Empowering patients to make healthcare decisions with confidence.

This second look at your case may help to:

• clarify the cause of persistent or new symptoms.
• reassure you that your working diagnoses and treatment plan are correct and appropriate.
• adjust your working diagnosis and treatment plan.
• better inform a prognosis.
• educate you.
• provide you with peace of mind regarding your own healthcare.
• enable your physicians to reach a sub-specialist easily to discuss your care, if you wish.

You may want to get a second opinion due to suboptimal exam distribution, or the phenomenon in which the most qualified expert is usually not the interpreter of an exam. For example, roughly 60% of radiology exams are not read by physicians with added qualifications in the relevant sub-specialty of radiology.

You’d think that all MRI scans of the brain, for instance, are interpreted by neuroradiologists.  That would make sense, but it is not the norm. In fact it is the exception in modern United States healthcare for a brain MRI to be interpreted by a fellowship-trained neuroradiologist. Moreover, only a minority of diagnostic medical imaging examinations in the United States today are actually interpreted by sub-specialized radiologists. Most are interpreted by general radiologists – not by radiologists with fellowship training in the sub-specialty relevant to the case at hand.

If you want to make sure that a sub-specialist reviews your exams, contact us.

We will match your case to a physician consultant with training and experience well-suited to your case.  Our physicians are experienced experts who can gather complete and accurate information about each case and then conduct a thorough, comprehensive case review. We provide un-hurried, thoughtful, well-informed second opinions and recommendations, and then communicate with patients – and their physicians, if desired – regarding the basis for our opinions.

We can work directly with patients, parents of minor patients, and legal representatives of patients such as family members who have legal durable healthcare power of attorney.  We follow patient confidentiality-protecting protocols.

Here’s how the process works for our patients:

When you request a consultation, MD For Patients will communicate clearly with you to assess your needs and to clarify your goals for the consultation. We will work to meet your needs and requests as fully as possible, and you and the practice will each have a clear understanding of our mutual goals and responsibilities. 

We are here to help you, and that is why we will first try to understand your specific needs and requests. We will then tailor our approach to your case specifically in order to meet your goals and expectations.

Our team will then obtain all of your relevant health records. You will also assist our efforts by providing any context and information you have that may not be included in your medical records, and by communicating any questions you have.

MD For Patients then refers your case to the physician consultant who is best able to address the issues in your case.  They generate written reports of their findings and opinions, and you are then given the opportunity to speak directly to them via tele-conference or phone to discuss their opinions and recommendations.  If you request it, your consultant can also communicate with your other physicians and healthcare providers regarding their findings and opinions. 

The goal of the entire process is to help you.  

One of the most important founding principles of MD For Patients is to improve each patient’s understanding of their own health. This is why, throughout the process, patients are encouraged to ask any questions they may have.

This includes after the patient’s tele-conference or phone call with one of our physicians, because we know that often patients can’t think of all of their followup questions during an initial consultation. Patients are usually too stressed processing all the new and important information they are receiving to think through the ramifications of the information immediately – and then come up with additional questions later.  This is a completely normal, common phenomenon that occurs after a patient or parent has had some time to process new information – particularly when the information is as critical and personal to them as is healthcare.

Because there is no third-party payer involved, and no employer-mandated productivity metric to meet, the physician consultant can spend as much time as needed to gather the information they need to consider the case fully, and the patient can experience one or more un-rushed discussions with the physician consultant in order to understand the opinions and recommendations of the physician.

Providers at MD For Patients are committed to communicating their findings and opinions directly to patients with dignity, compassion, transparency, and honesty, while encouraging patients to ask follow-up questions immediately or later, once the patient has had time to consider the information that has been conveyed to them, and to recall questions they meant to ask, or to ask new questions they did not think to ask at the first visit.

At MD for Patients, we encourage you to communicate with your physician consultants directly, because better communication means a better outcome.

Communication problems including inaccurate and incomplete histories frequently cause diagnostic errors.  When patients try to discuss their imaging examination findings and reports with an original interpreting radiologist, even when they have helpful additional information for the radiologist to take into consideration, they are usually unable to reach or communicate directly with that radiologist.  Often, even their physicians who ordered the exams in the first place are unable to discuss findings with the original interpreting radiologist or obtain a consultation or second opinion for clarification, or to update the radiologist with new data. Information that came to light after the original interpretation was reported may not be taken into account – and the report may never be updated to reflect it.

There are many reasons a patient, or parent or guardian of a patient, may seek a second opinion. Below are examples of situations in which a patient may benefit from a second opinion.

