo     Lisa Cashion SparkWell logo     Wendy Bilas Fine Art logo

© 2025 Peachy the Magazine · Wordpress theme by Design By Bloom