Your Incision Should Be Your Decision™
Second opinion before heart surgery
Before heart surgery, get a second set of expert eyes.
A cardiac surgeon and cardiologist independently review your complete record, confer, and co-sign one clear, patient-facing report—so you can understand the plan before you consent.
- 2
- independent physician reviews
- 1
- co-signed written report
- $495
- written review starts here
Online nationwide. No referral or travel required. Records collection support is available with your authorization.
WHITEGLOVE Insights™One co-signed reportBuilt for your next conversation
What a useful second opinion does
It does not simply vote “yes” or “no.” It makes the decision legible.
A second opinion can confirm the plan already proposed, put an alternative on the table, or reveal a question that deserves a clearer answer. In every case, the goal is a better-informed conversation with the clinicians responsible for your care.
Four questions behind the operation
The review follows the decision—not a generic checklist.
Why this operation—and why now?
The review traces the proposed operation back to the diagnoses, symptoms, imaging, test results, and clinical reasoning documented in your record.
What other paths deserve discussion?
When relevant, surgical, catheter-based, minimally invasive, medical, and monitoring options are placed side by side without assuming one path fits everyone.
What does risk mean in this case?
Validated models may inform the discussion when the required inputs are available, but their assumptions, missing variables, and limits stay visible.
Is anything important unresolved?
The report identifies unanswered questions, missing studies, or details that may be worth clarifying with the clinicians responsible for your care.
Professional guidance emphasizes patient-centered shared decision-making and multidisciplinary Heart Team discussion when the best path is uncertain.
We help with the records.You should not have to decode what is missing on your own.
A complete record comes first
The answer is only as useful as the evidence behind it.
With your authorization, the records team can help identify, request, and organize the material required for the review. The 24-hour review window starts only after that material is received and confirmed complete.
Imaging
Echocardiograms, catheterization images, CT, MRI, or other studies relevant to the proposed procedure.
Reports
Imaging interpretations, catheterization reports, surgical recommendations, and procedure notes.
Clinical notes
Cardiology, cardiac surgery, hospital, and consultation notes that explain the current plan.
Risk inputs
Current laboratory values, medical history, medications, and other variables needed to put risk estimates in context.
WHITEGLOVE Heart Team
Two independent reviews. One discussion across disciplines.
The surgeon evaluates the operation and technical plan. The cardiologist evaluates the cardiovascular evidence and nonoperative context. Each reviews independently before the two perspectives are reconciled in one report.
Cardiac surgery
- Indication, timing, and operative plan
- Procedure-specific anatomy and complexity
- Surgical risk and care-setting considerations
WHITEGLOVE Insights™Co-signed consensusCardiology
- Diagnostic evidence and treatment goals
- Medical or catheter-based alternatives
- Questions that remain unresolved
WHITEGLOVE Insights™
A report designed to earn its place on every page.
Your record becomes a patient-facing decision map—with clinical source attribution, clear limits, and practical questions for the next conversation.
Download a sample reportIndependent Heart Team review
Your decision,
organized.
Patient-specific anatomyThe current clinical picture
What the record says, what has been proposed, and which source supports each important detail.
Guideline context
How current professional guidance relates to the specific findings and decision in front of you.
Risk, with limitations visible
Relevant validated models considered beside the clinical factors those models may not fully capture.
Your anatomy made understandable
Patient-facing visual explanations tied to the anatomy and findings documented in your case.
Options and trade-offs
Reasonable paths compared in plain language, including the burdens and practical considerations that may matter.
Questions for the next conversation
A concise list of what to clarify, what may still be missing, and what to bring back to your treating team.
Decisions we review
One method. Applied to the operation you are actually facing.
Every review is shaped around the proposed procedure, your anatomy, the available evidence, and the question you need answered.
From question to written answer
A structured path. With help where the process is usually hardest.
- 1
Tell us what decision you are facing
Start online or request a complimentary orientation. No referral or records are needed for that first conversation.
- 2
We help gather the right record
Upload what you have or authorize the records team to help request and organize the reports, images, notes, and tests needed for review.
- 3
Two physicians review independently
A cardiac surgeon and cardiologist assess the same complete record from their distinct clinical perspectives, then confer.
- 4
Receive one co-signed report
Your patient-facing WHITEGLOVE Insights™ report is delivered within 24 hours after the required records and imaging are confirmed complete.
