The eminent JOHNS HOPKINS MEDICAL CENTER now offers remote second opinions for people living both inside and outside the U.S. Find out about them here:

http://www.jhintl.net/forpatients/page.aspx?id=80

     How do they work? Generally, leading radiologists, pathologists, and other specialists review the patient’s computed tomography CT scans, pathology slides, and other lab and imaging tests. Then they share their opinions with the patient’s primary care physician. Specialists arrive at a different diagnosis in about 5 percent of the cases and recommend different treatments – such as newer drugs or more up-to-date approaches – about 90 percent of the time.

     JOHNS HOPKINS SAYS, “The cost of a Johns Hopkins Gastroenterology and Hepatology Remote Second Opinion is $550.00. If a Pathology interpretation is required, there is an additional cost of $200.00. If a Radiology interpretation is required, there is an additional cost of $200.00.” This cost will probably not be covered by your health insurance.

     ECONSULTS offers consultations with specialists at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, among others. These are available internationally. Learn more at:

https://econsults.partners.org/v2/(i40tepu2rkcxtx4510ugx43o)/default.aspx

     MEDIGUIDE AMERICA says that their members can turn to the Mayo Clinic, Harvard Medical School, or London’s King’s College Hospital. They offer a type of health insurance Americans can buy BEFORE a serious illness strikes: “MediGuide Security for only $79 a year, or the expanded plan, MediGuide SecurityPLUS, for $139 a year.”

http://mediguide.com/individuals/individuals.shtml

ASK QUESTIONS OF HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL PHYSICIANS

     INTELIHEALTH.COM is a cooperation between the National Institute on Aging and Harvard Medical School, sponsored by Aetna Insurance. By going to the INTELIHEALTH entrance page,

http://www.intelihealth.com/

you’ll learn how you can ask personal medical questions of Harvard Medical School physicians. Click on “Ask our Experts” and pose your question. They don’t guarantee a personal reply, but if you pose a good question that hasn’t been answered already, you will get a personal answer.

     And, in fact, INTELIHEALTH is a great place to go if you’re looking for intelligent answers to intelligent questions.