Online Second Opinion Frequently Asked Questions

The Stanford specialist will send over a thorough second opinion report addressing the specific questions asked during the second opinion request. The results of the report may agree with your original diagnosis or may offer additional treatment options. You should also plan to initially schedule time with your local treating provider to review the recommendations and work with him or her to refine your diagnosis, treatment plan or plan of care.

You are welcome to seek care at Stanford for your treatment after reviewing your second opinion report. 

When should I get a second opinion?

If the patient or patient family is faced with complex medical issues or difficult treatment decisions, second opinions are a great way to gather expertise input into their care plan. Access our specialists from our highly ranked Academic Medical Center. Please note, a second opinion is not advised during Medical Emergencies or for immediate treatment guidance needs.

When receiving a Stanford Medicine Online Second Opinion, the assigned Stanford specialist will review all potential options and provide formal, written recommendations regarding diagnosis and treatment options.

This pay for fee service is offered for: Dermatology, Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT), Hepatology, Orthopedics, Neurology- Brain Tumors, Epilepsy and Neurosurgery.

  • Our Neurology providers will review EEG reports only.

When receiving a Medical Record Review a Stanford specialist will review your medical records specifically to assess candidacy for surgical options. At the conclusion of this review, you will not receive any written recommendations, but will be informed whether you are a candidate for surgery.

This complimentary service is offered for: Heart Transplant/Heart Failure, Cardiothoracic Surgery and Neurosurgery.

We will carefully review your second opinion request and will determine which Stanford specialist is most appropriate to handle your online second opinion case. Stanford Medicine and Included Health will try to accommodate specific Physician requests but we cannot guarantee that specialist will be assigned to your case.

First, Included Health will work with you to ensure medical records have been collected. From the time the medical records are collected, expect a response five to seven business days afterwards. This program IS NOT designed to handle medical emergencies, or provide immediate treatment guidance.

There are two services offered through our Second Opinion Program.

  • Digital second review for conditions related to: Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT), Hepatology, Orthopedics, Epilepsy and Brain Tumors for $700. Payment for the digital second review are due when your online second opinion request is submitted. All major credit cards (MasterCard, Visa, American Express and Discover) are accepted; or if you have a Health Care Saving Account (HSA) or Flexible Spending Account (FSA), you may use those to pay for this service as well.
  • Complimentary medical record review related to: Heart Transplant/Heart Failure and Cardiothoracic Surgery.

The service includes:

  • Access to a personal care coordinator and staff physician from Included Health
  • Collection, digitization and submission of your medical records by Included Health
  • Medical review by a Stanford expert
  • A written opinion from that expert specialist
  • Post-opinion follow-up for additional questions and referrals

Currently, most health plans do not cover online second opinions or consultations, but you may elect to use your Health Care Saving Account (HSA) or Flexible Spending Account (FSA).

We are only able to process requests in English at this time. All documents pertaining to your online second opinion must be translated into English prior to them being submitted to Included Health.

The Stanford specialist will send over a very thorough second opinion report addressing the specific questions asked during the second opinion request. The results of the report may agree with your original diagnosis or may offer additional treatment options. You should also plan to initially schedule time with your local treating provider to review the recommendations and work with him or her to refine your diagnosis, treatment plan, or plan of care. You are welcome to seek care at Stanford for your treatment after reviewing your second opinion report.