Online Second Opinion
Children’s Hospital Los Angeles is a top-ranked hospital that sets the standard in pediatric medicine. An online second opinion from our experts will help you ensure that your child is receiving the right care. Our pediatric specialists will review your child’s records, answer your questions and share a report with you securely online so you can receive a second opinion from the comfort of your own home.
This service is only intended for requests that are not time sensitive. We receive and respond to requests during regular business hours. For urgent or emergent issues, please call 911 or seek local medical care immediately.
For hospital to hospital transfer inquiries please contact our Access Center, 888-631-2452.
- Patients and Families
- FAQ Patients and Families
- Referring Physicians
- FAQ for Referring Physicians
An online second opinion can be valuable when:
- Your child has been given a new diagnosis and/or treatment plan.
- A change in treatment plan, surgery or invasive procedure has been recommended.
- You want reassurance that your child is getting the best care.
- You want to confirm that a visit to CHLA would be valuable before making the trip.
- You want an expert second opinion from a CHLA pediatric specialist.
How it Works
For urgent or emergent issues, please call 911 or seek local medical care. This Online Second Opinion service is only for requests that are not time sensitive. We receive and respond to requests during regular business hours.
Register and pay for our service.
First, create an account and enter your child’s basic background information (e.g., address and date of birth). We conduct our Cardiac Surgery opinions free of charge. All other specialties cost $875 paid via HSA account or credit card. We are always happy to provide you with a superbill/receipt for you to submit to your insurance for reimbursement.
Let us know who your local physician is.
Our consultations are physician to physician, which means that we will send the report to both you and your current care provider. This can be any physician—pediatrician, family physician or specialist—treating your child located and licensed in your state. Please be sure include their full name and email address in your request.
Send your child’s medical records and test results.
Our case coordinator will be in touch with you to answer any questions and assist with collecting all relevant medical records.
We review and assign your case to a CHLA specialist.
Our case coordinator will review the submitted materials and identify an expert specialist at CHLA to review your case. Cases are typically completed within 10 business days from receiving all necessary medical records. Our case coordinator will update you through the process.
You receive your online second opinion.
The specialist will review your case and complete a detailed report. Once complete, both you and your current physician will receive an email to access the opinion via the email address you provided for him or her at the time of registration. We highly encourage you to review the opinion with your provider.
Questions?
If you have any questions, please email onlinesecondopinion@chla.usc.edu. Our team is available Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. PST.
What if I prefer to see a physician face to face at CHLA?
You are welcome to schedule an in-person appointment at CHLA. To explore your options, please call 323-660-2450. If you obtain an online second opinion and would like to proceed with treatment at CHLA, our coordinator will assist you through this process.
Can I meet or contact the specialist who provides the online second opinion?
During the online second opinion process, your point of contact at CHLA will be our case coordinator. You and your provider should submit all medical record information and questions in your request. Our coordinator will then work closely with you to ensure that all your questions and concerns are addressed. If you would like to receive medical services at CHLA, please contact OnlineSecondOpinion@chla.usc.edu. Our coordinator can assist you with an onsite appointment and provide information for patients traveling to receive care at CHLA.
What is the cost of an online second opinion?
Our price for an online second opinion is $875 via HSA account or credit card. You will need to submit your credit card/debit card information at the time you submit your request, but your card will not be charged until a CHLA team member has reviewed your request and reviewed the charges with you. We are not able to charge your insurance for this service; however, we will be happy to provide you with a superbill/receipt for you to submit to your insurance company for potential reimbursement.
There is no cost for online second opinions conducted by CHLA’s Heart Institute specialists.
How long will it take to get my online second opinion?
The typical turnaround time is 10 business days after the specialist receives all medical records and information. Cases that include additional services, such as an imaging and pathology review, may require a longer turnaround time.
How do you choose which specialist will provide the second opinion?
Our coordinator works closely with our medical teams to determine the most appropriate specialist based on your medical situation. We will try to accommodate any requests for a specific physician, but we cannot guarantee that the physician will be assigned to your case. If you make a request that we are unable to accommodate, our coordinator will notify you prior to assigning the case and charging your credit/debit card.
My child lives outside the United States. Can I still use this service?
Currently, we only offer this service to patients who live in the United States outside California. We plan to introduce this service for other countries soon. International families may be interested in CHLA’s Global Health Program to inquire about visit and treatment options.
Are there any states where you do not offer this service?
If you live in Alabama, Alaska, Maine, New Mexico or Tennessee, we are not able to provide online second opinions to you at this time due to state regulations. These states are excluded from this service because of state policy limitations on rendering second opinions. If your child lives in one of those states, our web form will not allow you to complete an online second opinion request.
Can my medical records or second opinion report be sent in a language other than English?
Unfortunately, we are not able to accept medical records or translate second opinions into languages other than English at this time.
NOTE: For urgent or emergent issues, please call 911 or seek local medical care. This Online Second Opinion service is only for requests that are not time sensitive. We receive and respond to requests during regular business hours.
Questions?
If you have any questions, please email onlinesecondopinion@chla.usc.edu. Our team is available Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. PST.
Our expert specialists offer online second opinions to referring physicians and their patients. You know your patients better than anyone else, so we will work with you to ensure that your patient receives the best care.
How it Works
Our consultations are physician to physician, which means that we involve the patient’s current physician in every step of the consultation process
If you have any questions, please email OnlineSecondOpinion@chla.usc.edu. Our team is available Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. PST.
Register
You or your patient will register online and provide your name and contact information during the registration process.
Send medical records and test results.
You will enter the patient’s medical history and select materials that will be submitted. You and/or your patient will submit medical records, including relevant pathology slides and radiology images, and questions you may have for our specialist.
We review and assign your case to a specialist.
Our case coordinator will review the submitted materials and identify an expert specialist at CHLA to review your case. The coordinator will update you and your patient throughout the process.
You receive your online second opinion.
Our specialists will review your case and complete a detailed report. Once finished, you and your patient/family will receive an email notification to access the expert’s second opinion. The turnaround time is typically 10 business days after receiving all the medical records and requested information.
NOTE: For urgent or emergent issues, please call 911 or seek local medical care. This Online Second Opinion service is only for requests that are not time sensitive. We receive and respond to requests during regular business hours.
Questions?
If you have any questions, please email onlinesecondopinion@chla.usc.edu. Our team is available Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. PST.
Why am I involved in the online second opinion process?
Your participation is a legal requirement to obtain an online second opinion from Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. Many states require the consultation to be physician to physician. It is also important that you review the report with your patient to help communicate the findings since the report will contain detailed medical terminology.
How do you choose which specialist will complete the second opinion?
Our case coordinator works closely with our medical teams to determine the most appropriate specialist based on your patient’s medical situation. We will try to accommodate any requests for a particular physician, but we cannot guarantee that the physician will be assigned to your case.
How many questions can I submit?
You may submit up to 10 questions. Please be as clear and specific as possible to ensure that we match your request with the most appropriate specialist and you receive the information you are seeking.
Can I meet or contact the specialist who completed the online second opinion for follow-up questions?
The completed report will answer all questions that are submitted by you and the patient. In rare cases, you may communicate with the specialist for follow-up questions. Our coordinator will contact you if a physician-to-physician communication is warranted.
NOTE: For urgent or emergent issues, please call 911 or seek local medical care. This Online Second Opinion service is only for requests that are not time sensitive. We receive and respond to requests during regular business hours.
Questions?
If you have any questions, please email onlinesecondopinion@chla.usc.edu. Our team is available Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. PST.