Cross-specialty · 2026
A written second opinion
from a Class A specialist.
From $250. Bilingual report in 5–7 business days. Reviewed by a board-certified subspecialist at a Class A teaching hospital — no travel required.
12–21%
Diagnosis or plan changes
After a second opinion at a major referral centre
Mayo Clinic 2017; Ann Intern Med 2017
$250–950
Written opinion cost
Standard or multi-disciplinary, bilingual report
Partner network 2024
5–7 days
Standard turnaround
Single-specialist written opinion
Service-level commitment
Class A
Reviewing physicians
Board-certified subspecialists at flagship hospitals
NHC ratings
Bilingual
Final report
English + Chinese (or your preferred language)
Standard deliverable
Encrypted
Records portal
HIPAA / GDPR / PIPL aligned handling
Privacy policy
Tiers & pricing
Six tiers, transparent pricing.
Standard written opinion
Single-specialist review of records, imaging and proposed plan. 5–7 business day turnaround. Bilingual report.
$250–450
Multi-disciplinary opinion
MDT review (e.g. oncology + radiation + surgery) for complex cases. 7–10 business day turnaround.
$450–950
Video consultation add-on
Direct discussion with the reviewing physician. Bilingual interpreter included if required.
$180–320
Molecular tumour board
NGS interpretation, biomarker-driven therapy options, and trial-eligibility review.
$650–1,200
Pathology re-review
Independent pathology review (slides / blocks shipped) at PUMC, Cancer Hospital of CAMS, or partner.
$350–750
Imaging re-read
Sub-specialty radiologist re-read of CT, MRI, PET — with discrepancy analysis vs original report.
$220–480
Specialties covered
Reviewers across
every major subspecialty.
Cancer Hospital of CAMS · Fudan Cancer · Sun Yat-sen Cancer
MDT review · molecular tumour board · pathology re-review · trial eligibility
Fuwai Hospital · Zhongshan Hospital
CABG vs PCI second opinion · valve strategy · structural heart MDT
Tiantan Hospital · Huashan Hospital
Brain tumour, stroke, epilepsy and movement disorder MDT
Jishuitan Hospital · Shanghai Sixth People's
Joint replacement, spine surgery and revision opinion
PUTH · CITIC-Xiangya
Recurrent IVF failure · PGT options · recurrent pregnancy loss workup
Peking Union Medical College Hospital
Diagnostic odyssey program · whole-exome and clinical correlation
FAQ
How a second opinion works.
- What is a medical second opinion and when should I get one?
- A second opinion is an independent review of your diagnosis, prognosis and proposed treatment plan by a specialist not involved in your original care. National guidelines (ASCO, ESMO, NCCN, ACS) recommend a second opinion for: any new cancer diagnosis; before any major elective surgery; complex or atypical presentations; rare diseases; treatment plans involving experimental therapy, biologics, or implants; cases where your gut tells you something is off. Studies (Mayo Clinic 2017, Annals of Internal Medicine 2017) suggest 12–21% of second opinions result in a meaningfully different diagnosis or treatment plan.
- Why China for a second opinion?
- Three reasons: (1) Volume — Chinese flagship Class A hospitals see annual case volumes 5–20× a typical Western academic centre, particularly in cardiac surgery (Fuwai), oncology (Cancer Hospital of CAMS), neurosurgery (Tiantan), and orthopedics (Jishuitan); (2) Cost — a written second opinion from a Class A specialist runs $250–$650 in China vs $1,500–$5,000 from a US academic centre; (3) Therapeutic options — China is the home base for several therapies that may be approved or available locally before they reach Western markets, including 4 NMPA-approved CAR-T products, 60+ approved biosimilars, and a range of regenerative medicine protocols.
- Which specialties can give a second opinion?
- We coordinate written second opinions across: oncology (solid tumour and hematologic — including molecular tumour board where indicated); cardiology and cardiothoracic surgery; orthopedics and spine surgery; neurology and neurosurgery; gastroenterology and hepatology; reproductive medicine and high-risk obstetrics; nephrology and transplant; rheumatology and autoimmune disease; rare and undiagnosed disease (PUMC's signature programme); pediatric subspecialties via Beijing Children's, Shanghai Children's and Children's Hospital of Fudan University.
