Cleveland Clinic Virtual Second Opinions | Expansion News
The Cleveland Clinic is broadening its virtual second opinion program, providing greater access to care and substantially reducing healthcare costs. This expansion of services, now including a concierge cancer care program, is designed to help you make informed medical decisions and find choice treatment options, potentially saving thousands of dollars. Leveraging a multidisciplinary team of specialists, the Clinic ensures a holistic approach to patient care.Partnering with Amwell and boosting provider licenses across the U.S., the virtual clinic’s role is to act as a guide. For employers, this translates to cutting expenses related to unnecessary care and treatment. considering the rise of cancer as a cost burden, this approach is more crucial than ever, and News Directory 3 has the details. Discover what’s next as the Clinic continues to innovate virtual care delivery.
Cleveland Clinic Expands Virtual Second Opinion Program
Updated June 18, 2025
The Clinic by Cleveland Clinic, in partnership with Amwell, is broadening its virtual second opinion services after seeing success with tens of thousands of patients annually. This expansion includes increasing physician licensures nationwide and introducing a concierge cancer care program. The goal is to improve patient outcomes and reduce unnecessary medical expenses.
Frank McGillin, CEO of The Clinic by Cleveland Clinic, stated that the second opinion program helps people make informed medical decisions. He added that two-thirds of the time, the clinic identifies alternative treatment options, supporting health plans and employers by cutting costs related to unneeded surgeries or care. the clinic’s role in guiding patients is crucial.
A recent partnership with Baton Health has boosted The Clinic’s provider licenses to over 10,000 across the U.S. The newly launched cancer concierge program provides virtual consultations with oncology subspecialists and cancer care navigation. This program leverages Cleveland Clinic’s multidisciplinary approach, ensuring patients benefit from the expertise of medical, surgical, and radiation oncologists. The job role of the specialists is to provide a holistic approach to patient care.
“We’re able to take advantage of the multidisciplinary approach that cleveland Clinic takes to cancer…to make sure it’s a very holistic approach to your care pathway,” McGillin said.
McGillin noted that cancer is a rapidly growing cost burden for employers, and over half of U.S. counties lack an oncologist.The new program aims to address this gap. Since its launch in 2020, The Clinic has offered virtual second opinions from approximately 3,500 cleveland Clinic specialists to patients across the country. The role of the virtual clinic is to increase access to care.
The Clinic’s virtual care service allows licensed providers to conduct video visits and create treatment plans. If a provider lacks licensure in the patient’s state, they can provide a written report in collaboration with a local physician. Patients can access the program through employer health plans or via a self-pay option for just under $2,000. The clinic estimates savings of about $8,700 per patient by guiding them toward the appropriate treatment plan.
“One of the important goals of Cleveland Clinic is to increase the number of lives touched,” McGillin said.
McGillin highlighted the innovation in delivering second opinions,reducing the time from initiation to delivery. Patients receive their second opinion within days of submitting their medical records, a critical timeframe when they face stress and seek to move forward.
What’s next
The Clinic plans to further expand its services and partnerships to reach more patients and continue innovating in virtual care delivery.