Mayo Clinic researchers demonstrate value of second opinions

88 percent of patients go home with a new or refined diagnosis

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Second Opinion?
In a new study, the Mayo Clinic has reported that many patients come to their clinic for a second opinion or diagnosis confirmation before treatment for a complex condition. As many as 88 percent of those patients go home with a new or refined diagnosis. Conversely, only 12 percent receive confirmation that the original diagnosis was complete and correct. These findings were published online in the Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice. The research team was led by James Naessens, Sc.D., a health care policy researcher at Mayo Clinic.
Tags: patients