• you notice that the original report of your medical imaging exam lists an incomplete or inaccurate clinical history (this section of the report may be labeled something like “History,” “Reason for exam,” or “Indication”), and you want to be sure a sub-specialist radiologist interprets your exam with the benefit of  an accurate history
• you notice that your medical imaging exam was read by a radiologist who did not have access to your prior exams (which may be referred to in the report as “Comparison” or “Prior exams”) and you want to ensure that a direct comparison is made between  your prior exams and your current one, to maximize the diagnostic accuracy and utility of each
• you would like assistance understanding MRI results, CT scans with contrast, or other imaging tests
• it has been suggested that you get a repeat imaging exam and you want to be sure that as much information as possible has been gathered from all your prior imaging exams before you undergo another one
• you are unsure whether the radiologist who interpreted your imaging exam was a sub-specialist radiologist, and you want to ensure that your exams are in fact reviewed and interpreted by a sub-specialist
• you are interested in interventional radiology (imaging-guided minimally invasive surgical procedures), such as vascular interventional radiology or neuro interventional radiology,  and would like a second opinion to help determine whether or not you are a candidate for interventional radiology procedures
• you have a tumor that has been reported as stable in size for years but each time the radiologist reads a new followup scan they have compared its size only to the most recent prior exam, and you are concerned that gradual changes could be missed
• your parent, for whom you have durable power of health attorney, has been diagnosed with a stroke but there is a strong family history of cancer and you worry that there could be an underlying tumor
• your child has been diagnosed with a Chiari malformation and a neurosurgeon wants to operate but you want to be sure of the diagnosis before agreeing to proceed
• you live in a small rural community without sub-specialists available and you would like a sub-specialist to re-evaluate your child’s unusual and complex medical imaging
• you have a rare disease and although a sub-specialist has given you their opinion, you would like another sub-specialist to provide their second opinion and perspective
• you have a difficult decision to make regarding your care and treatment, or the care of your child, and you need to find a physician who can take the time to thoroughly re-examine the testing that led to your diagnosis and treatment recommendations
• you want a sub-specialist to take the time to talk to you thoroughly and unhurriedly about their opinions, experience, and advice while helping you through the decision-making process
• for whatever reason, you are not sure you fully trust the advice you’ve been offered about your medical condition – or you’ve just been given a new diagnosis – and you want the peace of mind that having a second opinion could bring
• you do not want to miss the opportunity to alter the course of your diagnosis and treatment early and proactively, if it turns out that the first diagnosis was not accurate or complete.

Patients should be able to rest assured that all relevant available data has been taken into consideration by physicians recommending next steps in treatment, before they are asked to make decisions regarding those next steps. 

We are all patients at one time or another. Many physicians are frustrated by shortcomings of the status quo, and we understand why many patients are, too. And that’s why MD For Patients was founded.   

Patients submit payment to the practice directly for all services.

By removing insurers and healthcare corporations from the doctor/patient relationship, and returning to a model wherein patients are customers and physicians treat patients with the patience, compassion, and dignity with which they would themselves want to be treated, MD For Patients raises the bar on the process of medical diagnosis. Our goals are improved diagnostic accuracy, clearer and more readily available physician/patient communication, collaborative relationships between patients and physicians, and improved collaboration and communication between physician colleagues themselves.  We focus on the needs of the patient and on providing each patient with the most accurate professional assessment and advice possible. 

Yes. Each consultant signs a contract to protect confidential patient information, is held personally accountable for protecting patient information, and is required to follow HIPAA guidelines in order to safeguard confidential patient information.

What is pediatric radiology?

Pediatric radiology is a sub-specialty of radiology that focuses on the interpretation of diagnostic imaging (MRI, CT, ultrasound, x-rays etc) in patients from birth to young adulthood. After graduating from medical school and then completing a four-year radiology residency, radiologists who sub-specialize in pediatric radiology typically undergo one to two years of additional fellowship training in pediatric radiology.

Because babies, children, and young adults are still in development, their scans and images may contain variations that are unique to their age groups. Pediatric radiologists and pediatric neuroradiologists are specially trained to recognize and diagnose illnesses or conditions that are unique to children. Pediatric radiologists use imaging techniques, such as x-ray, ultrasound, CT scans, and MRIs to help diagnose medical conditions, while working closely with pediatricians and other specialists to help determine course of treatment.

What is pediatric neuroradiology?

Pediatric Neuroradiology is a highly sub-specialized area of radiology that focuses on brain and spine imaging in patients ranging in age from birth through young adulthood. Like pediatric radiologists, these doctors undergo specialized training in their subfield in order to better recognize, understand, and diagnose diseases of the pediatric brain and central nervous system.

When radiologists without relevant sub-specialty training are trying to interpret cases with which they are uncomfortable, they are sometimes able to consult specialists like  pediatric radiologists, neuroradiologists, and pediatric neuroradiologists.  However, this is often impossible due to the national shortage of available sub-specialists. This problem negatively affects patient care.  At MD for Patients, our goal is to bring access to sub-specialists directly to our patients and their treating teams, helping them to overcome  the traditional practices of limiting patient access to sub-specialists, while not routinely assigning all sub-specialty cases to sub-specialists for interpretation.

