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If your physician suggests you need surgery, your first step is to seek a diagnostic evaluation with the experienced team at Murrieta Valley Surgery Associates. They always verify your diagnosis before recommending surgery and offer consultations if you want to learn more about your treatment choices or whether you need surgery. Call the office in Wildomar, Temecula, Hemet, and Corona, California, today or use online booking to schedule a diagnostic consultation for general, bariatric, or vascular surgery.
What is a diagnostic consultation, and who can request it?
A diagnostic consultation is a comprehensive evaluation to diagnose the cause of your symptoms, create a personalized treatment plan, and determine if you need general, vascular, or bariatric surgery.
You may request a diagnostic consultation as a new patient. You could also schedule a consultation if you want a second opinion about a diagnosis or treatment recommended by another physician.
Primary care physicians and medical specialists often refer you for a diagnostic consultation after they detect a problem that may need surgery.
What conditions need a diagnostic consultation?
The surgeons at Murrieta Valley Surgery Associates specialize in a wide range of health conditions, including:
Bariatric surgery includes several procedures that support weight loss and treat chronic conditions like diabetes.
General surgery treats conditions such as:
- Hernia repair
- Skin cancer
- Gallbladder conditions (cholecystitis and gallstones)
- Gastroesophageal reflux (GERD)
- Noncancerous breast conditions (cysts, fibroadenomas, and fibrocystic changes)
- Stomach conditions (cancer, ulcers, stomach dumping, and motility problems)
- Colon and rectal conditions (diverticulitis, cancer, obstructions, inflammatory bowel disease, and others)
Vascular surgery includes the following conditions:
- Carotid artery disease
- Peripheral artery disease
- Aneurysms
- Temporal (giant cell) arteritis
Their comprehensive vein care includes treatments for varicose veins and chronic venous stasis ulcers.
What should I expect during a diagnostic consultation?
Before your scheduled consultation, you sign forms allowing your current physician to send your medical records to Murrieta Valley Surgery Associates. You could also pick up copies of your records and bring them to the office.
Your Murrieta Valley Surgery Associates provider carefully reviews your medical history, including medical reports from existing doctors relevant to the problem they’re examining and the results of earlier lab tests and diagnostic imaging.
Your provider completes a physical exam and evaluates your risk factors. They may also want to order additional blood work or imaging, depending on the results of your evaluation and when your last tests were done.
At the end of your consultation, your provider discusses their results and your treatment options. If they recommend surgery, they explain why you need the procedure.
For patients seeking a second opinion, your provider may fine-tune your current treatment plan or recommend a new approach. They send a report to your current or referring physician to coordinate your care and ensure you can make an informed decision.
Call Murrieta Valley Surgery Associates today or use online booking to schedule a diagnostic consultation.