Second Medical Opinion

Provide access to medical expertise for a second diagnosis

Prior to a medical treatment abroad, before an operation, to confirm a diagnosis or on the advice of a doctor, patients can request a second diagnosis. As an insurance company or institution, being able to provide its policyholders/collaborators with a quality second medical opinion service is a remarkable element of differentiation and loyalty.

The Second Medical Opinion service is a key step in an often anxiety-provoking process. Since 2011, C3Medical has been organizing and optimizing the care pathway for international patients in France and Morocco and has become an expert organization in the solicitation of Second Medical Opinion.

When should a Second Opinion service be offered?

In order to confirm a diagnosis

In the case where the doctor has diagnosed the patient with a rare, serious or progressive disease, it may be wise to ask for a second medical opinion. This service will allow the patient to confirm the diagnosis made by the doctor and remove any doubt concerning his or her pathology.

To prepare for a major intervention

Certain medical procedures with serious consequences can cause after-effects or undesirable effects. In some cases, seeking a second medical opinion can limit the risk of error.

Confronting opinions during a treatment or important decision

If the symptoms persist despite the patient's treatment, a second medical opinion may be sought in an attempt to detect a possible unidentified problem or in order to confront opinions and be reassured or when the patient does not feel that his doctor is listening to him.

Deciding between several treatment options

When a doctor offers several choices for treating a health problem, it is recommended that you seek several opinions in order to make the right decision.

Our Second Opinion Service

Do you want to offer a Second Medical Opinion service to your policyholders/collaborators so that they can seek out the best experts?

1. study of the file by the medical teams

With C3Medical, take advantage of an in-depth analysis of the patient's medical information by a specialist in his or her pathology.

We consolidate all elements of the medical record remotely, including X-rays, MRIs, scans, test results, specimens, diagnoses and treatment recommendations. No need for the patient to travel.
The file is communicated in its entirety, in complete confidentiality, to the identified team of specialists.
After a complete analysis of the file, our experts provide the patient with a complete report in electronic and paper format, which includes validation or invalidation of the diagnosis and recommendation of alternative treatment or additional tests.
We always encourage collaboration with the treating physician to provide the best recommendations and care over time.

2. help in identifying the best specialist to answer the patient's questions

It is often complicated to find explanations for a pathology that has been diagnosed. The information found on the web is not always of good quality, and is often difficult to interpret.

With C3Medical, patients will be able to receive personalized advice from a specialist. The answers will be tailored to their needs and will come from a reliable source.

Patients have the opportunity to make a confidential call to C3Medical's medical team and a medical questionnaire will be completed.
Our medical team will be able to assist in drafting questions to ask the specialists.
The patient's questions are then addressed to one of the best experts on the subject in our network. The expert is chosen from our database of over 250 of the best specialists on more than 80 major pathologies.
Within 5 days, a complete and personalized report will be sent to the patient, including the expert's responses, as well as initial recommendations for treatment options.

3. A support to help the patient understand his treatment

A doctor has recommended that the patient have surgery, or follow a treatment or medical protocol that is difficult to understand. How do I get the information I need to make the right treatment decision?

With C3Medical, patients don't take the next step without understanding what their options are in :

Interacting with C3Medical's medical teams who are able to provide information, advice, and insights to help make the right decisions;
Obtaining a better understanding of the protocols and treatments prescribed by the physician;
Understanding what the right types of treatments are at each stage, so you can move forward with confidence.

Our Second Opinion Processes

Within the framework of a care pathway abroad

The starting point for any decision to take a patient to France, Morocco or elsewhere will be a "second opinion" decision made by a team of qualified specialists, who will decide whether there is added value for the patient to receive treatment abroad.

This honest and transparent decision, made by eminent physicians, is essential: C3Medical's pride is in sticking to this decision and never questioning it.

If the 2nd opinion validates the decision to proceed, C3Medical will quickly deploy the process so that the patient receives a detailed proposal in less than 5 days - if no additional medical information is required and except in the case of cancer (see below CPR).

The final decision is made by a team of top specialists, based on a careful review of the patient's medical file and, whenever possible, in close collaboration with the patient's physician or hospital.

In the case of a serious, rare or progressive disease: the case of cancer

In the case of cancer, the process of deciding on a Second Opinion is even more strict and formal - by law, in order to guarantee maximum consideration for the patient, which often adds extra days to the process (except for eye cancer, where there is an emergency procedure of only a few hours, due to the rapid progression of the disease).

Indeed, the decision must be taken during a meeting called "Multidisciplinary Consultation Meeting" which generally takes place once a week in all French cancer hospitals.

This meeting includes at least three accredited oncologists: an oncologist, a surgeon and a radiation therapist. All must be highly qualified and have a high minimum annual activity level, as defined by law.

Together they decide on the best course of action for the patient and sign a protocol, which will then form the basis of the patient's entire cancer action plan.

In some cases, especially the more complex ones, the second medical opinion may be different from the one initially received.

This is not necessarily a mistake because the diagnosis may be the same, but each physician may recommend a specific intervention. The patient is free to choose the recommendation that seems most appropriate.

Our clients and partners

C3Medical's clients include insurance companies, mutual insurance companies, corporations, institutions and individual patients from around the world. We work with the best specialists in the largest health care centers in France and in Morocco and we are constantly enriching our network by based on new cases treated since 2011. Our partnerships with efficient paramedical structures allow We are also able to respond to all our customers' needs in a timely manner.