Yes, you're entitled to seek a second medical opinion. Here's how to go about it.

There are claims this week that some cancer patients are being advised by their doctors to have enormously costly surgeries, despite the availability of other equally effective options.

“We know of patients who are mortgaging their houses because they are being led to believe that these flashy new types of procedures are the best way to have their cancer treated,” chief executive of Cancer Council Australia, Professor Sanchia Aranda, told the Sydney Morning Herald.

Aranda said many patients aren’t being informed of the full financial burden of the recommended surgeries, or of alternative treatment options available in the public health system.

“It’s an extremely difficult time for patients. You start to build a relationship very quickly with your surgeon and you put your trust in them,” she added. “Looking for alternatives takes extra time, which is very confronting for someone with a cancer diagnosis.”

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Undergoing surgery is a significant decision, and patients should feel confident that it's the right — and best — option available for them.

In fact, when it comes to your health in general, you have the right to take charge and seek advice and clarification if you feel you need it.

Patients' right to a second opinion

As a patient, you are entitled seek a second opinion from another medical professional. The Medical Board of Australia's code of conduct for doctors states they are expected to support a patient's right to do so.

"It's sometimes even recommended by the GP, especially when they feel they've done their best with to assist the patient to either make a decision regarding treatment, or to gain some clarification," explains Dr Magdalena Simonis of the The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP)'s Expert Quality Care committee.

Particularly if you've been seeing the same doctor for a long time, seeking advice from someone else might seem a bit awkward (if not 'traitorous'). However, there's no need to be concerned about this.

"Even if you do go and see another GP or specialist, it's not going to offend the first person you saw. We take that all in our stride, and it doesn’t harm the relationship," Dr Simonis says.

"We [doctors] seek each other's opinions all the time about conditions and complex issues. Likewise, patients need to feel they can have the same when they're in the healthcare system. They have a right, they are paying, and it's their health that's at stake."

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Situations where patients might consider seeking another opinion

There's a range of reasons why individuals might decide to consult another health professional.

For instance, they might feel as though they haven't been understood or listened to, or don't have confidence in the clinician they've seen.

"[As GPs] our role is to support the patient in understanding their condition, why we've chosen the treatment we have, why they're having the tests they're having, and what the implications are. If they feel those boxes aren't being ticked, they may well seek another opinion," Dr Simonis explains.

It might also come down to the nature of their interactions; establishing a rapport with a doctor when discussing very personal or private issues can be difficult.

"Sometimes when sensitive issues are raised, there may well be differences of opinion based upon background and cultural and language issues. In those circumstances it would be helpful for the patient to seek a second opinion," Dr Simonis adds.

It might also come down to doubt about the process and the treatment regime suggested to them.

Similarly, if a patient continues to feel unwell and doesn't believe their health complaint has been addressed, that might also prompt them to seek further advice. However, health issues and conditions can progress and change in relatively short periods of time, so the diagnosis or advice from doctors might differ considerably.

"A GP might see a patient at a different point in that illness cycle. There may well be dramatic changes, in which cases the first doctor might not have been able to pre-empt that," Dr Simonis says. (Post continues after gallery.)

"So it doesn't mean they missed it, necessarily, or got the diagnosis wrong. Medicine is never black and white."

In some situations, she adds, a doctor might be the one to suggest another professional. "The GP might say, 'This is rather complex, I think we need to seek the opinion of a physician or get another opinion from a surgeon'. It's up to the doctor and patient to establish a line of communication that's really open and honest on both sides."

Where surgery is concerned, Dr Simonis says patients should absolutely seek another opinion or further clarification if they have any doubt about the necessity of undergoing a procedure, or if they're feeling unhappy and uncertain.

"Surgery is a very intrusive process, it involves anaesthetic, it involves time away from work, it can have nasty consequences if things don’t go right," she adds.

Managing expectations

It's perfectly OK to seek advice from a second doctor, but you won't always receive vastly different information to what you were previously told.

"It's very unusual that you'll get a radically different answer, especially if you're seeing GPs who are fellows of RACGP. The guidelines the College sets are what we use as our guide and matrix for dealing with particular issues," Dr Simonis says.

However, the opinion might vary if you see a doctor who focuses on specific areas.

"If they’re presented with a situation or with a case where they might not have actually seen or dealt with in a very long time, then that may well put them in a position where they’re not as equipped to manage it," she explains.

"They would usually just recommend that the patient see one of their colleagues or someone who’s more expert in that particular area."

Dr Simonis adds that some patients will go from one doctor to another purely because they want antibiotics for common ailments like the cold, even though this is not the appropriate treatment.

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The best way to go about it

The decision of how much information to disclose to medical professionals lies with the patient. However, Dr Simonis strongly recommends being upfront, especially when consulting with the second doctor.

"It's in the patient's interests to inform them they're seeing them for an opinion, or that they've got this condition, saw someone about it, had an X-ray or blood test, and didn't feel quite comfortable with the decision or the process and they're seeking a clarification," she explains.

This allows the second doctor to access and exchange important information that can aid their decision process, and avoids repeating tests, which can be a timely, costly and unnecessary exercise.

"It might also alert them to ask why it was the patient felt they didn't have their questions answered, or what made them feel they needed the other opinion. Sometimes that uncovers further issues that weren't addressed in the first consultation with the first doctor," Dr Simonis says.

Ultimately, Dr Simonis says patients should feel comfortable expressing themselves in consultations with a doctor.

"That doesn't just mean about their condition — [it means] they can also express doubt about the reasoning and the process that follows," she explains.

"It’s no longer the doctor who just decides for the patients; those days of old have gone. The doctor-patient relationship is an equal relationship, we try to respect the patient and their needs, and listen and provide the best quality care that we can."

Have you ever sought a second medical opinion? What prompted you to do so?