Liver Care Second Opinions

There isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution for liver care conditions - especially for children, whose bodies are still growing and changing. If you or your child needs liver care, you should make sure you’re aware of all your treatment options.

Liver Care Clinic appointments are available in-person within 48 hours – faster if the need is urgent.

We also offer second opinion appointments urgently. Our team begins coordinating the second opinion appointment as soon as they receive the child’s medical record. After the comprehensive evaluation, our team will share their treatment recommendations with you and answer any questions you have.

Second opinions are an opportunity to have another group of highly trained specialists meet with your family, review your child’s records, and offer thoughts on how to proceed. Even if our team’s recommendation is the same as the referring doctor’s, a second opinion can help give you more confidence moving forward.

Our expert, pediatric liver care specialists offer second opinions for many conditions and injuries, including:

• Autoimmune Liver Disease
• Biliary Atresia
• Progressive Familial Intrahepatic Cholestasis
• Undiagnosed and Rare Liver Disease
• Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency (AATD)
• Jaundice

No matter what brings you to Cincinnati Children’s, our goal is to help you or your child live as fully and actively as possible.

What Are the Benefits of Getting a Liver Care Second Opinion?

Some families ask us for a second opinion because they want our advice on treatments another provider has recommended. Second opinions help you make informed decisions and are a common process for many families. For example, we can help you:

• Confirm a new diagnosis
• Discuss your child’s current treatment plan
• Understand whether surgery or a specific treatment is the best option
• Know if a nonsurgical treatment may be just as safe and effective
• Learn about the potential risks and benefits of treatment or surgery as well as recovery times and possible side effects

How Do I Start the Process of Getting a Liver Care Second Opinion?

There are several ways you can request a second opinion with one of our liver care specialists:

• Fill out our online form. In the “Requesting” field, choose “Requesting A Second Opinion” from the drop-down menu.
• Call us to schedule an appointment. If you call after hours, leave a message and we’ll return your call as soon as possible.
• Request an online second opinion to have a physician review your case and answer specific questions without ever leaving home.
• Ask your primary care doctor for a referral. They can reach out to us to start the second opinion process on your behalf.

What Can I Expect Before the Second Opinion Visit?

One of our program coordinators will contact you before your visit. This individual will be your point person and will continue to provide support if you choose to transfer care to Cincinnati Children’s. They will:

• Talk with you before the second opinion appointment to obtain general information about the diagnosis and answer any questions you have
• Gather all your medical records, including scans, pathology, other test results and information about previous treatments
• Schedule appointments with each team member
• Schedule any tests needed during your visit
• If you are coming to see several specialists we will work to coordinate all of these visits in the same trip.

How Should I Prepare?

We’ll need the following items related to the medical condition:

• Medical records
• X-rays or other imaging procedures
• Test results

You can ask your referring provider to send these materials to us, or we can contact them for you.

You should also bring your current medications and insurance card, as well as any custody paperwork and power of attorney documents (if applicable).

Can I Get A Second Opinion Without Traveling to Cincinnati?

Yes. Online second opinions are available to families and patients outside the Greater Cincinnati area (southwestern Ohio, northern Kentucky and southeast Indiana). A specialist from the team will review your case and answer specific questions about a diagnosis or treatment options. It’s easy, convenient, and secure. Our online second opinion case manager will collect your medical records and guide you through the process.

Online second opinions are different than telehealth video visits. Our physician reviews your existing medical records and focuses on the questions you already gave us. As a result, online second opinions don’t need a video or phone call. Your second opinion report includes our physician’s written opinion about that medical condition, diagnosis or treatment plan.

Online second opinions are typically not covered by insurance and cost $850. There may be additional fees if a radiology or pathology specialist needs to review your records. The program is not available in all areas or for every patient, we will work with you to make sure it’s appropriate for you. Request an online second opinion.