Misdiagnosis Is More Common Than the Headlines Suggest
If you have been following the news, you may have heard that
Christina
Applegate says she was misdiagnosed with multiple sclerosis. The most
startling part of the story may not be the misdiagnosis itself, but the fact
that it became news.
Research suggests that as many as 795,000
people in the United States die or are permanently disabled each year because
of diagnostic errors. Many others, like Applegate, survive, but their lives
may still be affected—and sometimes changed forever.
We need to speak openly about misdiagnosis—about mistakes in
health care—so that patients, families, and health care professionals can learn
from them. The misdiagnosis that contributed to my son’s death more than 30
years ago might have been less painful if someone had wanted to learn from the error.
A willingness to examine what went wrong cannot undo the harm, but it can help
prevent another family from experiencing it.
Misdiagnosis Takes Many Forms
A medication reaction may be mistaken for a new medical
condition. An infection may not be taken seriously enough to receive
appropriate treatment. A person may be told not to worry about a mole, lump, or
skin irritation that later turns out to be cancer. Each of these situations may
involve a diagnostic error, and sharing such experiences can help others recognize
risks, ask questions, and learn.
Like many others, I wish Christina Applegate well and hope
she uses her voice to promote patient safety education and awareness.
Learning begins with honest conversation. For more information,
visit the Pulse Center for Patient Safety Education & Advocacy’s misdiagnosis
resource page. Additional statistics are available on its One Is a Number
page.
Ilene Corina, BCPA
