Good communication can prevent misdiagnosis

Misdiagnosis is a very common medical problem in New York hospitals, and it is a problem that can have fatal consequences. Every year, 5 percent of hospital patients in the U.S., roughly 12 million people, are misdiagnosed. This is a medical error that is more common than mistakes with prescription drugs.

Hospital staff may be able to prevent many misdiagnoses by practicing better communication skills. If a patient or a health care provider is not comfortable asking questions or talking about a health problem, the patient could end up being misdiagnosed. Doctors, nurses and other hospital staff also need to communicate clearly with each other if they notice a problem or have a question.

Part of communicating is listening, and doctors who are diagnosing patients need to be excellent listeners. Doctors should also work on their people skills so that they can encourage their patients to explain all of their symptoms and then understand what their patients are telling them. Patients can do their part to prevent misdiagnosis by knowing their own health history and speaking up about it when they go to the hospital with a new health problem.

Many problems can arise when a hospital patient goes home with a misdiagnosis.They may end up having an allergic reaction to prescription medication that was unnecessary while their actual health problem remains untreated. Not every doctor misdiagnosis constitutes negligence, however. There are some diseases that are rare, and many practitioners are unfamiliar with them. An attorney for a patient who has been harmed in this manner may want to meet with an attorney to see what recourse may be available.