SECOND OPINION

Second opinion for medical, health and terminal illness management If you are seeking a second opinion about your current medical condition, surgery and/or treatment, we provide an extensive resource, including travel logistics, to connect you with numerous practitioners and specialists who are qualified to offer you a thorough understanding of your medical situation and health prognosis. This may include having a collaborative programme or a group medical consultation, in place of a one-on-one, where the entire medical team of varying expertise gathers together, to focus on a deeper exploration into understanding and finding the optimum health care treatment for you with health management recommendations. Bringing together a group of experts all of whom can independently contribute to a diagnosis and suggested treatment strategy is important. The meetings can act as a safety mechanism, questioning and aligning the practice of individuals and reviewing your current medical records.

There is a growing consensus for better Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) care during the perioperative period. The Royal College of Anaesthetists for example, emphasises the importance of a multi-disciplinary team approach to improving outcomes for patients, encouraging collaborative care both before and after surgery to facilitate better discussion, debate and consensus in the formulation of a patient-centred care plan.

MULTI-DISCIPLINARY TEAM REVIEW

Our multi-disciplinary team (MDT) consultation service gathers a group of people of different health care disciplines, who meet together either physically in one place, or by video or tele-conferencing, to discuss and evaluate your medical condition and/or requirements. As disease management becomes increasingly complex, we can facilitate in bringing together a group of experts, all of whom can independently contribute to a diagnosis and suggested treatment strategy for your important care. The meetings can act as a safety mechanism, questioning and aligning the practice of individuals. Having various medical minds each contributing independently to the diagnostic and treatment decision also offers transparency. There is a growing consensus for better Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) care during the perioperative period with some evidence that it encourages more ‘evidenced-based’ practice particularly with use of decision support systems. It is becoming highly valuable in the case of multimorbid and often frail and elderly patients who disproportionally suffer predictable complications, as a consequence of seeking surgical intervention. Mandatory discussion at an MDT aims to facilitate the delivery of timely management and treatment; a strong argument in favour of use within cancer services. A clear and agreed management plan can be quickly provided to the patient with streamlined communication between primary, secondary and tertiary care.