It is an unfortunate reality that between 20% and 40% of medical diagnostic imaging exams (like CT or “Cat” scans, MRI, Ultrasound and X-Rays) are mis-interpreted.

A large percentage of diagnostic imaging exams in the United States are not even interpreted by a “radiologist” – that is, a physician who has completed residency training that is specifically focused on dedicated diagnostic imaging interpretation. 

Of the diagnostic imaging exams that are interpreted by a radiologist, most are read by general radiologists – not by sub-specialist radiologists who have completed all available training to interpret each specific exam type. 

Let’s look at Pediatric Neuroradiology, which is a specific area of sub-specialization, as an example. Only approximately 3% of radiologists in the United States have sub-specialty fellowship training in the imaging of patients less than 18 years of age.  These radiologists are called “Pediatric Radiologists.” 

Of these 3%, only a tiny fraction have further sub-specialty training, specifically in the interpretation of imaging of the brain and spinal cord of patients less than 18 years of age – and these sub-sub-specialists are called “Pediatric Neuroradiologists.” 

As a result, there are only a few physicians in the United States who have completed dedicated sub-specialty training (“fellowships”) specifically focused on the interpretation of infants’ and children’s brain and spine images.   There are far more of these exams performed each year than can be interpreted by these sub-sub-specialists.  Consequently, most of these imaging exams are read and reported by radiologists who do not have such training. What this means to your child is that their brain or spine CT or MRI is extremely unlikely to be interpreted, or to have been interpreted, by a fully trained Pediatric Neuroradiologist.  Instead, their scans are far more likely to be, or to have been, interpreted by a generalist radiologist without such sub-sub-specialty training. Because of this, the interpretations of your child’s scans are more likely to be inaccurate than they would be, had a fully trained Pediatric Neuroradiologist originally interpreted them.

For increased diagnostic accuracy.

Most adult brain and spine imaging exams such as CTs and MRIs are interpreted by general radiologists rather than by “Neuroradiologists” – radiologists who, in addition to completing a general radiology residency in diagnostic imaging, have also completed additional sub-specialty training in the interpretation of brain and spinal cord imaging.

When second opinions are provided by sub-specialist radiologists, such as Neuroradiologists, and by sub-sub-specialists, such as Pediatric Neuroradiologists, mistakes in original interpretations and diagnoses are often identified.  These errors and omissions can affect patient care, treatment,  and patient outcomes.

Behind the scenes, sub-specialists are occasionally approached by generalist radiologists seeking help to  interpret exams outside their areas of special expertise – generalists who therefore need to get additional input and advice before signing their official report.  But this occurrence is the exception – not the norm.  And limiting a review to commenting only on a specific finding pointed out by a generalist is not as comprehensive or accurate as reading an entire case from start to finish would have been – if the case had been assigned to the sub-specialist for interpretation in the first place.

Patients almost never have control over whether this sort of an informal consultation occurs when their own exams are interpreted – and patients are generally unable to request one either before their exam is performed or after it has been completed and reported. In fact, patients have very few options if they want to ensure their exams are read by a sub-specialist, even in retrospect. Once an imaging exam is reported, that report becomes a permanent part of the patient’s medical record – and other physicians then rely on that report and assume it is accurate as they formulate their own diagnoses and plans of treatment.  Thus, a single inaccurate imaging exam report can cause inaccuracies to persist and proliferate in a patient’s diagnosis and treatment plans for years.

At no point in the process can patients be assured that their exam is being interpreted – or even seen – by the most qualified physician experts. This can degrade patient care for many years – and it can, and does, lead to medical errors that worsen patient outcomes.

So that I can communicate with my radiologist directly.

Communication problems frequently cause diagnostic errors as well.  When patients try to discuss their imaging examination findings and reports with an original interpreting radiologist, they are usually unable to reach or communicate directly with that radiologist.  Often, even their physicians who ordered the exams in the first place are unable to discuss findings with the original interpreting radiologist or obtain a consultation or second opinion for clarification. Information that came to light after the original interpretation was reported may not be taken into account – and the report may never be updated to reflect it.

So that my radiologist has the “big picture” when forming a diagnosis.

Lack of access to prior comparison exams is another frequent cause of errors. A patient who has had multiple imaging exams over time usually has no way to ensure that their prior exams are taken into consideration by the radiologist interpreting their current exam – even though it is well known that diagnoses are much more accurate when all available prior information such as prior imaging exams are available at the time of interpretation of new exams.

Did you or your child just receive a serious, worrisome, or confusing diagnosis? Or no diagnosis to explain their medical problems?

