A study published in BMJ Quality & Safety suggests that harmful diagnostic errors may be occurring in as many as 1 in every 14 hospital patients receiving general medical care. The errors are mostly preventable and new surveillance approaches are needed to avoid them. The study developed a structured case review process to evaluate diagnostic errors, impact, and severity of harm. Process failures were associated with diagnostic errors, including initial assessments, diagnostic testing, consultation, patient concerns, and history taking. The most common diagnoses associated with errors were heart failure, acute kidney failure, sepsis, and pneumonia. Integrating AI tools into workflows may help reduce diagnostic errors.
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Study suggests harmful diagnostic errors may occur in 1 in every 14 general medical hospital patients
