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Many patients come to Mayo Clinic for a second opinion or diagnosis confirmation before treatment for a complex condition. In a new study, Mayo Clinic reports that as many as 88 percent of those patients go home with a new or refined diagnosis -- changing their care plan and potentially their lives. Conversely, only 12 percent receive confirmation that the original diagnosis was complete and correct.
These findings were published online in the Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice. The research team was led by James Naessens, ScD, a health care policy researcher at Mayo Clinic.
Why get a second opinion?
When people are sick, they look to their doctor to find solutions. However, physicians don't always have the answers. Often, because of the unusual nature of the symptoms or complexity of the condition, the physician will recommend a second opinion. Other times, the patient will ask for one.
This second opinion could lead to quicker access to lifesaving treatment or stopping unnecessary treatments. And a second opinion may reduce stress in a patient's extended family, when...