Get More Opinions, Be Your Best Advocate
When faced with a cancer diagnosis, many thoughts come to mind including whether the diagnosis was correct and if the recommended treatment plan is right for your individual needs. At Comprehensive Cancer Centers, the practice’s team of physicians is always available to help patients diagnosed with cancer by providing a thorough second opinion.
No matter what your medical situation may be, it’s important to consider having additional evaluations, through second opinions, a significant part of your process. Many insurance plans cover the costs of second opinions.
Not many people get second opinions and many people also do not conduct their own additional research through qualified websites when diagnosed with a health issue.
We urge all of our patients to take complete charge of their health and well-being, with or without a cancer diagnosis, which includes doing research, asking questions and enlisting help from family or friends to serve as your advocate. If a patient doesn’t feel empowered from their care team, then a second opinion from a Comprehensive physician could make a real difference.
A physician should never be upset or disappointed should a patient want to get a second opinion to learn more about care options. Doctors generally appreciate patients who want to know as much as possible regarding their care.
Another important aspect of second opinions is making sure, if you’re referred to a care team from a primary care physician, that you have a comfort level with that team if you don’t already have a relationship with that practice.
During cancer treatment, you’ll be working with many people in different capacities, which could include chemotherapy, radiation or breast surgery. Getting a second opinion includes meeting those who will manage your care, and given you could be spending a good amount of time with them, you’re going to want to makes sure you feel comfortable with your entire care team.
How to Start a Second Opinion Process
If you’ve begun your care plan at another practice and want a second opinion from a provider at Comprehensive, , be sure to contact your insurance provider to learn what your health plan covers. In some cases, you may have to get a second opinion from another doctor who is part of your provider’s network.
How Do Second Opinions Work?
To make your second opinion visit most efficient, be prepared. This includes having your diagnosis and treatment plan available, which can include pathology reports from any biopsy or surgery you’ve had related to the diagnosis. If you were hospitalized, be sure to have an operative report as well as a hospital discharge summary. If treatment is ongoing, bring that treatment plan or prospective plan if treatment has not yet commenced. Also, make sure to note every drug being taken, their doses, and when taken.
We know that cancer and cancer treatment is not always something that’s easily understood, so we encourage anyone getting a diagnosis or second opinion to make sure to take notes and ask many questions. We encourage this process to continue throughout your treatment as well. Getting a binder for notes is a helpful way to manage and organize your resources.
Patients looking for second options should ask about clinical research options, which may be beneficial for some people with cancer. Not all practices have the same access to potentially life-saving treatment options that are part of clinical research efforts. At Comprehensive, we take pride in our research efforts. We’ve partnered with some of the world’s most recognizable research and cancer-fighting organizations including The US Oncology Network, UCLA TRIO-US, USC, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and leading pharmaceutical companies to offer groundbreaking research to its patients. The practice participates in more than 170 Phase I, Phase II and Phase III clinical research studies each year and has played a role in developing more than 100 FDA-approved cancer therapies. For a complete list of clinical research trials currently available at Comprehensive Cancer Centers, please click here.
Comprehensive Cancer Centers Can Help
Just as with any other aspect in life, being prepared and ready to advocate for your interests, getting a second opinion is something that should be strongly considered by anyone with a cancer diagnosis.
The physicians at Comprehensive Cancer Centers are glad to provide these second opinion consultations for patients in need. To schedule an appointment for a second opinion at Comprehensive, call 702-952-3350.
The content is this post is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.
