In undergoing medical check up and consultation, patients should learn to ask questions to their doctors about their health because they are in the position and widely recognized to decide for themselves of how to best manage their health.
Physicians must be regarded as allies and partners for patients who are seeking treatment or medical help.
Patients diagnosed with chronic or terminal illnesses, must ask for second opinion in order to validate their first doctor’s diagnoses.
This is now better acknowledge by most doctors on their patient’s right in seeking other opinions other than theirs, to achieve the best possible decisions about their health.
It is one way then that you would know that somehow, either you get an over treatment or an under treatment or completely a wrong treatment.
Though most medical practitioners go by sound medical standards, different doctors interpret and explain things differently. It is for this reason that second opinion matters because it can help the patient gain a better understanding of his disease.
Other patients seek a second opinion in order to explore more ways of treating or managing their condition. If say for a example, a cancer patient have been advised to undergo surgery, some patients may want to find less drastic alternatives instead.
Others want to make sure that the management of the disease that was offered to them is right while others are shopping for more affordable hospitals, clinics or treatment.
There are patients who also ‘doctor shop’ , who wanted a physician who would take time to listen, explain and reassure that the treatment is right for them and that would build trust and better relationship between the doctor and the patient.
Patients are also encouraged to ask the hospital about their doctors and facilities. The recognition of patients’ rights has increased in recent years and this has produced major changes in the patient and doctor relationship.
Patients must be empowered with the right information in order to arrive on a right decision. With health information which are now widely available in all forms from books, magazines and the internet, they are now better informed than in the past.
Patients who easily fall prey to information overload, the best thing he should do is to consult doctors with the same specialization at least, there’s homogeneity of the mind about the disease, so that he doesn’t get mix up.
After all most medical practitioners accept the value of second opinion as part of good medical practice.
