Do you hate going to the doctor? If so, you are not alone. Countless numbers of people have a fear of the “white coats.” It is even more difficult to go to the doctor if you are have a real medical concern. But even though you may dread seeing your doctor—you go because you know his or her diagnosis, whether good news or bad, means at least you know for sure what the problem is, and can begin treatment, if necessary. Or, at least that is what should happen.
However, earlier this month, a report was released by the Institute of Medicine that included a warning that should have all Americans a little worried. According to the report, most Americans will experience at least one missed diagnosis in their lifetime. Furthermore, every year 12 million (or 5% of patients) are misdiagnosed.
What is a misdiagnosis?
There are three types of misdiagnosis. The first type is when a diagnosis is completely missed by the doctor. For example, the patient is told that he or she does not have a particular diagnosis, like cancer, when in fact he or she does have cancer and has key symptoms of same. Another type of misdiagnosis is when a diagnosis is delayed. This happens when despite a patient having an “abnormal” test result or a test indicative of a certain diagnosis but no diagnosis was made. The last type of misdiagnosis is when a physician makes a wrong diagnosis. For instance, a patient goes to the doctor for a lump in her breast and is told she has mastitis when in fact, she has breast cancer.
What are the most common missed diagnosis?
According to the report, the following diagnosis were most commonly missed, wrong or delayed: cancer, heart failure, kidney failure, pneumonia and urinary tract infections. This means that even common conditions can and are being missed by physicians. Unfortunately, there is not just one reason why these and other conditions are missed.
What, if anything, can a patient do to decrease his or her chances of a misdiagnosis?
While there is nothing a patient can do to completely prevent a misdiagnosis from happening to him or her, there are things patients can do to decrease their likelihood of a misdiagnosis, which include:
- Coming to the appointment prepared. Doctors are busy and a visit with your doctor can go quickly. To make sure your visit is complete, it is important to come prepared. Write down all of your questions and concerns before your appointment. That way you can refer to your list during your visit to make sure you did not miss anything.
- Being proactive. Remember that no news is not always good news. If you had any tests done, even for a routine visit, and did not receive the results, do not assume that the results were negative or not of concern. Always follow up with your doctor.
- Obtaining a second opinion. If you have symptoms that you feel your doctor is not giving proper heed to, it is often best to seek out a second opinion. It is important to trust your gut.
If you reason to believe that you or a loved one was the victim of medical malpractice it is important that to speak with an experienced Kansas City Medical Malpractice Attorney as soon as possible. To succeed in proving that your injury was caused by a hospital or a doctor’s error you need an attorney who has handled numerous malpractice cases. The Kansas City Medical Malpractice Attorneys at Hubbard & Kurtz, L.L.P., have the capability to fully investigate your case and make sure that you are fully compensated for your injuries. At Hubbard & Kurtz, L.L.P., you can trust our attorneys to provide you with the highest degree of legal services. Call our office today at (816) 472-4673 to schedule an initial consultation.