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 ORLANDO, Fla. (Ivanhoe Broadcast News) -- So many diseases. So many treatment options. How do you know your doctor made the right diagnosis and suggested the right treatment for you? Most of the time, you don't. That's why second opinions are so important.
Buying a car, finding a realtor, or remodeling your home ... Chances are you would ask more than one person for advice before making these choices.
"If you were having your house painted, you would often get more than one opinion, and I think your own health is probably just as important as your house," Ralph Damiano, M.D., a cardiac surgeon at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, tells Ivanhoe.
Dr. Damiano says there are at least three times you should always get a second opinion:
- Your doctor gives you a rare or serious diagnosis
- Your doctor tells you there's nothing that can be done
- You're feeling fine, but your doctor says you need surgery or other treatment
 Phoenix-based Neurosurgeon Kim Manwaring, M.D., welcomes second opinions. "I have directed families to gain even a third opinion," he tells Ivanhoe. And he says other doctors should, too. "No thoughtful physician would be offended by a patient developing a second opinion relationship with another doctor."
But what if your doctor is offended? "I'd think it was a red flag for you, probably very much so," Dr. Damiano says. "You'd probably need a second opinion."
First try asking your doctor for a referral. If you're not comfortable with that, call the major medical centers in your area. Some hospitals actually have second-opinion hotlines.
The second-opinion service at Washington University costs $50. "We have a number people can call. They do not have to come see us," Dr. Damiano says. "Within 48 hours, we will give you a second opinion." The Cleveland Clinic also has a similar service for patients.
In most cases, insurance companies will cover a second opinion if it's an in-person visit. Some companies even require one. Make sure you bring a copy of all your most recent tests and your medical records with you. Dr. Damiano says you almost can really never bring too much information.
 Myrna Hershman faced invasive bypass surgery. Just before her procedure was scheduled, she got a pamphlet in the mail. "It said, 'If anybody told you that you needed heart surgery, and you wanted a second opinion, Barnes is offering free second opinions.' So, I said,' What could be better than that?'"
Turns out, Hershman was a candidate for a minimally invasive procedure.
"When something can be verified, you're more confident that that's the way it is." Instead of a large scar and a broken breast bone, she only has a tiny scar, and recovery was a cinch.
This article was reported by Ivanhoe.com, who offers Medical Alerts by e-mail every day of the week. To subscribe, go to: http://www.ivanhoe.com/newsalert/.
If you would like more information, please contact:
Judy Martin
Washington University School of Medicine
Office of Medical Public Affairs
Campus Box 8508
4444 Forest Park Ave.
St. Louis, MO 63108
martinju@msnotes.wustle.edu
http://medicine.wustl.edu
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