- What does a written second opinion cost?
- Indicative pricing: standard subspecialty written opinion $250–$450 (single-specialist review of records and imaging, returned in 5–7 business days); complex / multi-disciplinary opinion (oncology MDT, cardiac MDT, complex spine) $450–$950 (panel review, 7–10 business days); video consultation add-on $180–$320 per 30-minute session with the reviewing physician; molecular tumour board with NGS interpretation $650–$1,200. All quotes are bilingual final reports. No card required to start — we issue a written quote first.
- What records do I need to submit?
- Universal: a one-paragraph summary of your case in your own words; full medical history; current medication list; recent labs (ideally last 6 months). By specialty: oncology — pathology slides or scans, NGS / IHC if available, recent CT / PET / MRI on disc or DICOM, oncologist letter; cardiology — ECG, echocardiogram, coronary CTA / angiogram, recent labs and clinic letters; orthopedic / spine — radiographs, MRI / CT, surgeon letter and operative reports; neurology — MRI, EEG, neurologist letter. We accept records in English; non-English records are translated by our medical translation team at no extra cost.
- How long does it take and what do I receive?
- Standard timeline: day 1 — case intake + record completeness check; day 2–3 — bilingual translation if needed + assignment to subspecialty match; day 3–6 — physician review and report drafting; day 6–7 — bilingual report delivered (English + Chinese or your preferred language). The report includes: a restatement of the case as understood, a list of records reviewed, the reviewing physician's diagnostic and prognostic assessment, agreement / disagreement with the original treatment plan with rationale, alternative options if relevant, and recommended next steps including whether on-site evaluation in China is suggested.
- Will my home physician accept the report?
- The report is issued under the reviewing physician's name with their full Chinese medical license, hospital affiliation, and subspecialty board certification listed. It is structured to mirror Western medical-second-opinion conventions, with explicit references to applicable guidelines (NCCN, ESC, AAOS, KDIGO etc). We have not had a US, UK, EU, Australian or Canadian physician decline to review such a report in our experience, though some institutions may not accept it as a substitute for an in-house review for the purposes of their own clinical decisions. If your home team needs a peer-to-peer call, we coordinate that separately.
- Is the second opinion confidential and HIPAA-aligned?
- Yes. Records are submitted via an encrypted patient portal, accessible only to the reviewing physician and our coordination team under signed confidentiality agreements. Records are retained for the duration of the review plus 12 months for follow-up, then permanently deleted on request. We do not share any patient data with third parties without explicit written consent. Our handling practices align with HIPAA, GDPR and PRC PIPL — see our Privacy Policy for full details.
- What if the second opinion suggests I should travel to China for treatment?
- If the reviewing physician concludes that on-site evaluation or treatment in China is appropriate, we coordinate the next step at the same hospital (or another in our network). The cost of the written second opinion is credited against the consultation fee if you proceed within 90 days. There is no obligation to travel — many of our patients use the second opinion to validate or refine a treatment plan they ultimately deliver at home.
Related guides
Cancer Second Opinion
Specialist oncology second-opinion process and turnaround.
Read the guideCardiac Surgery
When a CABG-vs-PCI or valve-strategy second opinion is worth it.
Read the guideOrthopedic Surgery
Joint replacement and spine second opinions.
Read the guideRecords Translation
Bilingual translation of pathology, imaging and clinical notes.
Read the guideClinical Outcomes
Mortality, readmission and length-of-stay benchmarks.
Read the guidePrivacy & Data Handling
How we protect medical records under HIPAA / GDPR / PIPL.
Read the guideStart your second opinion
today, $250.
Upload your records securely. We confirm completeness within 24 hours, match a subspecialist, and return your bilingual report in 5–7 business days. Quote-first; no card required to start.
This page is for general information only and does not constitute medical advice. A second-opinion report is a clinical document for review by you and your treating physician; it does not substitute for an in-person evaluation. All clinical decisions remain with the patient and their treating clinician.