Empowering Patients: The Importance Radiology Second Opinions

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• Radiology is a specialty of medicine that uses
  imaging scans to diagnose and treat medical
  conditions and diseases.
• Common radiology scans include but are not
  limited to
• Computed tomography (CT or CAT scan)
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
• Mammograms
• Nuclear medicine scans
• Positron emission tomography (PET)
• Ultrasounds
• X-rays

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Patients dont always have access to the
specialists who read their initial scans, and may
never learn more than whether their scan was
normal or abnormal. But even with proper
training, increased patient load and other
variables can lead to a misinterpretation of
scans. Well explore these and other reasons
why getting a radiology second opinion is so
important.
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• Its an unfortunate reality that medical errors
  are common.
• Consider the statistics
• The interpretation error rate for abnormal
  radiology scans is as high as 33.
• As many as 440,000 people die from preventable
  medical errors in hospitals each year, according
  to a study released by The Journal of Patient
  Safety.
• Tens of thousands die because of missed diagnoses
  or injuries related to medications.
• Given these statistics, its clear that second
  opinions can help many patients avoid painful,
  costly, and unnecessary treatments or surgeries,
  or get treatment they actually need.

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Lack of confidence about a diagnosis or concern
that a doctor may have missed or overlooked
something can leave a patient feeling
powerless. Its not uncommon for patients to
report feeling that their doctors have not
adequately considered their needs or addressed
their questions, especially among female
patients. A second opinion is empowering,
giving patients the information they need to take
their health and treatment decisions into their
own hands.
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Errors interpreting radiology scans can lead to
unnecessary medical interventions and surgeries.
According to a report by the Institute of
Medicine, 25 of patients say their doctor had to
reorder tests in order to have accurate
information for a diagnosis. Unnecessary
medical tests and procedures billed to Medicare
costs patients and taxpayers billions of dollars
every year.
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Perhaps the greatest benefit of being certain
about a diagnosis is the peace of mind it brings.
Radiology test results provide doctors with
complex information and require careful
interpretation by an expert. In a 2012 report The
National Institutes of Health (NIH) cited that
interpreting the results of a scan today takes
significantly longer than the process of
acquiring it. With doctors busier than ever,
scans are not always given the time they warrant
for accurate interpretation. Whether a second
opinion confirms or calls into question the
results of a scan, it can bring patients
significant peace of mind.
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Teleradiology services enable patients from
anywhere in the world to connect with expert
radiologists for second opinions on radiology
scans. Using secure cloud-based technology,
patients are able to upload their scan and get a
comprehensive report outlining whether the scan
was done correctly or requires repeating. Phone
conversations and remote computer review sessions
are included. The board-certified radiologists
at MetisMD were trained at top U.S. medical
schools and practice at leading medical schools
around the nation.
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• Teleradiology is an affordable way for patients
  to get a second option on their radiology scan,
  whether its an MRI, CT scan, or X-ray.
• MetisMD charges a flat fee per scan, and patients
  can review the report from the comfort of home.
• Teleradiology can save patients significantly by
  eliminating travel costs that might otherwise be
  necessary to seek out a second opinion.

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• MetisMD is a leader in online radiology second
  opinion services, providing patients with direct
  access from anywhere in the world to a network of
  leading radiologists who can offer an accurate,
  thorough and high-quality analysis of their
  tests. This ensures that patients have the
  necessary information to pursue the most
  beneficial treatment options. The companys
  subspecialty interpretations feature high
  quality, detailed reports from the best
  radiologists in the fields of neuroradiology,
  orthopedic/musculoskeletal imaging, body imaging,
  pediatric radiology, womens imaging (breast and
  gynecologic imaging), vascular and interventional
  radiology, and nuclear medicine. Visit
  www.metismd.com for more information about second
  opinion and other services MetisMD offers.