We welcome requests from anywhere in the country and from around the world regarding pediatric heart care or adult congenital heart disease care. This request can come from a parent, family member, adult living with CHD, or referring physician who can provide medical history on the patient.

At any point in your care plan. Even if treatment has already started, a second opinion can help guide changes in care.

To begin the second opinion process, we only need the information that’s listed in the request form. When we connect with you, we may ask for insurance information for any billing needs.

Since all health records are obtained directly from your primary or referring care team, it is not required for you to provide those documents.

The Herma Heart Institute does not charge for a virtual second opinion. If the family decides to have an official appointment, the costs will be determined and communicated to you prior to scheduling. If your insurance does not cover, we will provide an estimate for services.

More often than not, our team only needs access to past records, test results and imaging scans. Our team will work closely with your current care team to acquire all the necessary information.

Sometimes we need updated tests or more clear images. If we do require more tests or images to deliver our opinion, we will connect with you to discuss the next steps needed to coordinate these tests at your local hospital, or to conduct these tests at our hospital (if preferred).

Any quality care team would want their families to feel comfortable with the care decisions they are making. Doctors often will welcome and encourage their peers’ opinions about a case.

Ultimately, it is your right to understand the specifics of your case and your options for treatment and management. We hope that a second opinion helps you feel more confident and empowered in your care decisions.