In 1995, of 120 doctors who had been suspended and investigated for incompetence by the study group of the Society of Clinical Psychiatrists, five were haematologists and 14 histopathologists. Only 16% of suspensions were proven justified at a tribunal. Two haematologists and three pathologists were reinstated, three haematologists and five pathologists accepted a settlement, four pathologists ...

Clinical laboratories play a vital role in patient care, but many diagnostic errors are associated with laboratory testing. The past decades have seen sustained improvements in analytical performances but the error rates, particularly in pre- and post-analytical phases is still high. Although the seminal concept of the brain-to-brain laboratory loop has been described more than four decades ago...

1. Vevers V. Obama says WH will remain smoke-free. http://www.cbsnews.com /blogs/2008/12/08/politics/politicalhotsheet/entry4654231.shtml. Accessed December 9, 2008. 2. Reinberg S. Cancer to surpass heart disease as world’s leading killer. washingtonpost .com Web page. December 9, 2008. http://www.washingtonpost.com /wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/09/AR2008120901814.html. Accessed December 10, ...

ized. But information and knowl­ edge do not equal wisdom, and it is too easy for nonexperts to take at face value statements made confidently by voices of authority. Physicians are in the best position to weigh informa­ tion and advise patients, draw­ ing on their understanding of available evidence as well as their training and experience. If anything, the wealth of infor­ mation on the Inter...

While the frequency of laboratory errors varies greatly, depending on the study design and steps of the total testing process (TTP) investigated, a series of papers published in the last two decades drew the attention of laboratory professionals to the pre- and post-analytical phases, which currently appear to be more vulnerable to errors than the analytical phase. In particular, a high frequen...

Echocardiography is considered the primary diagnostic tool for congenital heart diseases. The pediatric echocardiography diagnostic errors, consisting of false positive or discrepant diagnoses, picked up within a 2.5-year period in our pediatric echocardiography laboratory are presented herein. In this case report, the factors contributing to the diagnostic errors are categorized as cognitive s...

Background. Little is known about diagnostic errors for a disease worldwide. Such errors could alter the disease’s natural history, especially if unwarranted interventions cause irreversible harm. Fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP), a rare, autosomal dominant genetic disease characterized by episodes of permanent heterotopic ossification of soft tissues, occurs worldwide without racial...

Background: Therapeutic outcome of Wilson’s disease (WD) significantly depends upon its early recognition. However, because of its rarity in community and protean manifestations, the diagnosis and treatment are often delayed. Aim: To ascertain diagnostic errors at initial evaluation in these patients. Methods: Analysis of medical records of 307 patients of WD registered over 30 years was done r...