Second opinion and video consultation with a Georgian specialist: an assessment of your records before you travel to Georgia
Before you decide to travel, a Georgian specialist can review your medical records and answer specific questions, in writing or on a video call with an interpreter. You will find out how well the proposed treatment fits your condition, which tests are missing and whether the treatment can be carried out in Georgia. This is a remote assessment, not a diagnosis: the specialist cannot examine you, so you make the decision together with your treating doctor.
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Written reportThe specialist's answers to your questions, translated into your language
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Video call with an interpreterYou talk to the doctor directly, and the interpreter conveys every word
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No obligationThe report does not commit you to travel or to any clinic
In short: what you get and what you do not
- A Georgian specialist reviews your records and answers the questions you ask.
- You receive the result as a written report, a video consultation or both, in your language.
- This assessment is based on your records: the doctor does not examine you physically, so it cannot replace a diagnosis or treatment.
- Prescribing or changing medicines is not part of this service; that is for your treating doctor to decide.
- You can ask for a doctor who will not go on to treat you, and we will tell you whether that is the case when we select the doctor.
- The report commits you to nothing: it may turn out that you do not need to travel, and that is a useful answer too.
Why get a second opinion before you come to Georgia?
A second opinion is another doctor's independent view of your diagnosis and the proposed treatment. The Law of Georgia on Patient Rights expressly recognises a patient's right to consult another doctor or medical institution for a second opinion. For an international patient it is especially valuable before travelling, while the decision has not yet been made and no tickets have been bought.
A remote assessment is most often requested in situations like these:
- your doctor at home is proposing surgery and you would like another specialist to assess how necessary it is right now;
- a Georgian clinic has already offered you a plan and you would like to hear about it from a doctor who does not work at that clinic;
- you want to know which tests to have at home before you travel, to save time and money in Georgia;
- your case is rare or complex and you want to find out whether travelling for treatment makes sense at all.
The assessment does not include a decision on whether you are fit to fly. That is decided by your treating doctor, who monitors your condition in person.
Written report or video consultation?
The format depends on your question. If you are not sure which to choose, select "Please advise me" in the form and we will suggest one after seeing your records.
| Aspect | Written report | Video consultation | Both together |
|---|---|---|---|
| What you get | A document in which the doctor answers your questions point by point | A direct conversation with the doctor, where you can ask follow-up questions on the spot | The conversation, followed by a written summary of it |
| Best when | Your question is clear-cut and you need to show the answer to another doctor | You have many questions or want to discuss treatment options | You face a difficult decision and need both a conversation and a document |
| What it needs | Complete records and questions worded in advance | Records the doctor has seen before the call, a stable internet connection and an interpreter | The requirements of both formats |
| Timing | We give you the delivery date when we select the doctor | The time is set to suit your time zone | First the call, then the report, by the agreed date |
Which records does the Georgian specialist need?
A remote assessment is only as good as the material the doctor receives. Please send us:
- Discharge summaries and doctors' letters with the diagnosis, the treatment given and its outcome;
- Imaging reports and the images themselves: CT, MRI or other scan files in DICOM format, which the doctor opens in dedicated software; a screenshot will not do for this purpose;
- A histology report in the case of an oncological diagnosis;
- Recent laboratory test results with dates and units of measurement;
- A list of medicines with the active substance and dose, plus any allergies;
- Your questions for the doctor, worded as specifically as possible.
For large image files we send you a separate, secure upload link. If you do not yet have your records, ask the clinic where you had the tests. How to prepare the material and word your questions is described in detail in our second opinion guide.
How we handle language: translation at three stages
The language barrier comes up at three points in the second opinion process, and we plan for each in advance.
Records for the doctor
If your records are in a language the selected specialist does not read fluently, we translate them in writing into Georgian or English. Translating every page is rarely necessary: usually the discharge summaries, reports and histology are enough, and laboratory tables can often be read without translation. We confirm what needs translating once the doctor has been selected, so that you do not pay for more than you need. Translation is done by our medical translation service.
The video call
A medical interpreter takes part in the call, reads your records beforehand and conveys everything the doctor says in full, without shortening it. If you and the doctor both speak a common language fluently, no interpreter is needed. You can read more about the interpreter's role on the interpreter page.
The report for you
The doctor writes the report in the language they work in. We translate it into your language and give you both versions, so that you can also show the original to your own doctor. Our Medical glossary can also help you with medical terms.
