Getting a Second Opinion

Remote Second Opinion

If you live outside of the D.C. area and would like to request a remote second opinion, submit the parent and child’s demographic and clinical information along with the contact information of the local physician on our online request form.

Submit request

When your child has been diagnosed with a condition, deciding on the best treatment plan can feel overwhelming. Getting a second opinion can help you make this important decision – it can help you learn more about your child’s condition, and it can show you different treatment options and outcomes that may be available.

At Children’s National Hospital, our leading pediatric specialists provide second opinions to families in our local community, across the United States and around the world. We offer two types of second opinions.

In-Person Second Opinion

Patients in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area and the wider region can schedule an in-person second opinion with our pediatric specialists. Find a provider or make an appointment today.

Remote Second Opinion

For families who are farther away and may be unable to travel, you can access our Remote Second Opinion (RSO) Program. The RSO program is available to families who live in the United States, with the exception of Maine and Massachusetts. If you are outside of the United States, please submit the request and our team will confirm if we can provide the opinion within your country.

Our program offers:

A designated clinical intake team who will assist you through every step of the process
Easy online submission process for your child’s clinical information and radiology studies
Medical review by Children’s National pediatric specialists
Comprehensive written medical second opinion report
Post-opinion follow-up and assistance with referrals

How the Remote Second Opinion Program Works

One of our pediatric experts will review your child’s medical information, including any radiology and pathology reports. They will then compile their findings into a comprehensive written report that is shared directly with your local physician.

Due to regulatory requirements, our program can only offer the opinion between physicians. Families must provide the contact information of your local physician for us to share the final report. Your local physician can review and discuss the second opinion with you and your family. Families can also speak with our Global Services team for more information.
The RSO fee starts at US$1,000, and it can increase based on the number of specialties consulted and if radiology or pathology review is requested.
Currently, the RSO Program is self-pay only. All charges are due at the time of the request, and you will receive a receipt for the transaction.

Process for Obtaining a Second Opinion

Step 1: Submit a Request

Submit the parent and child’s demographic and clinical information along with the contact information of the local physician on the Online Request Form. To successfully complete the form, have the following information available:

Child’s demographic information
Medical records in English (which could include pathology, laboratory, surgical and diagnostic imaging reports)
DICOM imaging
Local provider’s contact information
Any specific questions you would like answered

Once the form is submitted, the clinical intake team can provide additional guidance if you have radiology images or pathology slides to share.

Step 2: Assigning an Expert

Our clinical intake team reviews the records and connects with the appropriate specialty team to assign an expert to provide the medical opinion. Additional information may be requested as needed.

Once all the requested information is provided, our experts will do an initial review of your case to ensure they can provide a valuable opinion, which may be between 3-5 business days.

Step 3: Review of Medical Information

A written report is provided to your local treating physician via email within 7-10 business days upon receipt of the required documentation and payment.

Step 4: Follow-Up Questions After Receiving the Second Opinion

You are allowed to follow up one time with questions within 30 days. We ask that there be no more than five (5) follow-up questions.

Contact Information

Please note that all Remote Second Opinions, both domestic and international, are managed by the Global Services Division.

For more information or if you have any questions, please contact our team.

Global Services Division
Children's National Hospital
111 Michigan Ave. NW, Suite M2-2803
Washington, DC 20010
Phone: +1-202-476-5779
Email

Disclaimer
Children’s National provides second opinions as a resource for consultative medical advice and treatment recommendations for patients and/or families who seek a second opinion on their medical conditions. This service is different from the diagnostic service typically provided by a physician. This is because the physician providing this service will not have the benefit of information that would be obtained by examining the patient in person, observing their physical condition, or conducting diagnostic testing to the specifications of the physician. Therefore, the physician may not be aware of facts or information that would affect the physician´s medical opinion of the patient´s condition. In some cases, these facts may be critical to the opinion. Children’s National is not responsible for potential errors in opinion resulting from missing, incomplete, poorly translated or illegible records, or poor-quality images.