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Anyone found an easy way to get a second opinion on pathology?
So when I set up an appointment with a new doc, they are able to pull my slides and have the path rerun without me doing much other than signing a release. But whenever I look to get a second opinion independent of an appointment with a new doc, the instructions always say I have to send the slides to the test center myself (or have my existing doc do it). Has anyone found a good CoE lab that I can hire for a second opinion that will take care of requesting the slides themselves? I'm willing to pay to avoid the hassle on my end.
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Cleveland Clinic offers an online virtual second opinion. You meet with them online and give them approval to request your records. They optain and review them and get back with you in a few days. It isn't usually covered by insurance and isn't cheap. About $1800. You can find the info on their website.
@hohnpca
I would definetly get second opinion. Your provider who took biopsies should be sending the slides information to the second opinion facility. Many providers like Mayo, Cleveland Clinc, will set up and do this for you. Getting the information from your original provider.
I assume you had these done because of prostrate cancer. Have you discussed with your provider doing Decipher, PSMA, bone scans? Biopsies results for prostrate cancer are subjective and one medical provider can see something different and give you a different Gleason score. With Decipher it is a genetic test that comes back more objectively and thus more precise of your risk level.
Reach out to top providers like Mayo and Cleveland Clinic about asking for second opinions on your pathology and will they handle the process of obtaining the slide inforamation and your medical records. I did this at UPTI even though I had my biopsies done a Mayo Clinic. Wanted second opinion. By the way my Decipher test results changed my pronosis, treatment, and risk level for original pathology. I went from medium risk to low risk per the Decipher test.
Thanks for the confirmation on Cleveland Clinic. CC and Stanford seem to be the most proactive about online second opinions, but when I tried UCLA they had an in-state rule that knocked them off the list so not sure if that's a UCLA thing or a CA regulation issue that's going to catch me at Stanford too. So CC is my leading contender so far.
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1 ReactionAlways get copies of any tests, discs, etc. immediately after you have it done. Then you don't have to pay for them later or sign releases and wait weeks. Most doctors now have portals where you can read results and print them out to take to our 2nd opinion doctors. Good luck!
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1 ReactionI used Johns Hopkins to get a second opinion - https://pathology.jhu.edu/patient-care/second-opinions/send. It looks like the process has changed since I submitted mine 3 years ago. It was not Johns Hopkins that required me to send the slides myself, it was the urologist who did my biopsy that required me to send the slides, as they didn't want to be involved in handling them.
I used John's Hopkins and it was super easy. Had Pathology coordinator at hospital path lab send to JH path dept. Univ of Fla does also as does MD Anderson I am told.