One in 14 Hospitalized Patients Face Harmful Diagnostic Errors
THURSDAY, Oct. 3, 2024 -- Harmful diagnostic errors (DEs) occur in an estimated one of every 14 hospitalized general medicine patients, according to a study published online Oct. 1 in BMJ Quality & Safety.
Anuj K. Dalal, M.D., from Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, and colleagues assessed the prevalence of harmful DEs among hospitalized patients. The analysis included electronic medical record reviews for a random sampling of 675 patients with a transfer to the intensive care unit (ICU), death within 90 days, complex clinical events, and none of the high-risk criteria.
The researchers found that population estimates of harmful, preventable, and severely harmful DEs were 7.2 percent for ICU transfers, 6.1 percent for death within 90 days, and 1.1 percent for complex clinical events. More than six in 10 harmful DEs were characterized as delays (61.9 percent). In high-risk cases, severely harmful DEs were frequent (55.1 percent). Process failures in assessment, diagnostic testing, subspecialty consultation, patient experience, and history were significantly associated with harmful DEs.
"Patient safety research and institutional quality and safety programs should consider structured case reviews and novel approaches for improving detection of adverse DEs for hospitalized patients," the authors write.
Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Read this next
Drop in Hospital Salaries, Staffing Reported After Private Equity Acquisitions
FRIDAY, Sept. 26, 2025 -- U.S. hospitals that undergo private equity acquisition may reduce salaries and staffing after acquisition, especially in emergency departments (EDs) and...
Poor Mental Health Outcomes More Likely With Hyperemesis Gravidarum
FRIDAY, Sept. 26, 2025 -- Hyperemesis gravidarum is associated with an increased risk for poorer mental health outcomes compared with pregnancy without hyperemesis gravidarum...
Personal Storytelling During Medical Training Aids Learning
THURSDAY, Sept. 25, 2025 -- A student-led program in which medical students share their own personal stories with illness during a preclinical curriculum enhances learning...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.