Since my accident I have had over 150 medical personnel consult with me on my injuries and conditions. This list includes neurologists, neuroscientists, neuropsychologists, primary care physicians, psychologists, orthopedists, physical therapists, ophthalmologists, osteopaths, cardiologists, psychiatrists, speech therapists… and it goes on. Half of these professionals had nothing of value to offer, pure junk, worthless. I found the more professionals involved – the more mistakes were made

Four days after my accident I was discharged from the ER without a diagnosis or treatment plan. I returned to the hospital and requested a second opinion. A second year resident physician refused to examine me. He stated he did not want to challenge the authority of his fellow physicians. I persisted, knowing that I had suffered a brain injury, knowing I needed treatment. He threw me out of the office.

On any important matter, one should obtain a second opinion. Many people are concerned that obtaining a second opinion will damage their relationship with their doctor. It is your life and not the doctor's feelings on the line. Patients under Medicare have a right to a second opinion and should avail themselves of that certainty. (It is important to check whether your health plan covers a second opinion.) A second opinion can validate the first doctor’s diagnosis and serve to relieve anxiety about a diagnosis.

A second opinion can be easy. The Cleveland Clinic offers a second opinion online, making it possible to obtain the opinion of some of the nation’s best physicians without the time or expense of travel.

Experiences with terrible doctors can rob patients of hope. Finding the right doctor can make all the difference in recovery and quality of life. Healing begins with caring, with touch. A good healer knows that part of the dismay of illness comes from isolation and the loss of close human contact. A good doctor can heal pain and disease through the doctor-patient relationship alone.

For more on second opinions link to the following sites:
http://www.ynhh.org/choice/secondopinion.html

http://www.jhintl.net/JHI/English/Institutions/Telemedicine/TM_MSO_default.asp