Getting a Second Opinion
Considering a second opinion on hip or knee surgery in Perth? What a second opinion involves, when it is worth getting one, what to bring, and why it does not commit you to anything.
Deciding to have a joint replaced is a significant decision, and it is reasonable to want to be sure about it. A second opinion is a normal part of that — not a challenge to anyone, and not something you need permission for.
“Nobody should feel awkward asking. If a patient wants another set of eyes on it before committing to an operation, that’s a sensible instinct, not a slight. I’d want the same.” — Dr Rhys Clark
When it is worth getting one
There is no single right moment, but these come up most often:
- Surgery has been recommended and you are not sure. Wanting to understand why this operation, why now, and what happens if you wait.
- You have been told nothing further can be done. Sometimes that is correct. Sometimes it means the particular option under discussion has been exhausted, not all of them.
- A previous operation has not worked out. Ongoing pain, stiffness or instability after a replacement is worth having looked at properly, and may be a revision question.
- You have been offered a choice you cannot weigh up. Partial or total knee replacement, for instance, or an anterior or posterior approach to a hip.
- Your questions did not get answered. That alone is reason enough.
What a second opinion actually involves
It is a consultation like any other. Your history, an examination, a look at your imaging, and a conversation about what the findings mean and what the realistic options are — including the option of doing nothing for now.
What it is not is a verdict on the first surgeon. Two experienced surgeons frequently reach the same conclusion by slightly different reasoning, and hearing it explained a second way is often what makes it click.
“Sometimes the most useful thing I do in a second opinion is confirm that the advice someone’s already had is sound. That’s not a wasted appointment — that patient walks in uncertain and walks out ready.”
It does not commit you to anything
A second opinion is advice. It does not transfer your care, it does not oblige you to change surgeons, and it does not have to be mentioned to anyone if you would rather it were not.
Many patients take what they have learned back to their original surgeon and go ahead as planned — with a clearer sense of why.
What to bring
- A referral from your GP addressed to Dr Clark
- All relevant imaging, with the written reports
- Any correspondence about your diagnosis or the proposed surgery
- Operation notes and implant details, if you have had previous surgery
- Your Medicare card, and private health fund details if you are covered
- A list of your current medications
It also helps to write your questions down beforehand. Appointments move quickly, and the things you most wanted to ask are the easiest to forget.
Arranging an appointment
Consultations are available at St John of God Medical Clinic in Murdoch and at consulting rooms in Mandurah.
Phone (08) 6332 6365 or send an enquiry through the contact page.
Is it rude to ask for a second opinion?+
No, and it is more common than people assume. Surgeons are used to it, and a reasonable one will not take offence — an operation is a significant decision and you are entitled to be confident about it before you commit.
Do I need a referral for a second opinion?+
Yes, if you want a Medicare rebate for the consultation. Your GP can write a referral addressed to the second surgeon. You do not need your first surgeon's permission to obtain one.
What should I bring to a second opinion appointment?+
Your referral, all relevant imaging with the written reports, any correspondence about your diagnosis or proposed operation, a list of your current medications, and your Medicare and health fund details. If surgery has already been recommended, bring whatever you were given about it — the more specific the information, the more useful the opinion.
Does getting a second opinion commit me to changing surgeons?+
Not at all. A second opinion is advice, not a transfer of care. Plenty of patients take the opinion back to their original surgeon and proceed exactly as planned, better informed than before.
When is a second opinion most worth getting?+
When surgery has been recommended and you are unsure; when you have been told nothing more can be done but symptoms persist; when a previous operation has not delivered what you hoped; when you have been offered a choice between procedures and cannot weigh them up; or simply when you do not feel your questions were answered.
Will I need my scans done again?+
Usually not. Recent imaging with its reports is generally sufficient, and repeating scans unnecessarily is not in anyone's interest. Occasionally something additional is needed, such as a CT for surgical planning.