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By David A. Goldman MD –
Throughout my career I have seen patients come to me for second opinions, and I have also had patients ask me if I would ‘mind’ if they saw another specialist for a second opinion.
For the patient, seeking a second opinion is a difficult thing to do. To begin, he or she may not know who is a reputable person to seek for second opinion. Furthermore, they may have a good relationship with their ophthalmologist and may feel they are betraying their doctor’s confidence by seeking another MD. Finally, they may be concerned whether their insurance will cover a visit for second opinion.
For the doctor, discovering a patient has seen another physician may make them feel that they are not trusted or even felt to be incompetent. In some cases, when a patient seeks second opinion it may completely end their care with the first physician.
It has always been my belief that second opinions are an excellent idea. If the care rendered to date is appropriate, the second physician can confirm that and set the patient’s mind at ease. In some cases, the physician may actually find something that the first doctor missed, and in these cases both the physician and patient still benefit. This is because at the end of the day, doctors want their patients to do well. If I am unable to treat a patient completely, I am thankful that another doctor could. On the other side, I am happy to help out my colleagues when they have gotten stuck, or just to tell their patients that everything is going well. Medicine is not performed in a vortex – referrals to subspecialists are very commonplace. While intra-subspecialty referrals are less common, I am always comfortable recommending the patient seek second opinion if they have any questions or concerns. In this way, doctor-patient relationships are strengthened rather than weakened and care can be given the best way possible.
Dr. David A. Goldman
Prior to founding his own private practice, Dr. David A. Goldman served as Assistant Professor of Clinical Ophthalmology at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute in Palm Beach Gardens. Within the first of his five years of employment there, Dr. Goldman quickly became the highest volume surgeon. He has been recognized as one of the top 250 US surgeons by Premier Surgeon, as well as being awarded a Best Doctor and Top Ophthalmologist.
Dr. Goldman received his Bachelor of Arts cum laude and with distinction in all subjects from Cornell University and Doctor of Medicine with distinction in research from the Tufts School of Medicine. This was followed by a medical internship at Mt. Sinai – Cabrini Medical Center in New York City. He then completed his residency and cornea fellowship at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute in Miami, Florida. Throughout his training, he received multiple awards including 2nd place in the American College of Eye Surgeons Bloomberg memorial national cataract competition, nomination for the Ophthalmology Times writer’s award program, 2006 Paul Kayser International Scholar, and the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS) research award in 2005, 2006, and 2007. Dr. Goldman currently serves as councilor from ASCRS to the American Academy of Ophthalmology. In addition to serving as an examiner for board certification, Dr. Goldman also serves on committees to revise maintenance of certification exams for current ophthalmologists.
Dr. Goldman’s clinical practice encompasses medical, refractive, and non-refractive surgical diseases of the cornea, anterior segment, and lens. This includes, but is not limited to, corneal transplantation, microincisional cataract surgery, and LASIK. His research interests include advances in cataract and refractive technology, dry eye management, and internet applications of ophthalmology.
Dr. Goldman speaks English and Spanish.