Second opinion

If you want a second opinion about your diagnosis or (part of) your treatment.  Or if you want to know if you can participate in a clinical trial (trial). A second opinion allows you to compare your options. Anyone in the Netherlands can ask for a second opinion.

If you want a second opinion on your treatment plan, all examinations and results must be ready and a treatment plan has been drawn up for you.

If you just want a second opinion on your diagnosis, it is not necessary that there is already a treatment plan in place.

It is better if the doctor at your hospital arranges the referral. A GP often does not have all the medical data we need. We will then request it later, and that will take longer. Not every GP is willing to do this because it is basically the responsibility of your hospital.

Your doctor sends all data to us digitally via the referrer page on our website. We will review your data in approximately five working days. Then you will hear when your conversation with our specialist is. If we do not invite you for an interview, you will also receive a message and explanation about this.

We only know how long you will have to wait once your medical data has been assessed. The doctor will then determine whether additional testing is necessary. Your waiting time will also depend on the availability of the specialist who best suits your situation.

We will review your data in approximately 5 working days. You will then hear the date of your appointment. Very occasionally we think that extra research is needed to be able to give our opinion. You will hear from us on this date.

On our website you will find more information about the average waiting time for a second opinion per type of cancer. These times are guidelines. The waiting time may be different for your situation.

You can also ask your GP for a referral. Only do this if your own specialist from the hospital cannot/does not want to do this for some reason. The GP is not obliged to comply with your request. The application also always takes longer through the GP. So, the first and best option is to request this through your specialist at the hospital.

If the GP sends the referral, ask your hospital immediately how you can give permission in advance to send us your medical data as soon as we knock on your hospital's door.

Yes, you can. Your treating physician from abroad can send your data to us. We want the documents to be in Dutch or English. You can have the documents translated by a medical translation agency.

We need from you:

• A referral letter from your doctor containing:
  • whether it is a takeover of treatment or a second opinion;
  • In the case of a second opinion: the question of you and/or your doctor: what do you want our opinion on?
  • Medical data such as: reports and results of examinations, such as those of the pathologist and the laboratory.
• Contact details of your treating physician: name, telephone number, email address.
• Data about yourself: name, address, date of birth, telephone number, email address and insurance information.
• Possibly data of a contact person: name, email address and telephone number.

No, you will not receive a confirmation when we receive the information. We will send the data directly to our specialists. You can ask your doctor to let you know when the request has been sent to us.

You will be notified when the assessment is complete, usually 5 working days after receipt.

Do you want to know if we have received all the information from your hospital? Or do you want to know the status of your referral? Then call our Backoffice Outpatient Clinics: 020 512 9111.

Not always. This may be because we agree with your proposed treatment and have no additions to it, or because we believe that a speed of action is needed that we cannot meet at that time.

There may also be other reasons why a second opinion meeting does not take place. You will hear this from us.

We have agreements with most health insurers in the Netherlands.

Most health insurers reimburse one second opinion per year. Nevertheless, we recommend that you ask your health insurer whether your examination, treatment or second opinion will be reimbursed. If the second opinion is reimbursed, the financial settlement goes through your health insurer.

If the costs are not reimbursed, we ask you to pay an advance of €500. You can withdraw this amount. We calculate the actual costs afterwards. In this situation, our healthcare administration department will contact you about the payment.

With a second opinion, we use the results of the examinations from your own hospital. The data has been sent by your own hospital to the Netherlands Cancer Institute.

Perhaps our specialist wants to have an examination done again. Then you will receive an invitation. That is why we will only make an appointment with you after we have reviewed the medical records and we know whether additional testing is necessary.

During your appointment, you will talk to the specialist about your medical situation. Your appointment can be at the NKI or via a video consultation. Sometimes we do a physical examination and sometimes we consult with your attending physician.

You can also ask questions during this conversation. You can write down your questions at home so you don't forget anything.

The specialist will often give you advice. It can be nice to bring someone with you to the appointment or to have them listen in during the video consultation.

If during the interview it turns out that you need additional testing, or that more information is needed, you will be given a second appointment.

During the conversation with the doctor at the Netherlands Cancer Institute, you will often immediately receive the second opinion and advice.

Sometimes that doesn't work. Then your details will be discussed in a multidisciplinary consultation. This is a consultation in which doctors from different specialties make your situation an advice together. Then it may take a little longer before you hear our advice.

The advice during the second opinion interview may be different. This does not mean that we automatically take over the treatment. You can discuss an acquisition during or after the conversation with our specialist. Then you will hear about the possibilities.

Discuss the advice of the second opinion with your own doctor as well. Perhaps your current practitioner will take our advice. Then takeover is not necessary. You can indicate your preference where you want to be treated. If the NKI is your preference, we will see if we can take you over as a patient. Until you are taken over by us, you will stay at your current hospital.

The following questions can help you make a choice. You can ask them during your second opinion interview.

• How much is known about the chances of success?
• Are the latest techniques used?
• How much experience is the treatment team?
• Does the treatment cause discomfort (quality of life)?
• Do you and your loved ones have to travel far for it?
• How long will the treatment take?
• Do you have confidence in the care provider?
• Is there good guidance?
• Is the treatment reimbursed by the health insurer?
• What are the waiting times?
• Is it already known who my treating specialist will be?