Forward brings an entirely new perspective to primary care, changing the way people think about and manage their health. Today we hear from Medical Lead Dr. Daniella Perlroth on Forward’s approach to collaborative, proactive care.
People often are encouraged to get second opinions for complex medical care like oncology or cardiac care. This makes sense. When the stakes are high — and there’s nothing more important than your health— more medical opinions can only be better.
Why not have second opinions for your primary care concerns as well?
Medical knowledge has become so complex and specialized that even in primary care, a single lone physician can’t possibly be expected to know or have access to the latest information on every topic. The New England Journal of Medicine released more than 5,000 pages of medical research articles in the last year alone — and that’s only one medical publication! As a result, up to 15% of diagnoses are wrong, making it the leading cause of preventable adverse events in hospitals.¹ For even the best physicians, another physician’s opinion could certainly be valuable.
“Up to 15% of diagnoses are wrong, making it the leading cause of preventable adverse events in hospitals”
At Forward, we believe important medical decisions in primary care would also benefit from a second opinion. Whether it’s an action plan to lower blood pressure, the correct cancer screening plan for specific genetic test results, or choosing the right medication to treat a given condition, we believe that even the best care plans can benefit from a second set of eyes looking them over.
In fact, we surveyed hundreds of people on the value of a second opinion in making them feel more confident that they are receiving the best possible primary care. An astounding 90% of people said they would find a second opinion to be either ‘extremely, very or moderately valuable’ — the highest result for any feature tested with this group.
“An astounding 90% of people said they would find a second opinion to be either ‘extremely, very or moderately valuable’”
I’m excited to announce that all Forward members will be able to request a second opinion on any medical decision from another Forward primary care doctor. All you have to do is ask. At other practices, it might seem awkward to ask for a second opinion, implying you’re questioning your doctor’s expertise. At Forward, our doctors and the rest of our team want the best for you and your health. We want you to have the information you need to make better health decisions. And there’s nothing awkward about that.
It’s just another way we’re changing primary care — from how it’s always been done to how it should be done.
– Daniella Perlroth MD, Medical Lead at Forward
Are you ready to get started? Become a Member.
¹J Am Board Fam Med,Jan-Feb 2012, vol 25, no 1, pp 87–97.