August 2, 2002

Physician to physician: Online program offers patients a second opinion

With a reputation as one of the best medical institutions in the country, the MGH often is a resource for people from all over the world seeking medical advice. Now, the MGH has taken patient care one step further. Partners Online Specialty Consultation offers patients from around the globe expert advice from an MGH or Partners doctor — and patients never have to leave their own doctor's office.

Partners Online Specialty Consultation is a confidential physician-to-physician service that allows referring doctors and their patients to mail, fax or e-mail medical charts, X-rays and other test results to a Partners-affiliated physician and obtain a second opinion. According to Joseph Kvedar, MD, director of Partners Telemedicine, the program is not meant to substitute for an in-office patient visit. It is designed to support the existing relationship between doctor and patient while providing a second opinion from an MGH or Partners doctor. The program allows patients and their doctors to work closely together to determine a proper diagnosis. The collaboration is designed so that patients won't feel they are questioning their physician's evaluation. The referring physician provides the best possible patient information to a Partners online consultant, who then gives the information to a Partners doctor.

Both the referring physician and the patient must register online and complete a patient history form. Then, a Partners specialist will be identified, and will have 72 hours to provide a case review and opinion. The results are provided on a secure website to the referring physician, and patients then are contacted to discuss the results.

The Partners program provides consultations in a comprehensive range of specialties including cancer/oncology, neurology and cardiology. The program is designed to meet the immediate needs of the patient.

Kvedar says this program is an important service to both patients and physicians: "The program reminds us that these are actual people, not just words and symptoms on a page. We're making a difference in someone's life," he says. "It also gives the referring physician the opportunity to learn and grow, and it provides the consulting physician access to medical cases from around the world."

For more information about the Partners Online Specialty Consultation program, visit www.econsults.partners.org