Updates

Appointments Online Second Opinion Program

At Texas Children’s Hospital, we understand how important it is to feel confident about your child’s healthcare. If your child has received a complex or unclear diagnosis, an online second opinion can help you better understand the situation and make informed decisions—all from the comfort of your home.

Our online second opinion program gives families a written medical records evaluation and recommendation from one of our expert doctors at Texas Children’s Hospital, without needing to travel. We’re here to help you feel reassured that you’ve explored all available options for your child’s care.

When to Consider an Online Second Opinion

  • Your child’s diagnosis is unclear
  • Your child has a complex medical condition
  • You have questions or concerns about the current treatment plan
  • Your child’s condition isn’t improving or is getting worse
  • You want to explore other treatment options

How It Works

Our specialists will review your child’s medical records, answer your questions, and share their expert opinion with you and your child’s local doctor through a secure online portal.

The second opinion may confirm the original diagnosis or suggest different treatment options to consider.

Please note: This service is not for urgent or emergency situations. If your child needs immediate care, call 911.

Getting Started

Step 1: Create an account

In the online second opinion portal, you’ll be asked to provide:

  • Patient and parent/guardian information
  • Contact details for your child’s local or referring doctor
  • Summary of your child’s diagnosis and concerns

Step 2: Case coordination

A case coordinator will reach out to:

  • Gather specific questions about the diagnosis or treatment
  • Collect your child’s medical records, imaging, and lab results

Step 3: Payment details

Online second opinions cost $850 for Pediatric & Adolescent Gynecology, Pediatric Rheumatology, Pediatric Neurosurgery (Brain Tumors), and Bone Marrow Failure Syndromes. Your case coordinator will explain the payment process before moving forward.

Step 4: Case assignment, review, and delivery:

Your case will be assigned to a Texas Children’s specialist. The specialist will review the records and provide a written second opinion. Reports are typically completed within 7 to 10 business days. You and your child’s local doctor will be notified when the report is available in the portal.

Frequently Asked Questions

An online written second opinion allows parents to receive a medical records evaluation and recommendation from expert doctors at Texas Children’s Hospital without the investment of traveling. It can provide reassurance about decisions related to your child’s care, a change in diagnosis or provide suggestions for different treatment options.

This online second opinion is provided in writing only and does not involve any telehealth conferencing tools.

You begin by initiating a request through a form on our secure portal, completing a brief questionnaire, and uploading your medical records or imaging (if available). If your request is accepted, a specialist reviews your case and provides a written report with recommendations, which you can share with your local care team.

An online second opinion gives you access to our experts without traveling. Instead of a physical exam, your case is reviewed based on your records, test results. Cases are often reviewed asynchronously or not in real-time. You receive a detailed written opinion, which you can use to guide care locally.

A completed written second opinion case costs $850. Payments are accepted via credit card or your Flexible Spending Account (FSA) or Health Savings Account (HSA). We do not accept insurance/other payor coverage for the cost of the second opinion.

Texas Children’s has partnered with Purview for case administration and safe transfer of medical information. A case administrator will call you to learn more about your child’s current condition, treatment plan, and specific questions you would like answered. Payment and next steps will also be discussed. 

We offer online written second opinions for patients and families who are located within the United States. However, due to state healthcare regulations, online second opinions are not available to families who reside in:

  • Alaska
  • Delaware
  • District of Columbia
  • Georgia
  • Maine
  • Mississippi
  • Missouri
  • Montana
  • Nevada
  • New Jersey
  • Ohio
  • Rhode Island
  • South Carolina
  • Tennessee
  • Wyoming

 

If you are interested in an in-person appointment at Texas Children’s, click here. 

For patients who live outside of the United States and want a second opinion, please reach out to the International & Destination Medicine team for more information.

Most cases are completed within 7–10 business days after all records are received. You will be notified if additional time is needed.

We encourage you to share the written second opinion with your local doctor or to involve them from the start. Our goal is to support—not replace—your existing care team.

If our specialists recommend care at our hospital, Texas Children’s can help you arrange an in-person visit and provide travel guidance.