New York health care providers are among those who must contend with the implications of misdiagnosis. The issue is significant, and according to experts, solutions are slow in coming. The areas affected have remained consistent since the term and definition for misdiagnosis were coined in 2005. Diagnostic errors tend to be particularly common for cancer and cardiovascular issues as well as for infections. Some of the most common failure to diagnose issues include bowel perforation, pulmonary embolism and myocardial infarction.

In as many as 20 percent of all cases, a patient may be misdiagnosed, incorrectly diagnosed or not diagnosed with a condition in a timely manner. In these cases, the consequences for the patient can be severe and might result in permanent injury or death in worst-case scenarios. A study of autopsy and malpractice data by the Internet Journal of Family Practice found that there were several illnesses that were the most commonly misdiagnosed.