May 18, 2021 — The Clinic by Cleveland Clinic, a transformative joint venture between Cleveland Clinic and Amwell that aligns world-class clinical expertise with the power of innovative digital health technologies, announced that its virtual second opinion solution, available to health plans, employers and consumers, will now include multidisciplinary case analysis. The Clinic’s virtual second opinion offering provides patients, including those with complex medical conditions, the ability to obtain support from Cleveland Clinic’s world-renowned multidisciplinary panels, whose diversity of expertise ensures the most comprehensive and coordinated second opinion and treatment plan is offered.
“We chose to enter into the multi-disciplinary opinion space by offering services for brain tumor and prostate cancers because there are multiple treatment options for these patients,” said Peter Rasmussen, M.D., Chief Clinical Officer with The Clinic. “Given that these cancers can be treated with surgery, chemotherapeutics, and/or several different types of radiation, one physician isn't able to deliver a holistic opinion. Only multiple physicians from multiple specialties can provide the best recommendation to yield the highest quality of care and thereby the best value care. Our goal is to give patients access to Cleveland Clinic’s vast medical expertise from a variety of different perspectives for the best patient outcomes.”
According to a study published by the National Institutes of Health, more than 40% of cancer patients seeking a second opinion had a change in diagnosis as a result of multidisciplinary panel review, while 23% of patients were determined to present with additional, previously-undiagnosed cancers.
Added Frank McGillin, CEO of The Clinic, “Pairing patients who have complex medical conditions with coordinated support for multidisciplinary review reduces the risk of suboptimal treatment plans. It also protects them from higher-than-necessary healthcare expenses while providing peace of mind that they’re on the right path. For employers and health plans, the right diagnosis and treatment equates to better member outcomes and reduced costs of care.”
For more information: www.theclinic.io