Should you seek a second opinion for your medical condition?

If you are considering the question of whether to get a second opinion, this could mean either you or a loved one has been diagnosed with a serious medical condition, or might not have been able to get a clear diagnosis from your doctor. This is undoubtedly a stressful and uncertain time, and the last thing you probably want to do is to speak to more doctors to share your symptoms with them, hear their diagnosis and discuss treatment options.

However, seeking a second opinion can be immensely beneficial – even if you end up continuing treatment with your original doctor. Medix, a personal medical case management firm, did a survey and found that 87% of those who received a severe medical diagnosis in Singapore would seek a second opinion. This is in spite of the fact that 3 in 4 people are confident of the answers provided by medical specialists in Singapore.

Medix, which operates in over 90 countries with over 5 million insured customers, also states that 55% of its patients were spared from unnecessary medical procedures after seeking alternative medical opinions, while 43% were offered a treatment alternative, and 1 in 5 patients received a change in medical diagnosis.

This is corroborated in various studies worldwide, such as one study by Mayo Clinic researchers in 2017. The study revealed that as many as 88% of patients who get a second opinion receive a new or refined diagnosis – changing their care plan and potentially their lives. In another 2018 study published in the Annals of Surgical Oncology, it was found that among 70 patients referred for a second review at a National Cancer Institute-designated cancer centre in the US, 43% had a change in diagnosis.

Even in cases where the original diagnosis or treatment plan is verified by the second opinion, research has found that patients find the second opinion to be “helpful and reassuring in most cases”.

Given these findings, there is scope for a second medical opinion to lead to beneficial outcomes for patients.

At the very least, even if your second medical opinion draws similar conclusions and recommended treatment plans as your primary care team, it can give you greater confidence in the accuracy of your diagnosis, and reassure you that the treatment chosen is the right one, after hearing about (and rejecting) the alternative options.

Seeking a second opinion can serve to clear your doubts, give you additional options for managing your case, and a deeper understanding about your medical condition.

You may consider getting a second opinion when:

• you are diagnosed with a major illness
• you are diagnosed with a rare illness or have an unclear diagnosis
• you have several other pre-existing medical conditions
• the treatments recommended are risky
• there are several alternative treatment plans
• you are uncomfortable with the recommended treatment or find that it is excessively expensive

There may also be other reasons to seek a second medical opinion, such as if you are not responding to the current medical treatment you are receiving or have lost confidence in your doctor.

While you should ideally take the necessary steps to understand your diagnosis and treatment options, you may not always have the time to wait for a second opinion, depending on your medical condition or whether you need to start treatment urgently.

First of all, you should know that as a professional, your doctor will unlikely be offended that you are seeking a second opinion, so there’s no need to hide it. In fact, your doctor may be able to recommend another trusted specialist in the industry.

Being upfront with your current doctor can also help you obtain the necessary medical records and important information you need to receive an accurate and useful second opinion. Otherwise, you may either undergo unnecessary tests with another specialist or waste precious time.

Before going to see another specialist, let the doctor know you are seeking a second opinion, ask whether you need prepare anything or if you should send in your medical records prior to the consultation.

You should also ready all your questions about your diagnosis and treatment options with your current doctor, with more focus on the reasons why you wanted a second opinion. Do also understand the costs involved for the consultation.

Since 2018, AIA has teamed up with Medix to provide complimentary personal medical case management exclusively for AIA Beyond Critical Care and AIA Power Critical Cover policyholders, as well as customers who sign up for eligible riders on their insurance policies, including AIA Max VitalHealth A, AIA Max Essential A and AIA Max Essential A Saver.

More than just giving a second opinion, Medix provides you access to a multidisciplinary medical service that supports you throughout the entire process, rather than a one-off consultation between a specialist and a patient.

Unlike traditional methods of seeking a second opinion, Medix’s personal medical case management never leaves you alone as a patient, from diagnosis through the treatment process, both in the hospital and at home.

Source: Medix

Operating in over 90 countries, Medix provides eligible AIA policyholders in Singapore with access to over 4,000 specialist doctors and a network of over 2,000 hospitals and medical centres of excellence. This provides diverse opinions from a global base, leveraging on new viable options for managing and treating conditions, since the field of medicine is continuously developing and changing. This can be especially useful for rare diseases, where there may not be many specialists in Singapore alone.

Medix also found that majority of Singaporeans feel pessimistic about their health status, showing high fear for cancer, heart attacks and diabetes. This is quite consistent with the top principal causes of death in Singapore, with cancer being the top killer, Ischaemic heart diseases at number 3 and diabetes mellitus at number 10.

AIA believes in being there throughout your healthcare management journey – from bettering your sleep and furthering your fitness to boosting your nutrition and understanding your health status – rather than just being there when an illness strikes. AIA Vitality provides a comprehensive wellness programme in Singapore, armed with tools and benefits to encourage you to improve your health.

Better health is ultimately the best reward, as AIA Vitality provides extra incentives in the form of exciting rewards to further incentivise you to hit your personalised and weekly fitness milestones. As you continue your journey to upkeeping good health, your efforts will compound, resulting in boosting your AIA Vitality status – which enables you to enjoy insurance premium discounts.