Patient Misdiagnoses Lead to Deaths, Disabilities

Misdiagnosis – including missed, delayed, and wrong diagnoses – leads to an estimated 371,000 deaths and 424,000 permanent disabilities in the U.S. each year, according to a 2021 study.

To address the problem, the Centers for Disease Control and two agencies released last year a diagnostic error “toolkit” for hospital leaders and health care personnel. It also contains a section for patients, families, and caregivers. Indeed, patient engagement is crucial to a correct diagnosis.

Error Toolkit Guidance for Patients

 The CDC’s toolkit offers the following tips:

• Know the names of the attending doctor and the nurses caring for you in the hospital and their contact information.
• Have online access to your electronic health record and patient portal.
• Make sure your medical and medication history is up to date.
• Create and use an electronic folder or notebook to keep track of test results and conversations.
• Before visiting a doctor or hospital, write a short summary of your symptoms and medical history. This gives busy doctors more time to consider a diagnosis rather than gathering information. 

Before a test is ordered, ask why it’s needed, who is scheduling it, when it will be completed, and how you should prepare. Also, get detailed information about future tests and treatments.

Speak Up for Yourself

Make sure the doctor is willing to explain their diagnostic reasoning to you – no matter how busy they are. And, don’t assume the diagnosis is correct. If you call the doctor and say, “I’m not getting better. Are you sure we have the right diagnosis?”, that should cause them to pause and rethink.

Don’t be afraid you’ll hurt the doctor’s feelings. Patients are the one constant in the process, experts say. Patients can shine a light on things that may not be visible to health care workers.