An increasing number of Australians are going online to look up medical and health information. Patients are a third more likely to seek a second opinion online than they were 4 years ago.  Since October, 2010 Australians looking for a second opinion or medical advice online has risen to 17.7%

Michele Levine, CEO, Roy Morgan Research, says:

“Medical practitioners need to be aware that more than 1/6th of patients today are seeking out medical information and second opinions online – and the number is growing fast.”

“It is becoming increasingly efficient to get a second opinion to a diagnosis via telemedicine as more and more services cater to patients seeking an opinion of a specialist that they may not necessarily be able to commute to. Patients can now have their studies looked over from the comfort of their own home and by specialists in all practices, across the world.”

Whether you’ve been given an asthma or cancer diagnosis it can leave you feeling overwhelmed and confused. Navigating the healthcare system has proven to not be easy.

A year and a half ago, Beth Schwart’s mammogram came back clear but she would eventually learn that she actually had stage 4 breast cancer. Beth’s story resonates with people across the world. Leslie Michelson was just 17 years old when his dad was told he needed open heart surgery.

“I called the head of cardiology at a New York academic center and got my dad a second opinion. It turned out that he didn’t need the surgery after all and there was nothing wrong with his heart. My dad lived for close to 40 years after that day and never had any heart problems.”

Michelson points out that most Americans live within one hundred miles of a major city or from an academic medical center that have specialists that take Medicare and most insurance plans.

Telemedicine has grown enormously since Leslie sought a second opinion for his father 40 years ago and the value of a second opinion has grown along with it. As more doctors begin to use business models that allow patients to request same-day telehealth appointments and very fast turnaround times, getting a second opinion has never been easier, more accurate, and more affordable.

SecondOpinions.com is the industry leader in getting a second opinion. It provides a live, fast and straightforward tech support that is available 24 hours a day. The service is easy to use; all you need to do is create an account, complete a questionnaire, and schedule a phone call or video chat with a board-certified physician.