Though each disease has its own course of presentation, signs and symptoms, there might be slight difference from individual to individual. Everyone has the same basic anatomy and physiology but there may be difference in individual’s immunity and response to diseases. Some individuals are more susceptible to disease whereas as some are not. Likewise some individuals have a better response to certain treatments whereas some don’t. There are times when surgery remains the only treatment option. But going under the knife is a very big decision. When a surgery is advised, an environment of fear and uncertainty is created. We and our family members need answers to many questions in order to cope up with such a situation. One of the very important factors leading to such fear and uncertainty is lack of information. There is lot of confusion and decision making becomes tougher. This is where it becomes necessary to get expert opinions from different surgeons and see what they have to say ? In the process we will get a lot of important information that may help us in making more informed healthcare decisions. Apart from this there are few specific questions that bother us a lot. We need answers to such questions. This makes it very important to get expert opinions from multiple surgeons.
- Is our health issue diagnosed correctly or not ?
- What are the tests that are really required to diagnose our health issue? Is there any need to repeat those tests again? Under what circumstance the test/s have to be repeated ?
- Are we given the most appropriate treatment options or not ?
- Whether a particular medical treatment /surgery is really required or not ?
- Do we really require to be admitted in the hospital? If yes then for how many days ?
- Is any implant or prosthesis really required? If yes then what are the different options available and which one is better ?
- What is the cost of surgery ? Do we have better and more affordable options available ?
- What does the surgery cost include and exclude ?
- What would be the cost of care after the surgery ?
With multiple expert opinions, we get more and more information. Now we can understand things in a better way, do a comparison and then make a choice. We can be more sure of the kind of treatment that we are comfortable with, which hospital has the best in class equipment for our surgery, which surgeons and hospitals have reported the best outcomes of the required surgical procedure and which healthcare setup facility is more feasible for us financially.
As mentioned earlier, the decision about going ahead with a surgery is cumbersome and confusing. But information and the options to choose from help us a lot in making our healthcare decisions. At times, we may not understand the treatment modalities and the goals of a particular treatment. For instance, if a patient is diagnosed with cancer then he/she may be advised to undergo a major surgical procedure for the removal of cancer followed by chemotherapy and radiation therapy but does the patient understand why three types of treatments are given to treat one condition ? In such scenarios, if the patient is unable to convince himself/herself to go ahead with the treatment then he/she is advised to take medical opinions from multiple cancer specialists. It also helps the patient to be mentally prepared to undergo a medical treatment or surgery by reducing the doubt and confusion in choosing the right treatment or surgeon or the hospital.
Getting expert opinions from multiple surgeons becomes more important in case of serious ailments such as cancer,heart disease, liver disease, kidney disease, transplant procedures or any major surgical procedures. Today we have many good surgeons and hospitals offering different medical specialties and as a patient we should be able to reach them and then decide what is best for us. For doing this, at first we need to know our options and get all the relevant information. Getting expert opinions from multiple surgeons will help us in doing this. This would not cost much but it may give us some valuable information that can help us a lot in making informed healthcare decisions.
At Hinfoways, we are working towards building a platform that would help patients to find and avail opinions from multiple surgeons ( even at different locations ) online. They need not travel from one hospital to another in search of surgeons and undergoing all those consultation formalities again and again. Many patients do this because going under the knife is a big decision and they want answers to many questions before they finally make up their mind. In the process they undergo a lot of stress and spend a lot of time and money too. Now onwards, things are going to be easier for such patients who have been advised a surgery. They can use Hinfoways platform to find surgeons and get opinions from multiple surgeons. In the process they may get necessary information and start knowing their options. This helps them to make a more informed choice.
Disclaimer: The content provided here is meant for general informational purposes only and hence SHOULD NOT be relied upon as a substitute for sound professional medical advice, care or evaluation by a qualified doctor/physician or other relevantly qualified healthcare provider.