Evidence, not a black box
Guidelines inform the review. The patient’s complete case gives them meaning.
ACC/AHA/SCAICoronary revascularization guidance on Heart Team review and shared decision-makingACC/AHAValvular heart disease guidance on multidisciplinary evaluation and patient choiceSociety of Thoracic SurgeonsAdult Cardiac Surgery Database operative risk calculator
Risk models estimate outcomes for groups with similar inputs. They do not predict an individual result and do not replace physician judgment.
Start with the written review
Two independent physician reviews. One co-signed report. From $495.
Choose the written report alone or add a live physician consultation. Every service level begins with the same cardiac surgeon and cardiologist review.
Written review$495
Independent cardiac surgeon review
Independent cardiologist review
Co-signed WHITEGLOVE Insights™
24-hour review window after required records and imaging are confirmed complete.Heart surgery second opinion FAQ
What patients and families ask before they begin.
When should I consider a second opinion before heart surgery?+
A second opinion may be useful when you want to understand why an operation is being proposed, compare reasonable alternatives, clarify timing or risk, or feel more prepared for informed consent. It should not delay urgent or time-sensitive care recommended by your treating clinicians.
Who reviews my heart surgery case?+
A cardiac surgeon and cardiologist review the same complete record independently, then confer and co-sign one WHITEGLOVE Insights™ report. The service provides educational decision support and does not replace the clinicians responsible for your treatment.
What does a heart surgery second opinion evaluate?+
The review considers the proposed procedure, the clinical evidence supporting it, reasonable alternatives, relevant risk information, unresolved questions, and practical next steps. The exact analysis depends on the decision and the records available.
How much does the written heart surgery second opinion cost?+
The two-physician written review starts at $495. It includes independent review by a cardiac surgeon and cardiologist and one co-signed WHITEGLOVE Insights™ report. Optional service levels add one- or two-physician consultation or concierge support.
What records are needed for a heart surgery second opinion?+
The required record varies by case and may include echocardiograms, catheterization images and reports, CT or MRI studies, clinical notes, laboratory results, medications, and the proposed operative plan. The records team identifies what is needed for your review.
Can WHITEGLOVEMD help obtain my medical records and imaging?+
Yes. You may upload what you already have or, with your authorization, ask the records team to help request and organize the records and imaging required for the review. Collection time occurs before the 24-hour review window begins.
When does the 24-hour review window begin?+
The 24-hour window begins only after the records and imaging required for your case have been received and confirmed complete. Time spent identifying, requesting, or collecting missing material is outside that window.
Can I get a second opinion for heart surgery online?+
Yes. The medical-record review is completed remotely, so no travel or referral is required. You can choose the written report alone or select a service level that includes a live video consultation.
What if the second opinion agrees with my current surgeon?+
Agreement can still add value by organizing the reasoning, making the relevant evidence easier to understand, identifying remaining questions, and helping you prepare for the next conversation with your treating team.
Which heart procedures can be reviewed?+
Reviews may involve coronary bypass surgery, aortic or mitral valve surgery, aortic aneurysm repair, redo operations, and combined procedures. Whether the service fits your situation depends on the records, timing, and clinical question.
Will getting a second opinion delay my heart surgery?+
Record availability and the urgency of your condition affect timing. Continue following your treating team’s instructions, keep scheduled care unless they advise otherwise, and do not wait for this service if your clinicians say treatment is urgent.
Can my family be involved in the review?+
A family member or other support person may help with onboarding and, when an included consultation is scheduled, may be invited to join with your permission. Access to health information remains subject to your authorization and applicable privacy requirements.
Does WHITEGLOVEMD replace my cardiologist or cardiac surgeon?+
No. WHITEGLOVEMD provides independent educational decision support and medical-record review. It does not diagnose, order tests, prescribe treatment, provide emergency care, or replace the physicians directing your care.
What should I do if I have urgent symptoms now?+
This service is not emergency care. If you may be experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 immediately. For urgent or worsening symptoms, follow the instructions of your treating clinicians or seek prompt in-person medical attention.
This is not emergency care.
Do not delay urgent or time-sensitive treatment while waiting for WHITEGLOVEMD. If you may be experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 immediately.
The decision stays yours
Before the first incision, understand the whole decision.
Start the two-physician written review from $495, or request a complimentary orientation if you are not sure where to begin.