Washington Post: “My Consult” is a Web-based second opinion service offered by e-Cleveland Clinic, the facility’s Internet service. Patients who have received a diagnosis of any of more than 600 life-threatening or life-altering conditions can request an electronic consultation with a Cleveland Clinic doctor. For $565, a physician provides a written second opinion and a treatment recommendation — all within five to seven working days of receiving a completed request.
“We’ve been working on this program now for about three years,” said C. Martin Harris, executive director of e-Cleveland Clinic. “It really came from the fact that as an organization we have been focused on providing high-quality patient care.”
“As we thought about that from a patient’s perspective, it became clear to us that we had to think beyond the four walls of our institution and start thinking about delivering services to where patients spend the majority of their time.”
A Web-based second opinion allows patients to consult with medical experts regardless of where they are located. This service could be particularly helpful for people living in rural areas or overseas, and it also could benefit patients with complex medical conditions.
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