Liver Transplant Second Opinions
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.
How Do I Get a Second Opinion?
- Ask your doctor for a referral – One of your child’s doctors can start the second opinion process by calling Physician Priority Link® at 1-888-636-7997 and asking for the pediatric liver transplant attending physician on call.
- Call our referral coordinators at 513-636-4955 – The triage nurse will forward you to our referral coordinators. If you call after hours, leave a message. The referral coordinator will return your call as soon as possible.
- Fill out our online form – In the “Requesting” field, choose “Requesting a second opinion.” One of our referral coordinators will follow up with you promptly.
These second opinion visits always happen in person at Cincinnati Children’s. If your child is hospitalized at another hospital, our team will arrange a safe transfer to our center.
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
What Can I Expect During the Second Opinion Appointment?
During the second opinion visit, you will meet with a multidisciplinary team of specialists. The team will talk to you about your child’s diagnosis, test results and medical history and answer your questions. These specialists include:
- Pediatric hepatologist
- Pediatric transplant surgeon
- Infectious disease doctor
- Transplant coordinator
- Dietitian
- Social worker
- Financial specialist
- Additional specialists, depending on your child’s specific needs
At the end of the visit, members of the team will meet with your family to discuss their findings. They will make treatment recommendations, including whether your child should be placed on the transplant waiting list.
How Should I Prepare?
Please bring your child’s current medications, insurance card(s), custody paperwork and power of attorney documents, if applicable.
Write down your questions so you don’t forget them once you’re here. We want you to get the most out of your visit and have the best experience possible. Coming in prepared will help us provide that for you.
