(WXYZ) — In today’s Health Alert, a new study suggests that 1 in 14 hospital patients may fall victim to harmful diagnostic mistakes, and most of these errors could have been prevented.
My family experienced something similar years ago when my dad was in the hospital. A nurse almost gave him a shot that could have caused serious harm if I had not been there to intervene.
This study was published in BMJ Quality & Safety found that 85% of the errors could have been avoided. Researchers randomly selected 675 patient cases from a Boston hospital between 2019 and 2021. They discovered diagnostic errors in 160 cases involving 154 patients.
Here’s where the highest number of diagnostic errors happened:
- 54 were in transfers to the intensive care unit
- 52 involved patients with complex medical issues
- 34 involved patients who died within 90 days
Harmful diagnostic errors were identified in 84 cases involving 82 patients.
Among these:
- 28.5% occurred in intensive care transfers
- 13% involved patients who died within 90 days
- 8% occurred in patients with complex medical issues
- 6% involved low-risk patients
As for what were the most common errors, they involved heart and kidney failure, sepsis, pneumonia, respiratory failure, altered mental state, stomach pain, and low blood oxygen levels. Older, non-Hispanic white patients on public insurance were at the highest risk for preventable diagnostic errors.
But keep in mind, this was one observational study of patients receiving general medical care at one hospital, so we should interpret the results with caution.
If that one hospital is any indication, up to 7% of patients nationally could be affected by diagnostic errors. What can patients do to help prevent them?
Patients can certainly help prevent hospital diagnostic errors. Here’s how:
- Share your full medical history: Make sure to tell your doctor about any medications, past diagnoses, and family health conditions.
- Keep copies of your medical records and check for any mistakes. If something doesn’t look right, make sure to get it corrected.
- Ask questions: If something doesn’t seem right, ask for an explanation or more tests.
- Track your symptoms: Keep a detailed record of when symptoms start, how they change, and what makes them better or worse.
- Get a second opinion: If you’re unsure about a diagnosis, ask another doctor for their perspective.
- Double-check test results: Always follow up on your results and make sure you understand what they mean.
Being involved and proactive can help reduce the risk of errors. However, it’s also important for hospitals to step up their monitoring. Researchers suggest that using AI tools could improve oversight and trigger timely interventions to minimize these errors.
This week's Dr. Nandi Show:
Dr. Partha Nandi, MD, explores the harsh realities of living in poverty and its profound effects on those impacted. He sits down with key figures from Detroit’s Habitat for Humanity, Covenant House, and Matrix Human Services. Together they shed light on the challenges of poverty, discuss available programs, and offer actionable ways to make a difference in your community. Tune in this Sunday, October 10th at 1PM
