A patient sitting in Bidar (A small town in North Karnataka) has been suggested a Knee Replacement Surgery by his local doctor. He is unsure of the diagnosis plan and intends to consult a specialist doctor from a city (typical of patients from rural India). He travels by train to Bangalore and consults a specialist who recommends physiotherapy/medicines for one year before a surgery. Another trip to Hyderabad lands him in a treatment plan which entails immediate surgery. He is now confused on what next!!! On top of it, he has spent a few days on his travel and close …
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Second Opinion for health needs
As the term suggests, Second Opinion in healthcare is a practice to seek an additional opinion from a different doctor on a treatment recommended by the primary doctor. It is a common practice in India these days where patients get a treatment plan by their local doctor and then at times head to another city (probably a bigger metro or Tier II city) to get a Second Opinion. There are situations where the patient also switches treatment to the new doctor – a phenomenon known as ‘Medical Tourism’ (in this case travel within the country). This can be extended across …