When Sharon Nolen slipped on her outdoor stairs and injured her back in August 2022, she knew it was a bad fall. When an intense pain in her head lingered after she'd returned home from the emergency room, she wasted no time seeking additional medical guidance.
A family physician suspected that Nolen was experiencing a spinal fluid leak, and directed her back to the hospital, where she was referred to a specialist. Getting an appointment with that specialist? Nearly impossible.
"They had such a backlog I couldn't get in to see a doctor," Nolen says "I had a neurosurgeon assigned to me at the hospital, [but] felt like I was not getting good information, and there I was on bedrest afraid to do anything but not getting any direction about what to do."
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Frustrated, Nolen reached out to a member of the benefits team at her Tennessee-based employer, chemical and materials company Eastman. Through those conversations, she learned of an employee benefit available to Eastman staff, through partnership with The Clinic by Cleveland Clinic, a program that offers virtual second opinion consultations. As an employer benefit, The Clinic connects patients with 3,500 Cleveland Clinic
The first call is with a medical professional who guides patients through the process of submitting the information needed for the appropriate specialist to make a proper diagnosis and speak with them about their condition. For some, these calls can confirm a current treatment plan. For many, particularly with issues such as MSK conditions, it can help avoid premature, costly procedures
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In Nolen's case, it led to an affirmation of her current care plan. After having already spent months on bedrest waiting to connect with a specialist, The Clinic connected her with a doctor in just two weeks.
"When you have so much uncertainty, having confirmation is a huge thing," Nolen says. "The doctor gave us additional insight as to what had happened and exactly what was going on that we hadn't fully understood. He was the first person to give me a lot of assurance that I will heal from this; I will be able to get back to my normal activities. It provided a lot of hope."
Along with receiving additional information about their condition, over 70% of patients who consult the physicians through The Clinic end up with a diagnosis change or suggested alteration to their treatment plan. For employees, this can mean more effective care, improved quality of life and a quicker return to work. For employers, it can lead to a reduction in healthcare costs — average MSK savings for second opinions are $36k per employee, according to The Clinic's data — and less absenteeism.
"It sends the message that your employer is looking out for your best interest," says Frank McGillin, CEO of The Clinic by Cleveland Clinic. He recalls a recent patient who had been recommended for a spinal infusion; The specialist reviewed the diagnosis and suggested steroid injections and physical therapy as an alternative first pass at treatment. "That saves a lot of costs for the employer, but if that patient can take this less invasive and a more conservative approach to addressing that back pain, it really provides a faster recovery period for that individual."
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Four and a half months after her fall, Nolen returned to work full time and resumed her personal activities, from regular pickleball games to a vacation to Europe with her daughter. She now spreads the word on the value of this benefit and of second opinions to coworkers and friends. Injuries that seem innocuous can have a huge impact on people's quality of life, and it was partially thanks to her employer's benefit that she was able to make a full recovery, she says.
"I've told a bunch of people about this," Nolen says. "It's a great benefit and I'm so appreciative."
