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Should Oregon Patients Get A Second Medical Opinion

Patients should not be afraid to seek out a second medical opinion if they are not comfortable or are unsure about their primary care physician’s professional opinion.

Because patients place so much trust and faith in their Oregon doctors, many are hesitant to
question their physician’s diagnosis or medical recommendations. This means a patient might be unsure as to whether he or she should seek out a second opinion. Learn when it is a good idea to at least give serious consideration to getting another opinion from a medical care professional.

The stakes are high

Your health is nothing to play around with, no matter how seemingly minor the medical issue might be. If it has anything to do with cancer, serious surgery, growths or anything similar, your primary care physician is sure to understand if you want to get a second opinion. After all, if you do not take your own health into your own hands, who else will?

You are not comfortable with your diagnosis

If you receive a diagnosis you do not agree with or are not comfortable with, you are entirely justified in getting a second opinion. Doctors make mistakes like anyone else, no matter how much training they receive or how many years of experience they have. Millions are misdiagnosed in the U.S. each year, and no one knows your body the way you do, not even your doctor. Listen to what your body is telling you when it comes to accepting your doctor’s diagnosis.

Test results are missing

Some patients like to receive copies of their medical records so they can look them over. There are times when
results are missing from the tests doctors order, which means a physician might make a recommendation or diagnosis with missing information, information that can dramatically alter the course of the patient’s treatment. If you order your records and notice there is information missing, ask your doctor about it, and do not hesitate to get a second opinion.

Your doctor recommends a serious and/or expensive surgery

Depending on your diagnosis, your doctor might recommend a serious surgery or one that is expensive. In either case, you might want to get a second opinion before dropping thousands or millions of dollars on a surgery you do not need. Even if it turns out you do need surgery, getting a second opinion might reveal there is a less expensive but equally effective alternative.

Getting a second opinion could give you the peace of mind needed to put your fears and concerns to rest. If you discover you have been misdiagnosed by a medical professional in Oregon, your next step should be to consult with an attorney to see if you have a case on your hands.