How concerned do I need to be about diagnostic errors?

The medical community here in the U.S. was rocked by the recent publication of an eye-opening report in the BMJ, formerly known as the British Medical Journal, which made some altogether astonishing findings concerning our nation's rate of preventable medical errors.

Specifically, researchers at Johns Hopkins University found that preventable medical errors claim upwards of 251,000 lives per year in the U.S. Breaking these numbers down further, they determined that this amounts to 700 deaths per day and 9.5 percent of annual fatalities, good for the third leading cause of death, and trailing only heart disease and cancer.

According to the study, these preventable medical errors included everything from communication breakdowns during shift changes and the exercise of poor judgment to simple medical negligence and, of course, diagnostic errors.

Interestingly enough, the issue of diagnostic errors was recently at the center of another groundbreaking study performed by the Institute of Medicine, the health division of the National Academy of Sciences, just last year.

What exactly did the IOM's report on diagnostic errors determine?

IOM researchers concluded that the majority of Americans who go to see a doctor in virtually any setting -- from a hospital to a doctor's office -- will receive either a delayed diagnosis or an incorrect diagnosis at least once in their lives.

While the researchers were unable to determine just how many diagnostic errors occur, they did cite at least one estimate, which theorized that as many as 12 million people per year --- roughly 5 percent of all adult patients seeking outpatient care -- are victimized by diagnostic errors.

Why do diagnostic errors occur?

In their study, the IOM researchers identified a multitude of reasons as to why diagnostic errors occur, starting with the absence of a reliable, uniform communication framework between physicians. Similarly, they pointed out how the system is structured in such a way that physicians do not receive feedback from patients regarding the accuracy of any diagnoses made.

The reasons behind this non-communication, they posited, may have something to do with healthcare networks discouraging transparency and/or the admission of errors out of fear of legal exposure, as well as simple egotism, in that physicians often don't like to be told they were wrong by patients or peers.

It's worth noting that the report also identified now-ubiquitous electronic medical record systems as potentially contributing to the problem of diagnostic errors, as physicians may not find them to be the most user-friendly.

How can diagnostic errors be prevented?

The IOM researchers concluded that the incidence of diagnostic errors can be greatly reduced by 1) introducing systems designed to better identify both delayed diagnoses and misdiagnoses, 2) adopting a non-punitive culture designed to help foster learning, not punishment, in the event of diagnostic errors, and 3) empowering frontline workers (nurses, lab workers, medical assistants, etc.) to alert physicians to possible problems.

How can patients protect themselves from diagnostic errors?

Some relatively simple steps that experts say patients can take to mitigate the danger of diagnostic errors include:

· Ensuring that all information about the symptoms and the illness shared with the physician is as accurate and complete as possible

· Maintaining records to take to every appointment, including information on medications, referrals, test results, hospital admissions and, if applicable, all treatments for a given condition and the degree of success

· Asking the necessary questions about what the underlying issue (including any and all causes), test results and follow-ups

Above all else, it's important for people to understand that they do have options in the event that a diagnostic error has caused them or their loved one unimaginable harm. Indeed, a skilled legal professional can outline these options and pursue justice on their behalf.