Second Opinions from the Comfort of Home
Getting a second opinion from world-class experts can be a vital part of making healthcare decisions for yourself or a loved one. Through our digital health services, you can receive a written second opinion via our secure online portal without leaving your home.
We’ve made this possible through NewYork-Presbyterian’s partnership with Included Health, a care team that will help you every step of the way. The entire process takes no more than five business days once your medical records and test results have been gathered. See a sample second opinion report here.
What is an online second opinion?
If you’re facing a tough medical decision, talking to more than one doctor can be helpful. An online medical second opinion is when a doctor other than your primary doctor reviews your records and test results to give you a diagnosis and treatment plan without seeing you in person. This can help you:
- Decide whether to have a costly or risky test or treatment, like surgery
- Understand how well an examination or treatment may work
- Get more information on your treatment options
- Confirm or clarify a diagnosis
Second opinions are common and expected--don’t worry about offending your doctor. An online second opinion can give both you and your doctor more information to guide your treatment.
Benefits of online second opinions
In addition to helping you feel confident about your healthcare decisions, a virtual second opinion offers these benefits:
- Save time and energy - With an online second opinion, you save the many weeks it can take to get an in-person appointment with a specialist, as well as the time and energy it can take to organize travel
- Get world-class opinions in five business days - Our highly detailed, personalized, and timely analysis means you and your physician can make crucial, next-step decisions much sooner
- We do all the legwork - Included Health will gather all of your relevant medical records and test results
- No additional testing is necessary - Because our renowned pathologists and radiologists review your case alongside your assigned specialist, it’s unlikely that you will need to undergo further testing
Looking to connect with one of our experts for an online second opinion? Get started by creating an account or using your existing login.
Availability
Online second opinions are available to patients living in most states in the United States.
At this time, however, this program is not offered to residents of:
- Iowa
- Maine
- Maryland
- Michigan
- New Mexico
- Nevada
- North Dakota
- Wyoming.
We do not currently offer online second opinions to patients living outside the United States. We encourage you to contact Global Services for more information.
How Online Second Opinions Work
We make it easy to find a second opinion doctor online. Here’s how:
Step 1: Sign up and tell us your story
What you’ll need to provide:
- Information about yourself or your loved one, such as demographic details and specifics about the medical condition. You will also be able to write to the specialist about why you or your loved one is seeking a second opinion.
- Up to five questions you would like answered by the expert specialist about your case
- A credit or debit card for potential fees
- A list of the local doctors Included Health should contact to obtain your relevant medical records, as well as their contact information
Step 2: Included Health gathers your records
An Included Health care coordinator will be assigned to your case, calling you to go over the process step by step. Included Health then gathers your medical records and sends them securely to the appropriate Columbia or Weill Cornell Medicine specialist for your condition. That specialist will then review your case and provide a detailed opinion, along with their professional and educational background.
Step 3: Receive your second opinion
You and your local physician will be notified by email to log in to your account and access the online second opinion. You can then review this information with your doctor to make an informed decision regarding next steps. Included Health will also follow up with you to answer any questions you might have. Should you want an in-person appointment with your NewYork-Presbyterian specialist, Included Health can assist in scheduling a visit. Please note that this in-person appointment is separate from the cost and process of your online second opinion report.
Need more information? Contact our partner Included Health at 1-800-391-6920 between 9am and 9pm EST.