Best Doctors Canada President available to discuss retesting of pathology reports Opinion

Canada's health experts are among the very best in the world, but Canadians may be surprised to learn that when it comes to reading their pathology reports, it is imperative that they seek a second opinion.

"Our experience in over 30 countries around the world based on tens of thousands of exhaustive reviews over the last twenty years, is that on average, 22 percent of the time, the initial diagnosis is incorrect. We believe that your health is too important not to get a second look. However, our healthcare system is virtually overburdened and getting an initial diagnosis is challenging enough," said Dianne Carmichael, President and CEO of Best Doctors Canada, an expert medical consultation and advocacy service.

Carmichael added that this rate of misdiagnosis is not unique to Canada, noting that for certain types of cancer this figure can climb as high as 50 percent.

"We find that this trend is the same around the world, regardless of how a health care system is funded. Overburdened systems combined with systemic fragmentation and lack of electronic health records (EHRs) serve to create an environment in which errors can happen. Sometimes this is the difference between life and death. That means it's worth having your results reviewed by another expert."

About Best Doctors:

Best Doctors connects seriously ill Canadians and their treating physicians with world renowned specialists to confirm the right diagnosis and the right treatment options and provide one-on-one support - without having to leave home.

"We work with the local treating physicians and their teams. Our protocol is to retest pathology in 100% of cases at centres of excellence in Canada and the US. If there is a change we make sure that all physicians involved have access to that new opinion and the recommended treatment options based on this changed diagnosis," said Carmichael,

Carmichael says she is open to media inquiries about how Best Doctors reexamines and retests results, and is available to discuss the protocol and procedure her company follows to ensure the best outcomes and quality of care for its members.