How Common Are Misdiagnoses? Study Finds 7.4 Million A Year In US ERs
While rare in the 130 million annual visits to the U.S. emergency departments, the study by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality estimates that diagnostic errors end in death for as many as 250,000 patients, while another 370,000 suffer serious harm.
The New York Times:
E.R. Doctors Misdiagnose Patients With Unusual Symptoms
As many as 250,000 people die every year because they are misdiagnosed in the emergency room, with doctors failing to identify serious medical conditions like stroke, sepsis and pneumonia, according to a new analysis from the federal government. The study, released Thursday by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, estimates roughly 7.4 million people are inaccurately diagnosed of the 130 million annual visits to hospital emergency departments in the United States. Some 370,000 patients may suffer serious harm as a result. (Abelson, 12/15)
CNN:
More Than 7 Million Incorrect Diagnoses Made In US Emergency Rooms Every Year, Government Report Finds
A new study finds that nearly 6% of the estimated 130 million people who go to US emergency rooms every year are misdiagnosed, which translates to about 1 in 18 patients getting the wrong diagnosis. ... Stroke was missed 17% of the time, often because people reported symptoms of dizziness and vertigo. When they entered the ER, 40% of patients who had those two symptoms had their stroke missed initially. (Kounang, 12/15)
In related news —
USA Today:
Iowa Man Awarded $27 Million After Meningitis Misdiagnosed For Flu
A Des Moines man has been awarded $27 million in damages after a local urgent care clinic failed to diagnose him with a serious meningitis infection that ultimately resulted in permanent brain damage. The now-53-year-old Joseph Dudley still wrestles with the physical and mental limitations following his 2017 illness, which his wife says affects his ability to have an active role in his young children's lives. (Ramm, 11/22)
People:
Jake Tapper Says His Daughter 'Almost Died' After Being Misdiagnosed
Jake Tapper revealed his 15-year-old daughter Alice had been near-fatally misdiagnosed around Thanksgiving last year. In both an opinion piece written by Alice and a short segment on CNN, the family shared the tumultuous days after Alice's appendicitis misdiagnosis and discussed spreading awareness about the issue, which happens more often than people think. (Speakman, 12/15)
