Second Opinions Available Online
Aug. 22 -- An array of new drugs and treatment options have sent demands for second opinions soaring. And now, thanks to a new service, people can run to their computers instead of a doctor's office.
Three of Boston's top hospitals recently launched the service to sell second opinions online. Massachusetts General Hospital, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, and Brigham and Women's Hospital's offer links on their homepages to the "Partners Online Specialty Consultation" site.
The service hopes to ease a number of growing problems for patients who may question a diagnosis or treatment approach. It also hopes alleviate the long time it can take to get an appointment with a specialist, and the difficulties of hospital overcrowding.
"With waiting rooms full of people, we felt compelled to lead in this effort of understanding how we can best take care of patients. It's sort of a long view of how we can utilize this wonderful technology and take care of patients at the same time," says Dr. Joseph Kvedar, director of telemedicine for Partners HealthCare, which oversees Mass General and Brigham and Women's.
Along with convenience comes a price tag of $600 per case, which is not covered by insurance providers.
Not Your Typical Office Visit
In order to get a second opinion from one of the partners' sites, patients contact their primary care physicians, who formally request the assessment.
The patients must also fill out a registration form online detailing their medical history and submit it along with the payment. Primary care physicians then forward the necessary medical records — including any specialists' assessments that may have already been given — to the designated specialist to review.
The physician hears from the specialist within three business days, and discusses the results with the patient. (Most of the doctors in the service are not licensed to directly deal with patients in other states.)
Experts say the service is of great benefit to patients, especially those in rural areas.
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