Five Things You May Not Know About Second Opinions M ost people face at least one major medical decision in their lives. Sometimes the treatment choice is clear-cut—but when it isn’t, getting a second opinion is recommended. Second opinions can lead to less expensive tests and treatments, so insurers have an incentive to allow—and may even encourage— second opinions. Here are five other observations about second opinions from the Health Letter editors: 1. They’re less common than you think. A recent poll showed that about 70 percent of Americans don’t feel compelled to get a second opinion or do additional research. 2. Your doctor won’t be mad. It can feel awkward to bring up, but doctors generally welcome having their patients seek second opinions. 3. You may need to make your priorities known. Although your
primary-care physician may know you well, a specialist providing a second opinion may not focus on different aspects of the treatment. For example, cancer treatment patients may be more likely than providers to focus on possible side effects.
4. The first opinion may affect the second. An orthopedic surgeon may, for instance, be more prone to recommend surgery if a first physician has advised it, rather than a conservative approach. (However, no such effect was found among the neurologists.) 5. You may need to bridge a communications breakdown. Patients should contact the office of the second opinion doctor to see what medical records they should bring with them or have sent. Information from October Harvard Health Letter.
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Senior Connection • December 2011 • page 18
The Fisher House—“Because a Family’s Love Is Good Medicine!”
BY JANICE DOYLE
I
t’s Christmas. A young soldier has been badly wounded in Iraq and his parents, wife and children who live in Oregon want to be near this son, husband and father. Thanks to the Fisher House, they can live temporarily just steps away from James A Haley VA hospital where he is receiving care and rehabilitation. Also at the Fisher House is the brother of a female veteran recovering from surgery. For the holiday season, a church group has come in and put up lights and decorations and a Christmas tree. In fact, it looks a lot like Christmas around the house! The Fisher House in Tampa was built five years ago to provide a “home away from home” for military families simply because “a family’s love is good medicine.” Manager Paula Welenc said that because the Haley facility is one of five VA designated poly trauma hospitals across the country, “We get a lot of young soldiers out of Iraq and Afghanistan with head and spinal cord injuries who come here for rehabilitation. They have families as far away as Germany, Oregon, Georgia, all over. Their loved ones support their recovery and, in some cases, must learn to be their caregivers here.” She added that patients can have respite passes here as well – it’s a place with their families and “without beepers or buzzers or bright lights.” Family members who occupy the Fisher House have one of 20 suites, take care of themselves and their rooms, do their own cooking and have access to the beautiful communal kitchen, dining room, living room and laundry. Welenc said, “One day I realized that at any one time we may have five
generations in the house. Right now we have a mother and her newborn, but we also have older people, grandparents, and all ages in between. It’s a fabulous dynamic and very rejuvenating for everyone.” Fisher Houses (54 of them) are built by the Fisher House Foundation and then gifted to the facility, which covers basic expenses like utilities and maintenance. However, the VA does not include “creature comforts” such as linens, coffee and other staples for the kitchen. These must come from donations, either personal or from businesses or groups. 100 percent of all monetary gifting is put to use for the guests. “And we love to use volunteers’ time, talent and treasures,” Welenc says. Individual and group opportunities which can be coordinated with Welenc but do NOT require registering through the VA as an ongoing volunteer, include dropping off a prepared meal for about 30 people—can be breakfast (such as ready-to-bake breakfast casseroles delivered the night before), lunch (sandwich fixings, soups, salads) or dinners (think comfort food such as meatloaf and mashed potatoes, says Welenc). (No serving or cleanup needed.) Or you might bring a couple of friends and bake cookies or cakes or bread in their kitchen and fill the house with homey smells. An organization might have food drives or buy theater tickets and gift cards. Ongoing volunteers might help with administrative needs, mail or doing special things needed around a house such as cleaning out refrigerators, straightening linen closets, etc., must be registered with the VA and complete an orientation process. Call Paula Welenc at (813) 9103000 or e-mail paula.welenc@ va.gov to coordinate a way to help.