Second opinions
Need a second opinion?
What is useful to bring
Records make a second opinion worth having.
- Operative reports from previous surgery, which describe what was found and what was done
- Imaging - X-rays, CT, MRI or ultrasound - ideally the images themselves rather than only the reports
- Nerve conduction studies or other diagnostic tests
- Hand therapy records, including range-of-motion measurements over time
- Clinic letters and notes relating to the original problem
- A list of current medications
- Your own account of what changed, when, and what you can no longer do
If you cannot obtain some of these, come anyway. The office can help request records, and an incomplete picture is better than none.
Sending records securely
Medical records must be sent through an approved, HIPAA-compliant channel. Do not email records or images to the practice.
- Phone
- (602) 258-4788
- Address
- 370 E. Virginia Ave., Suite 100, Phoenix, AZ 85004
- Office hours
- Monday–Friday, 7:00 AM–3:00 PM
How it works
What a second-opinion consultation involves
- 01
Gather what you already have
Operative reports, imaging, nerve studies and therapy records. The more complete the history, the more useful the consultation - and the less of it has to be repeated.
- 02
Request a consultation
Contact the office to arrange an appointment and to check what your insurance plan requires. The office can advise on referrals and authorisation.
- 03
The consultation
A full history, an examination, and a review of the previous records and imaging together. The aim is to understand the current problem, not simply to re-read the last report.
- 04
A clear answer
What is causing the problem as far as it can be determined, what the options are, and what is realistic - including the possibility that further surgery is not advisable.
A second opinion may confirm the plan you already have. That is a legitimate and useful outcome - knowing that the current course is reasonable is worth something in itself.
Request a second-opinion consultation
For complex hand and upper-extremity problems, including persistent symptoms after previous treatment.
A second opinion is an assessment, not a promise. It cannot guarantee a different answer, a better outcome, or that anything further can be done. If you are experiencing an urgent problem - severe pain, a cold or pale hand, a spreading infection, or a wound that will not stop bleeding - go to an emergency department rather than waiting for a consultation. Contact the practice.