{
  "abstract": "Second opinions (SOs) are increasingly sought in medicine at a time when information is easily available and tailor-made treatment plans can differ between physicians. SOs can serve many objectives and can be done in many ways. A wider range of treatment options can be explored than those readily available at the primary centre of care. The therapeutic consequences can be weighed differently, or the care may be taken over altogether, sometimes transferring the patient many miles from home. SOs can be a daunting, even intimidating process and make the medical team feel exposed and insecure. Although the aim can be to enable or find a consensus, an unregulated or inaccurate SO process can lead to unwarranted situations, negatively affecting patients, caregivers and staff.1 Recommendations for SOs in paediatrics underline the importance of bedside examinations and face-to-face parental meetings, and also to build a network of trusted professionals and ensure timely planning.1 2 In paediatric critical care, circumstances can be especially tense and challenging as time is pressing and vulnerable situations may result in families and healthcare teams disagreeing on matters of life and death. In the Netherlands, we have attempted to restructure this delicate process and convert it into a useful and positive aid in the management of complex issues arising in the paediatric intensive care unit (PICU).",
  "authors": [
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Paediatric Intensive Care, University Hospital Antwerp, Edegem, Belgium"
      ],
      "name": "Eva van Zanten"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Paediatric Intensive Care, Amsterdam University Medical Centres, Amsterdam, The Netherlands"
      ],
      "name": "Marc van Heerde"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Paediatric Intensive Care, Amsterdam University Medical Centres, Amsterdam, The Netherlands"
      ],
      "name": "Berber Kapitein"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Second opinions in the paediatric intensive care unit: a challenging opportunity",
  "uid": "39947af3-2625-5795-8ed2-34ba6fd43a18"
}