A second opinion on a non-healing wound is an ordinary request
Asking for a second opinion on a non-healing wound can feel like an accusation. It is not one. Clinicians consult each other routinely, and a slow wound is exactly the situation where another view is useful. The second clinician may confirm the plan, suggest a test or see something new. Each of those outcomes helps.
This guide is about the conversation: when to ask, what to say and how to keep a good relationship with the people already caring for you.
Signs it may be time to ask
There is no fixed deadline. These situations commonly prompt it:
- Several weeks have passed with no change in size, or the wound is getting larger
- You have followed the plan closely and still do not know why healing is slow
- You have been told nothing more can be done
- Surgery, amputation or another major step has been recommended
- You or your family feel something is being missed
Before deciding, read why some wounds heal slowly and ask to see your measurements. Our guide to understanding wound measurements explains what the numbers mean.
How to bring it up with your current clinician
Say it plainly and early in the visit, not on the way out. Tie the request to the wound, not to the person. You might say:
- “I know we have both worked hard on this. I would feel better if another clinician looked at it too.”
- “Before I agree to surgery, I would like a second opinion. Who would you suggest?”
- “My family has questions I cannot answer. Would you support me in getting another view?”
Asking your clinician to recommend someone is often the easiest opening, because it shows you want them involved. You are also free to choose on your own.
Most clinicians respond well. If the reaction is defensive, stay calm and repeat that you want to be sure nothing is missed. No apology is needed.
What to request before the second visit
A second opinion is only as good as the information behind it. Ask your current office for:
- Recent visit notes with dated measurements
- Results of cultures, imaging, circulation tests and lab work
- The current dressing orders and a list of what has been tried before
- Any operative or hospital discharge reports tied to the wound
Our checklist of wound care records to gather covers the rest. Keep following your current orders in the meantime.
Questions to bring to the second clinician
- What do you think is keeping this wound from healing?
- Is there a test that would help and has not been done?
- Would you change the current plan? What are my options, and what does each ask of me day to day?
- What would tell us in the next few weeks that the plan is working?
- Will you send your findings to my current clinician and my primary care clinician?
Bring a relative or friend to take notes. Offices generally need your permission before sharing information with family. Our guide on preparing family questions for the care team has more ideas.
Taking the answer back to your team
After the review, you choose what happens next. If both clinicians agree, you can return to your current plan with more confidence. If the second clinician suggests changes, ask for them in writing and share them with your first clinician, who may adopt them.
If you decide to switch, tell the first office directly and thank them. A short, honest call keeps the door open if you need that office again. Make sure only one clinician is writing wound orders at a time, so nurses and suppliers are not following two plans.
How Gateway can help, and what not to wait on
Gateway arranges a second opinion wound review with partner clinicians in Greater St. Louis and the Metro East. We gather records with your signed permission and send the findings where you want them to go. Call 314-325-0126 or request care with a name and phone number. Whether a plan pays for a second opinion depends on the plan and the treating practice. Our insurance page lists what to ask.
A second opinion is not the route for an urgent problem. Report spreading redness, fever, new drainage or sharply worse pain to your current clinician now, and see our guide to the signs of wound infection. For an emergency, call 911.
Common questions
Will my clinician be upset if I ask for a second opinion?
Most are not, and many welcome another view when a wound is slow. How you ask matters. Be direct, tie the request to the wound, and invite your clinician to share records and receive the findings. If the conversation feels too hard in person, a message through the office’s patient portal works too.
Do I have to tell my current clinician I am getting one?
No, the choice is yours. Telling them usually works in your favor, though. Records move faster, the second clinician gets the full history, and the findings can be sent back. If you would rather not say, you can still request your own records and bring them.
Does getting a second opinion mean I have to change clinicians?
No. Many people get a second opinion and stay where they are, sometimes with a small change to the plan. What you do with the review is up to you. If you do move your care, ask both offices to coordinate so orders, supplies and nursing visits change over cleanly.
How long should I give a treatment plan before asking for another view?
Many clinicians look for measurable progress over a few weeks and reassess when it is not there. A fair first step is to ask your current clinician how you will both know the plan is working, and by when. If the answer is unclear, or that date passes without progress, asking for another view is reasonable.
Related pages
General information to help you talk with your own clinician. It is not medical advice, and the treating clinician makes every clinical decision. For a medical emergency, call 911.
Updated October 2026