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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.

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?

The Uniform Law Commission (ULC), a group comprised of distinguished lawyers across all states and several US territories, passed a new Act that simplifies and enables states who enact it to regulate and promote the practice of telemedicine across state lines. The law provides that physicians who are appropriately licensed and certified in their home state may apply to any other state that has adopted this Act to practice telemedicine consistent with that state’s current regulations for patients within that foreign state. The Act requires that the out-of-state physician must pay a fee and register in that state, removing most other impediments from the interstate practice of telemedicine.

Online second opinion programs can feel complicated. So when it comes to gaining internal buy-in from your care teams and physicians, we have a few places to start: 

Around 15-20 percent of patients in the United States live in rural areas. Unfortunately, between primary care shortages, hospital closures, and geographic isolation, those patients are up against significant barriers to accessing healthcare. The National Rural Health Association reports there are only 30 specialists per 100,000 people in rural communities, compared to 263 specialists per 100,000 urban residents.