Where does a remote assessment reach its limits?
- The report does not replace your treating doctor: it helps them and you, but decisions about treatment are made together.
- Prescribing a medicine, changing a dose or stopping treatment is not part of this service.
- If your records are incomplete, the doctor will say so in the report and may not answer some questions until the necessary tests have been done.
- The report is not a price quote and does not mean that any clinic will necessarily agree to treat you.
- This service is not for emergencies. If you have acute symptoms, contact your local emergency services immediately.
- If the specialist sees signs in your records that need urgent attention, we will tell you straight away so that you can see a doctor at home.
How the process works and how you receive the result
There are six steps from request to report. At each one you know who has your records and what happens next.
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Your question and records
You send us a short description and your files through the form. We check what is missing and send you a list if anything needs adding.
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Selecting the specialist
From doctors working at licensed clinics in Georgia we select one in the specialty that matches your condition. We tell you their name, specialty and place of work, and whether their clinic could go on to treat you.
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Consent and price
You confirm the doctor, the format and the fee in writing. Only then are your records passed to the doctor; health data is a specially protected category under the law, and we do not use it for any other purpose.
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Review or call
The doctor studies your records. For a video consultation we schedule the call at a time that suits you, with an interpreter. The conversation can be recorded only with the consent of everyone taking part.
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Written report
You receive the doctor's report in the original language together with a translation, by email or another agreed channel. The report shows which material the doctor relied on, what they are answering and what remains unanswered.
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You decide the next step
You show the report to your doctor. If you decide to go ahead with treatment in Georgia, the report becomes the basis for choosing a clinic, and your travel and stay in Georgia are arranged by a personal coordinator.
The price depends on the specialty and format and is agreed in writing before any work begins; translation of the records and the report is shown as a separate line. How long we keep uploaded records after the report is delivered is set out in the agreement. The whole service is described on the Treatment in Georgia page.
Frequently asked questions about second opinions and video consultations
Is a video consultation the same as an ordinary appointment?
No. In a video consultation the doctor talks to you and reviews your records, but cannot examine you physically or run any tests. So their answer is an opinion based on the available material, not a diagnosis. For many questions, such as discussing treatment options or whether further tests are needed, that is entirely sufficient. If the doctor feels that no answer is possible without an in-person examination, they will tell you so openly.
Can the Georgian specialist prescribe medicine or write me a prescription?
Not as part of this service. A remote assessment helps you understand your condition and treatment options better, but prescribing or changing medicines is the job of your treating doctor, who monitors your condition in person and is responsible for the outcome. If the doctor mentions a medicine or a test in the report, that is material for your own doctor to consider, not a prescription. A Georgian doctor will only prescribe for you after examining you in person in Georgia.
What happens if the specialist decides I do not need to travel?
We will tell you so plainly, and that is just as useful an outcome as any other. Sometimes it turns out that treatment is possible in your own country, that further tests are needed first, or that watchful waiting is more sensible than surgery. In that case you save the cost and time of travelling. The price of the second opinion stays the same and does not depend on whether you come to Georgia. What matters to us is that your decision rests on complete information.
Can my own doctor join the video call?
Yes, if both your doctor and the Georgian specialist agree. Such a conversation is often very effective: two doctors discuss the tests and treatment options directly, while you listen and ask questions. A time has to be found that suits different time zones, and sometimes an interpreter is also needed if the doctors do not share a language. When planning the call, we send both doctors the same records and your questions in advance.
How are my medical records protected?
Under Georgian law, health data is a special category of personal data. We pass your records only to the specialist and, where needed, the interpreter or translator whom you have confirmed, and we do not use them for any other purpose. We receive large files through a secure link rather than ordinary email. How long we keep the material after the report is delivered is set out in the agreement, and you can ask for it to be deleted sooner. Personal data protection in Georgia is supervised by the State Audit Office.
Useful after the assessment
- Clinic selection and quotes Prices from licensed clinics, an item-by-item comparison and a permit check.
- Medical interpreter Interpreting at consultations, on video calls and during clinic visits.
- Translation of imaging reports Written translation of CT, MRI and other imaging reports for the reviewing doctor.
Answers first, travel second
Tell us what question you have for the doctor. We will select a suitable specialist and confirm the format and price before your records are passed to anyone.