Getting a Second Opinion for Clinical Psychology: For Better Understanding and T

Posted by Dr. Ketki Sapre on September 21st, 2015

“Second opinions, from a medical standpoint, involve the commentary of a non-treating physician on the diagnosis and treatment plan for a particular patient's case. They are universally sought in different areas and fields of medicine and healthcare and are sought by either the patient or the physician himself, especially when dealing with unusually challenging patient cases.” Says Dr. Debraj Shome, a top facial plastic surgeon and CEO of www.MediAngels.com.

In contrast to primary healthcare, where treatments for common illnesses are relatively standard with a high likelihood of success, second opinions are principally sought to aid in secondary care where management plans vary, and diagnoses are complicated. Second opinions should be sought if you want to confirm a diagnosis, be reassured of your treatment plan, and to improve the overall outcome of your treatment.

A second opinion can provide a much-needed confirmation or opposition to a diagnosis. A physician's knowledge and experience over particular cases, as well as his or her expertise in interpreting investigations and results all, play an important role in bringing accuracy to diagnoses. Any discrepancy between doctor opinions should merit further investigation, especially when they are significant such as when they have opposing findings.

Second opinions also bring confidence to your treatment plan of choice, reassuring both patient and doctor that the recommended plan or the plan in practice is indeed appropriate for the case. Seeking a second opinion is also an opportunity to ask questions and find out about other options you may have so you can make an informed decision about potentially risky treatment options. Second opinions also help improve outcomes in the long run and even reduce costs of treatment as you discover better ways to address your health problem. They also help save you from the great costs of medical errors.

In general healthcare, patients and clinicians seek independent second opinions about treatment approaches and diagnoses. In psychotherapy, a second opinion is often sought during patient supervision; in a process about which patients are often left relatively ignorant. This is so that viewpoints offered will not be coloured by any school of thought that a therapist and a supervisor may practice. Integrating different perspectives and varying therapeutic methods allow specialists get a complete view of particularly challenging cases. This provides them a better understanding of the case at hand and in turn allows them to administer the most appropriate treatments and therapies that will best address the problems and underlying issues of the patient. Second opinions are especially important in complex psychotherapy cases.

About the Author:

This article was written by Dr. Ketki Sapre who worked at MediAngels as marketing manager.

MediAngels is the world’s first online hospital in India. We provide access to the best medical expertise and have about 400+ super specialist doctors on our panel, who belong to 93 specialties. Visit our website for an online medical consultation, advice and diagnosis of various diseases. Get symptoms, treatment, causes and risk factors associated with the diseases online.