Diagnosis errors are costly, they proved that they are the costliest mistakes in the healthcare system

BMJ Qual Saf doi:10.1136/bmjqs-2012-001550

• Original research

25-Year summary of US malpractice claims for diagnostic errors 1986–2010: an analysis from the National Practitioner Data Bank

1. Ali S Saber Tehrani, 
2. HeeWon Lee, 
3. Simon C Mathews, 
4. Andrew Shore, 
5. Martin A Makary,
6. Peter J Pronovost, 
7. David E Newman-Toker

1. ¹Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
2. ²Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
3. ³Department of Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
4. ⁴Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA

1. Correspondence toDr David E. Newman-Toker, Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Meyer 8-154; 600 North Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA; toker@jhu.edu

• Received 27 September 2012
• Revised 22 February 2013
• Accepted 25 February 2013
• Published Online First 22 April 2013

Abstract

Background We sought to characterise the frequency, health outcomes and economic consequences of diagnostic errors in the USA through analysis of closed, paid malpractice claims.

Methods We analysed diagnosis-related claims from the National Practitioner Data Bank (1986–2010). We describe error type, outcome severity and payments (in 2011 US dollars), comparing diagnostic errors to other malpractice allegation groups and inpatient to outpatient within diagnostic errors.

Results 

Conclusions Among malpractice claims, diagnostic errors appear to be the most common, most costly and most dangerous of medical mistakes. We found roughly equal numbers of lethal and non-lethal errors in our analysis, suggesting that the public health burden of diagnostic errors could be twice that previously estimated. Healthcare stakeholders should consider diagnostic safety a critical health policy issue.

http://qualitysafety.bmj.com/content/early/2013/03/27/bmjqs-2012-001550.abstract

http://www.medpagetoday.com/HospitalBasedMedicine/GeneralHospitalPractice/38620?xid=nl_mpt_guptaguide_2013-04-22&utm_source=guptaguide&utm_medium=email&utm_content=mpt&utm_campaign=04|22|2013&userid=432148&eun=g5529932d10r&email=guyandrepelouze@gmail.com&mu_id=5529932