Study Finds Misdiagnoses Affect 10 To 20 Percent Of Medical Cases

In certain areas, including the medical field, we must rely on the expertise of other individuals. Unfortunately, there are times when we put our trust in medical professionals who fail to provide the proper care. Reportedly, one of the more common errors made by physicians when treating patients is misdiagnosing the condition from which the patient is suffering.

Diagnostic errors occur in 10 to 20 percent of medical cases, meaning misdiagnoses affect more people than medication errors or surgeries performed on the wrong body part.

Not only are these dangerous errors more common than they should be, they also often result in serious consequences for the patient affected. In 2009, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality conducted a study to determine the frequency with which misdiagnoses led to severe side effects. The researchers examined 583 misdiagnoses. The results revealed that 28 percent of the diagnostic errors led to the patient suffering a permanent disability or the death of the patient.

In total, misdiagnoses result in about as many fatalities as breast cancer each year – 40,500 – according to a study published in BMJ Quality and Safety. Tragically, despite the high number of fatalities caused by diagnostic errors, most physicians feel these errors are preventable. In 2011, 96 percent of over 6,000 doctors surveyed indicated they believed misdiagnoses were avoidable.