Do you have questions about your medical imaging findings, test results, or the reports describing those findings and results?

Do you wish you could reach out to a sub-specialist – for instance in medical imaging – to learn more, to get answers to your questions, or to get a second opinion?

MD For Patients provides sub-specialist and sub-sub-specialist consultations and second opinion interpretations of diagnostic tests in the context of a complete review of your medical records and prior diagnostic tests.

We strive to convey to patients and their caregivers the most fully-informed and thoughtful diagnoses possible. 

MD For Patients was founded on the principle that patients should understand the findings, results, and implications of their own diagnostic tests, and that sub-specialists themselves should be put in direct communication with patients and their physicians to improve communication, transparency, and patient understanding, thereby helping patients take control of their own conditions, diagnoses, and options for treatment and management.

If you, your child or other dependent, or someone you know has questions about a medical condition, diagnostic test results, would like a consultation with a sub-specialist physician trained in the interpretation of those tests, or would like a comprehensive review of or second opinion regarding medical diagnostic test results, MD For Patients was designed to help, and we would welcome the opportunity to discuss how our services may be of benefit to you.

Yes. Our sub-specialists are available to other physicians for consultations, to answer questions, and to evaluate medical imaging exams and other diagnostic tests.  Please get in touch with us via the contact form below, or head to our Services page to learn more about what we offer.

They ensure that my physician consultant has the “big picture” when forming a diagnosis.

Lack of access to prior comparison exams and other test results is another frequent cause of errors. For example, a patient who has had multiple imaging exams over time usually has no way to ensure that their prior exams are taken into consideration by the radiologist interpreting their current exam – even though it is well known that diagnoses are much more accurate when all available prior information such as prior imaging exams are available at the time of interpretation of new exams.

Yes! 

Many patients in today’s medical system are concerned that vital details about their cases, test results, or imaging results will go unnoticed. 

We can give you peace of mind. 

Upon request, as future test results become available, MD For Patients can revisit your case(s), looking for issues that could be overlooked or missed by primary caregivers due to time constraints, scattered test results, lack of access to specialists willing to perform a comprehensive review of your case, and lack of access to your complete medical history and complete past and future test results. 

How? MD For Patients can work with clients to gather new results as they become available, and evaluate each additional piece of information in the context of their medical history. This ongoing support can give our patients peace of mind in the future.

Can MD For Patients help me if there are findings on my whole body MRI exam?

Yes. At MD For Patients, we offer second opinions and consultations that allow you to make the most of every scan – including whole body MRI scans.

It is likely that the practitioners who perform your whole body MRI scan do not have access to your prior exams – and therefore no way to put the findings on your whole body MRI scan into context with your previous exams. Without knowing whether a lesion they detect is new, smaller, larger, or has otherwise changed, the person interpreting your MRI screening exam may therefore need to raise questions in their report – and recommend followup exams or evaluations. But often, these questions could easily be answered without requiring you to undergo (and pay for) additional imaging exams or other diagnostic testing.

This underscores the added value of our approach at MD For Patients: we can compare your prior MRI scans of the brain, spine, other specific regions, and/or the full body, offering a second opinion that not only takes a single MRI scan into account, but also puts it into the full context of your imaging and medical history. 

Of course, as is the case for us to review any imaging exam, with your approval the facility that performs your whole body MRI scan will need to provide a copy of its images in a standard format to allow us to perform our review.

Why do people get whole body MRI scans?

Many people seek out MRI screenings in order to rule out possible tumors or other issues. It’s great information to have, but it’s simply a single snapshot in time. If the findings on your whole body MRI screening are not compared to and correlated with your previous imaging exams, the full potential value of your whole body MRI screening exam will not be maximized.  

MD For Patients can provide that comparison and correlation, and if asked to do so when our patients undergo future testing, we can continue to help monitor our patients’ future exams in the overall context of their entire medical history.  That broader approach can make your whole body MRI exam report much more powerful – and nobody else offers it.  

Moreover, even if your whole body MRI exam report identifies abnormalities and recommends that you should get followup studies and other diagnostic testing for further evaluation, it could be that your previous exams have already detected and addressed those issues which are simply again being seen on the screening MRI. Wouldn’t you rather learn that there is no need for you to worry – or to do anything further – before you undergo the inconvenience, possible risk, and expense of undergoing additional testing which may not – when viewed in the overall context of your history – even be necessary?

Because each patient’s case is so unique, it’s difficult to provide a set range for the cost of our services. While some patients come to us for a one-time second opinion, others require more in-depth evaluations and/or ongoing care.

In order to establish an individual as a new patient, we require a one-time, $199 fee. During this stage, we will review your case with you to determine what level of further care is needed, if any. Our staff will then discuss further options with you directly, including developing a detailed pricing plan for your case.