BACKGROUND Because of the difficulties inherent in diagnosis in primary care, it is inevitable that diagnostic errors will occur. However, despite the important consequences associated with diagnostic errors and their estimated high prevalence, teaching and research on diagnostic error is a neglected area. AIM To ascertain the key learning points from GPs' experiences of diagnostic errors and...

BACKGROUND Despite an increasing emphasis on patient safety on the part of healthcare systems worldwide, diagnostic error remains common. Errors frequently result in significant clinical consequences and persist despite remarkable advances in diagnostic technology. Most medical students and physician trainees receive little instruction regarding both the root causes of diagnostic errors and how...

ObjectiveTo develop a diagnostic error index (DEI) aimed at providing practical method to identify and measure serious errors.Study designA quality improvement (QI) study quaternary pediatric medical center. Five well-defined domains identified cases of potential errors. Identified underwent an adjudication process by multidisciplinary QI team determine if occurred. Confirmed errors were then a...

BACKGROUND Diagnostic errors are the leading basis for malpractice claims in primary care, yet these errors are underidentified and understudied. Computerized methods used to screen for other types of errors (eg, medication related) have not been applied to diagnostic errors. Our objectives were to assess the feasibility of computerized screening to identify diagnostic errors in primary care an...

BACKGROUND The frequency of outpatient diagnostic errors is challenging to determine due to varying error definitions and the need to review data across multiple providers and care settings over time. We estimated the frequency of diagnostic errors in the US adult population by synthesising data from three previous studies of clinic-based populations that used conceptually similar definitions o...

OBJECTIVES To describe the diagnostic errors occurring in a busy district general hospital accident and emergency (A&E) department over four years. METHOD All diagnostic errors discovered by or notified to one A&E consultant were noted on a computerised database. RESULTS 953 diagnostic errors were noted in 934 patients. Altogether 79.7% were missed fractures. The most common reasons for err...