Q: How do I arrange for my slides to get to Vanderbilt (VUMC) for consultation?

A: Patients wishing to have their slides shipped to Vanderbilt should contact the originating pathology department and tell them you are requesting a second opinion from the Breast Consultation Service at Vanderbilt University (aka. David Page, MD and Associates). Request that they send the pathology slides and all reports corresponding to those slides. Also, ask them to include a face sheet of your demographics and billing information for billing purposes. The address to send the consults to is as follows:

David Page, MD
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Department of Pathology
C3321 Medical Center North
1161 21st Ave. South
Nashville, TN 37232-2561
615-343-0072 (Phone)
615-343-5137 (Fax)

Q: Does Vanderbilt bill a patient's insurance for services rendered?

A: In most cases, billing insurance is not a problem. Departmental policy requires us to verify all insurance before processing claims. Once verification is complete, if the insurance approves VUMC charges, the claim will be filed. If for any reason the insurance denies charges (aka. The insurance has no out of network benefits, etc.) then the charge would be directed to the person requesting the consult (the requesting physician or the patient). If the patient is requesting the consult, we must have written documentation that the patient is requesting the consult.

Q: How long does the process of getting a second opinion take?

A: Typically, the process does not take more than a couple of days, and in most cases, a report is generated within the day. Cases are processed immediately once we receive them in the office. The case must pass through several hands before a final report is generated, but if there are no problems with obtaining material that we need, and no special studies are required for a diagnosis, then a report is usually issued that same day or within 24 hours. If special studies are required for a diagnosis, depending on how long it takes to obtain the tissue blocks, it can take up to 3 to 4 days. This takes longer because more slides have to be made and processed in a totally different department.