Contact email
gschiff@partners.org
Overview
This study uses data from 2155 diagnostic error closed malpractice claims in outpatient general medicine to conclude that missed diagnoses of cancer often involve routine screening examinations of delays in testing or referral. They suggest that more reliable closed-loop systems for diagnostic testing and referrals are crucial for reducing these errors.
Department
Medicine
Division
General Internal Medicine
Collaborators
Emily L. Aaronson MD, MPH
Gene R. Quinn MD, MS, MPH
Chris I. Wong MD, MPH
Ann Marie Murray MD, MPH
Carter R. Petty MA
Jonathan Einbinder MD, MPH
Gordon D. Schiff MD
Status/Stage of Development
Completed
Measurement
Diagnostic error closed malpractice claims
Results
-Missed cancer diagnoses represented 46% of primary care diagnostic errors
-76% of errors reflected errors in clinical judgement including a failure or delay in ordering a diagnostic test or failure or delay in obtaining a consult of referral
-These factors were independently associated with higher-severity patient harm
-85% of these errors were of high severity
Sources
1. Aaronson EL, Quinn GR, Wong CI, et al. Missed diagnosis of cancer in primary care: Insights from malpractice claims data. J Healthc Risk Manag. 2019;39(2):19-29. doi:10.1002/jhrm.21385
