As a parent or guardian, your child’s health and happiness are at the top of your priorities. So, when the unexpected happens, whether it’s illness or injury, it’s hard not to jump into action immediately following a diagnosis. After all, you want your child to start feeling better as soon as possible.
You may have heard the phrase ‘if you build it, they will come,’ popularized by the 1989 film, ‘The Field of Dreams.’ The problem is that this strategy only works in baseball fantasy. Launching a second opinion program is not so different from starting a new branch of business. Simply beginning to offer second opinions as a formalized service does not mean that patients will show up. In other words, if you build it - they will not necessarily come.
While no one should have to deal with cancer, it feels especially wrong to see a child, let alone your own child, receive this awful diagnosis. As a parent, nothing is more terrifying than the thought of losing your child. This year alone, 15,780 children will be diagnosed with Cancer. 1 in 285 children will be diagnosed with cancer by the time they are 20 years old.
Physician-to-physician consults are occurring in your hospital, potentially putting
your organization at risk, while lacking any direct financial benefits for the hospital.
Skilled and experienced physicians are your hospital’s most valuable asset. Their time and knowledge are in great demand. Yet, many regularly engage in a process of giving this away free of charge putting your organization at risk as they do.
Your best and most specialized physicians have unique knowledge and experience. When presented with a complicated diagnosis in your doctor’s subspeciality, colleagues and their patients, reach out for the opinion of your doctors. It’s an informal process and normally doesn’t have any material impact on your hospital. Or does it?
“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” opined Benjamin Franklin. While the Founding Father may not have been speaking quite so literally, it’s an idea that will feel familiar to many healthcare professionals. We advise patients to eat well and exercise regularly, even when they’re in the best of health, knowing the long-term benefits far outweigh the short-term inconveniences.
Healthcare providers too should find some wisdom in Franklin’s words. A record storage system is a virtual necessity in our data-driven world, yet it’s one that too many practices overlook. A safe, secure cloud-based system offers many advantages for practitioners and patients alike, but some still balk, citing the fear of expense.
