Susan Payrovi, MD, a doctor who has multiple sclerosis, explains why seeking a second opinion is not a sign of distrust, but an opportunity to explore different treatment perspectives and make more confident healthcare decisions.
Transcript
As a physician, I don’t view a second opinion as an insult, or that I’m incompetent, or that there’s lack of trust.
I think it’s an opportunity for patients to hear recommendations from a different person who maybe has a different way of thinking through the very same problem. I think if you put 10 neurologists in a room looking at the same patient, I don’t think they’ll all pick the same treatment. There is no one-size-fits-all approach.
There is going to be variability, and that shouldn’t make us feel nervous about our treatments. I think it goes to show that there are many options out there.
If you can approach the conversation with your doctor as “I really trust your opinion, and I love that we have a relationship, and I do want to seek out a little more information so that I can feel comfortable with my decision,” I think your doctor will really, actually like hearing that, because that tells us that you are a person that’s thinking critically about your health, that you’re asking the hard questions and you’re willing to do the hard work.
I think it’s very appropriate to get second opinions and then come back to your first opinion with your doctor and say, “Well, what do you think of this?” And then together make a decision together on how to move forward.
I will also say that there is overdoing it as well. There are people who get a fifth and a sixth opinion, and I don’t think that’s actually helpful either, because now you’re doctor shopping in a way which can actually make things much more complex for you as a patient.
I would say pick about three people that you trust, get their opinions, and then talk to your loved ones and the people that you trust and make a decision and move forward. I think your doctor will appreciate that.
