One of the biggest challenges in healthcare in the U.S. and beyond is diagnostic errors. Every year, a concerning number of Americans are harmed because of an error related to diagnosis. These errors are preventable, yet they keep happening.
The primary classifications of diagnostic errors in healthcare are:
Missed diagnosis
This error occurs when a patient’s condition is not detected entirely. A doctor fails to diagnose the patient. For example, when a patient with a respiratory infection is told it’s a seasonal allergy that will naturally clear up.
Misdiagnosis
A misdiagnosis is when a diagnosis is made, but of the wrong condition. A doctor incorrectly identifies a condition, resulting in a patient receiving unnecessary treatment, while the correct disease continues to progress.
Some diseases are more commonly misdiagnosed because they have overlapping symptoms. A heart attack is commonly mistaken for an anxiety attack, a stroke for vertigo, colorectal cancer for hemorrhoids, lymphoma for flu, sepsis for viral illness and so on.
Delayed diagnosis
When a doctor eventually makes a correct diagnosis, but only after a harmful amount of time has passed, the error is called delayed diagnosis. It typically leads to a worsening of the condition.
Causes of diagnostic errors
These three diagnostic errors can happen because of:
- Understaffing, which results in doctors rushing appointments
- Cognitive bias – Systematic thinking errors that doctors make when processing information
- Failing to order appropriate tests
- Communication breakdown – A patient’s vital information getting lost when they are transferred between healthcare providers, or a doctor failing to communicate a diagnosis to a patient
Healthcare systems have several strategies for curbing these contributing factors. However, some doctors fail to follow them, increasing the risk of diagnostic errors.
Diagnostic errors allow a condition to worsen, lead to unnecessary treatments that may have harmful side effects and cause emotional and financial distress. If you have experienced this form of negligence, learn more to fight for your rights.
