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Online Second Opinion Program
Get expert medical guidance from a Stanford Medicine Children's Health provider entirely online, accessible from anywhere in the world
Start a Second OpinionGet an online second opinion from a Stanford Medicine Children’s Health specialist for your child’s diagnosis. A Stanford expert will thoroughly review your medical records and images, delivering a comprehensive written evaluation online. They’ll answer any specific questions about the existing diagnosis or current treatment plan. Working with Included Health, we assist in gathering and preparing your medical records and images for review. We carefully choose the right doctor to examine your child’s case and ensure that your questions are addressed.
If you are over 18, please go to our Stanford Health Care Second Opinion page. If you are outside the United States, please visit our International Second Opinion site.
This service is designed for non-urgent, online, medical inquiries. In case of urgent or emergency situations, please dial 911 or seek immediate medical attention locally.
If you are located in California, we recommend scheduling an in-person appointment.
We offer a specialized second opinion program tailored specifically for Neurosurgery and Cardiothoracic Surgery cases. This service involves a review of medical records for specific conditions, with providers offering their expertise on whether the treatment plan or surgery is advisable. While this is not a written second opinion, it provides valuable insights. This service is free of charge for patients. Please review the conditions below that are appropriate for this service:
You can only request a second opinion on an existing medical condition. If you would like to proceed, you will be directed to our partner Included Health’s website, where they help organize all the case information. You will still receive an opinion from a Stanford provider.
The cost is $975, paid out of pocket, up front. You will then be guided through the process to select the specialty you need and will be assigned a case coordinator, clinician, and medical records specialist—this is your care team.
A second opinion with a Stanford provider costs $975. This is an out-of-pocket expense and is unlikely to be covered by insurance. If your medical records are not in English, they will need to be translated first, which may incur additional charges. If you require assistance with translating your medical records, Included Health can help for an additional fee. If, at any point before the case is submitted, the patient decides not to move forward with the case, they can cancel the case and the fee will be fully refunded.
Please note that translations will not be refunded.
No, typically second opinions are not covered by insurance. The cost is $975 for a case. But you can always check with your insurance carrier to see if they will cover the cost. We are unable to provide CPT codes for a procedure.
Stanford Medicine has partnered with Included Health to offer online second opinions from Stanford Medicine providers in many medical specialties and subspecialties. The Included Health team gathers and summarizes your medical records, images, and history. A specialist at Stanford Medicine—individually selected because of expertise related to your case—will review your medical records, images, and history, and provide a written second opinion.
After carefully reviewing your second opinion request and medical records, our experienced team will determine which Stanford Medicine physician specialist is most appropriate to handle your online second opinion case. You may request a particular physician, and Included Health as well as Stanford Medicine will try to accommodate that request, but we cannot guarantee that that specialist will be assigned to your case.
The Included Health team will help you coordinate the collection of all medical records and imaging. For all international second opinions, the patient is responsible for collecting and uploading all medical records and imaging related to the case. If the medical records are not in English, they will need to be translated into English first. Your care team will help you identify which medical records are needed and which are not.
When you start your case with Included Health, your care team will guide you through the entire process, address any questions you may have, and discuss which medical records are needed and assist in getting them translated if necessary (for an additional fee). An Included Health clinician will then help you formulate up to five questions for the provider about your specific case (e.g., “What do you think about my daughter’s current treatment plan?” or “Do you have any concerns about delayed growth with our current medications?”).
Once the case is ready for review and submitted to the Stanford provider, it will take up to three days for the case to be reviewed and returned. The provider will respond to all your questions in a written report. Additionally, after you review your case, you will have five days to ask three clarifying questions based on the provider’s response. These are not guaranteed to be answered.
Patients must have an existing diagnosis to request an online second opinion. An existing treatment plan is not required. Online second opinions are not available to patients who are hospitalized or receiving treatment in a hospice or palliative care facility.
The purpose of an online second opinion is to supplement ongoing clinical information and support decision-making between a patient and their primary provider. It is not intended for use in claims, disputes, litigation, arbitration, disability or other benefit claims, workers’ compensation, or malpractice claims.
If you would like to be seen in person, you can schedule a visit with our scheduling team. Second opinions are good for people who are not close to our Stanford Hospital.
Yes, if you would like to receive care from Stanford after the second opinion is complete, Included Health can help with a referral and sending medical records.
If you require your medical records to be translated, please message your care coordinator through the Included Health portal. They will help coordinate the translation of your medical records for an additional fee. Typical costs range from $100 to $150 per page (approximately 250 words), and translations generally take 15 to 28 business days to complete after approval. You can also get your records professionally translated by a medical translation service.
The time to receive a second opinion can vary due to factors such as medical record collection, record translation, payment processing, and case compilation. Once all information is gathered, the turnaround time is typically five to seven business days.
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