A second opinion is a visit to a physician other than the one a patient has previously been seeing in order to get a differing point-of-view. Second opinions may be sought by a patient under the following circumstances:
<if>§ <endif>Physician recommends surgery.
<if>§ <endif>Physician diagnoses patient with serious illness (such as cancer) that patient does not believe they have.
<if>§ <endif>Physician recommends a treatment for the patient other than what the patient believes is necessary.
<if>§ <endif>When physician recommends elective surgery, it may be required by the insurance plan. In other cases, insurance will not pay for a second opinion.
<if>§ <endif>Patient believes they have a condition that physician fails to diagnose. In some cases, the physician may be the one to recommend the second opinion.
<if>§ <endif>Physician themself recommends a second opinion.
前面讲的莉莎，虽然她的癌症是早期，但在肿瘤切除后，在术后治疗方案的选择上，她也找了第二诊断。莉莎跟我说，本来是肿瘤医生切除了病灶，她根本没想再找其它的医生看病，她的主刀医生认为她的病治得及时，没有扩散，无需进行任何化疗和放疗。但她去医院取她的病理报告时，实验室的化验员问她，手术后是不是要进行化疗，她说医生说不用。化验员非常吃惊她医生的诊断，同时给她看了她检查片子上显示的潜在癌症点（pre cancer spots），劝她再找一位医生看看。结果第二位肿瘤医生认为她需要一定的术后化疗。
