According to a new study conducted by researchers at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, approximately one in three cases of misdiagnoses or delayed diagnoses results in the patient sustaining a serious injury or dying. Furthermore, an inaccurate diagnosis is the leading cause of serious medical errors.
About the Study
The study analyzed an excess of 55,000 malpractice claims recorded in the Comparative Benchmarking System database.
Study Findings
Researchers found that approximately three-quarters of diagnostic errors were based on errors involving diagnoses or a lack of diagnoses in cancer, vascular events and infection, with cancer representing 37.8 percent of these cases, 22.8 percent being attributed to vascular problems and another 13.5 percent linked to infection. The most common misdiagnosed vascular problem was a stroke, the top misdiagnosed cancer was lung cancer, and the most common misdiagnosed infection was sepsis.
Other Disturbing Medical Facts
Every year, between 40,000 to 80,000 fatalities occur in the United States die in hospitals throughout the country because of misdiagnosis. Additionally, 12 million Americans receive a misdiagnosis in a primary care setting, of which one-third result in serious or permanent damage or death. These severe cases have resulted in nearly $2 billion in malpractice claim settlements or verdicts over the last decade.
Doctors often try to hide these negative experiences by moving to solo practice. Children are at particular risk for misdiagnosis, particularly because they are often able to communicate about the full extent of their symptoms. Misdiagnosis is the leading cause for pediatric medical malpractice lawsuits.
More specific findings of the study include the following:
- Medical malpractice misdiagnosis claims were highest for infection, followed by vascular problems and then cancer
- Diagnostic errors were the most common, serious and expensive of medical errors in medical malpractice claims that were closed
- More than 85 percent of misdiagnosis were due to clinical judgment failures
- More than 80 percent of misdiagnosed cancer cases were due to clinical judgment failures
- About 7 out of 10 of the cases happened in ambulatory settings, such as emergency departments or outpatient clinics
- More than 50 percent of the cases analyzed involved general care physicians, followed closely by specialists, general surgery and diagnostic service providers
Impact of the Study
The study revealed that there is much room for improvement of diagnostic accuracy and prompt diagnosis. Additionally, it indicates that cancer, vascular events and infections are the leading causes of misdiagnoses, so more attention should be given to these particular medical conditions. Concentrating on these three areas can have a significant impact on reducing the harm that is the result of misdiagnoses.
The researchers behind the study opined that improving diagnosis is a system wide burden that is not borne only of the physicians. Quality improvement efforts should be based on interventions in those settings where the harm actually occur, according to researchers. This would include the emergency department for strokes, lung cancer in primary care and sepsis in the hospital.
Legal Help for Misdiagnosis
If your medical condition was misdiagnosed, you may be able to pursue a claim against the medical provider or facility responsible for your misdiagnosis. When a doctor does not properly diagnose you, ou may not receive treatment that you need or you may be subjected to unnecessary treatment. An experienced medical malpractice lawyer can discuss your rights during a free consultation. Contact our knowledgeable medical malpractice lawyers for a free, no-obligation case review.
