Hearing the words "you have cancer" is overwhelming—and deciding what to do next can feel just as daunting. Yet, despite how critical the next steps are, research shows that 84% of people diagnosed with cancer don’t seek a second opinion. That’s surprising, especially considering the significant impact they can make. In one study, a second opinion changed the diagnosis or treatment plan in up to 43% of breast cancer cases, for example.
At AccessHope, we make it easier for employees and their loved ones to access world-class cancer expertise without leaving their trusted local oncologist. Through remote connections to expertise from subspecialists from National Cancer Institute (NCI)–Designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers (NCI-Designated CCCs), our services help ensure that every patient has the most up-to-date, effective care plan. In fact, our experts recommend improvements to treatment plans in more than 90% of the cases we review.
We sat down with Dr. Yousuf Zafar, an oncologist and AccessHope’s chief medical officer, to get his take on the value of second opinions, what makes AccessHope unique, and how the process works.
Q: Is AccessHope just another second opinion service—or is it something more?
Dr. Zafar: AccessHope goes beyond a traditional second opinion. Yes, we review your case and make recommendations, but we also work directly with your local oncologist. It’s a collaborative approach. Our subspecialists offer more than a review of the cancer treatment—they focus on the entire care continuum including symptom management, palliative care, and diagnostics.
Q. What can someone expect from the remote case review process from AccessHope?
Dr. Zafar: It’s designed to be simple for the patient. Once someone is diagnosed with cancer, they can reach out to AccessHope by phone or an online appointment to initiate what we call an Expert Advisory Review. Next, one of our cancer subspecialists reviews their medical records and treatment plan. Recommendations are sent from one of our cancer subspecialists in a comprehensive clinical report to the member's treating oncologist. The treating oncologist may then apply the recommendations as appropriate for their patient to deliver optimal care. The member will also have access to our Cancer Support Team for ongoing support from diagnosis to treatment and survivorship.
Q. Does every member with cancer need a second opinion? When is it most useful?
Dr. Zafar: Second opinions are valuable for any patient and especially valuable when the path forward isn’t clear. With the many approved treatment options available for oncologists today, a nuanced understanding of evidence can help narrow down those options. We regularly see that even patients with early-stage cancers have seen meaningful improvements to care through our expert opinion service. So, while not every case may require a second opinion, almost every patient can benefit from one.
Q. How are the reviews initiated? How does AccessHope determine which members with cancer should receive a case review?
Dr. Zafar: Members can request a review themselves, but we also use a machine learning model guided by our clinical team to proactively identify which cases are most likely to benefit. The goal is to provide consultation early when it can make the biggest difference in quality of care.
Q. Why is access to subspecialist cancer expertise such a game changer in cancer care?
Dr. Zafar: Cancer research and treatment guidelines are moving at a rapid pace – so fast that oncologists struggle to keep up. Most new discoveries come from large academic institutions, where subspecialists only treat one type of cancer. According to a population-based study, five-year survival rates for patients who start their treatment at these NCI-Designated CCCs are 30-70% higher than patients who start treatment at a non-NCI comprehensive cancer treatment facility. Yet, there’s a huge gap in connecting patients to the expertise of subspecialists, and that’s a big part of what we do at AccessHope. Having a second opinion ensures that the entirety of a patient’s care is reviewed at a major cancer center. This review can also open the door to get a patient enrolled in a clinical trial that they may not have otherwise known was available.
Q. Will this create more work or require travel for the member?
Dr. Zafar: Not at all. That’s a big difference between AccessHope and some other second opinion services. We handle the logistics: collecting medical records, coordinating the review, even communicating with the treating doctor. There is no travel or extra burden on the patient since everything happens remotely.
Q: Are there any additional costs involved?
Dr. Zafar: None. If AccessHope is offered through an employer, the service is fully covered. Members don’t pay anything out-of-pocket for the review.
Q. How does AH measure the real-world impact of its expert cancer case reviews?
Dr. Zafar: AccessHope recently conducted a study that reviewed claims data to validate the clinical impact of its expert cancer reviews and found that 75% of the time those recommendations were implemented in clinical care—meaning our recommendations are getting to the patients and their oncologists. The analysis demonstrates how effectively AccessHope’s remote case reviews are implemented across a diverse set of member cases.
Community oncologists, who treat over 80% of cancer patients in the U.S., face the ongoing challenge of keeping up with the rapid advancements in medical knowledge, and AccessHope is playing a critical part in bridging what amounts to a knowledge gap in cancer.
