Common Causes of Diagnosis Mistakes - Case Study Example

Diagnosis Mistakes - Diagnosis Mistakes Results to Health Detrimental Consequences - Table of Contents I. Introduction ……………………………………………………………….. 3 II. Thesis Statement ………………………………………………………… 3 III. Common Causes of Diagnosis Mistakes …………………………….. 3 IV. Negative Health Consequences of Diagnosis Mistakes ……………. 4 V. Conclusion ………………………………………………………………… 5 Appendix I – Rural Community Members’ Perceptions of Harm from Medical Mistakes: A High Plains Research Network (HPRN) Study. Journal American Board Family Medicine ……………………………………… 6 Appendix II – A String of Mistakes: The Importance of Cascade Analysis in Describing, Counting, and Preventing Medical Errors. Annals of Family Medicine ………………………………………………………. 6 Appendix III –Errors in Laboratory Medicine. Clinical Chemistry ………….. 7 Appendix IV – Diagnostic Error in Internal Medicine. Archives of Internal Medicine ………………………………………………………………………….. 7 References ………………………………………………………………………… 8 Introduction Despite the government, medical community and the health policy experts’ effort on improving the patients’ safety (Van Vorst et al., 2007), the number of diagnosis mistakes that occurs in the United States remains high up to the present time (BusinessWeek, 2008). As of 2006, a total of 238,337 patients had risked their lives from preventable deaths. Aside from risking the lives of the Americans caused by medical errors, this type of incidence resulted to spending as much as $8.8 billion worth of Medicare fund during the same year. (BusinessWeek, 2008) In general, diagnosis mistakes includes: (1) errors in screening the patients; (2) errors in diagnostic examination and testing; and (3) errors when interpreting the data. (Woolf et al., 2004) For this study, several academic journals will be gathered in order to determine the common causes of diagnosis mistakes and its negative health consequences. Thesis Statement “Diagnosis Mistakes Results to Health Detrimental Consequences” Common Causes of Diagnosis Mistakes Diagnosis mistake is not only caused by physicians’ misinterpretation of diagnosis results. The study of Bonini et al. (2002) clearly shows that laboratory errors caused by faulty or old laboratory equipments could also contribute to the degree of diagnosis errors. Miscommunication among the health care practitioners is also another common factor that increases the incidence of diagnosis mistakes. (Woolf et al., 2004) Basically, clinical system such as lack of teamwork and cognitive errors increases the incidence of diagnosis mistakes within the health care settings. (Graber, Franklin, & Gordon, 2005) Negative Health Consequences of Diagnosis Mistakes The survey study of Van Vorst et al. (2007) reveals that 60% out of 286 respondents had experienced facing the consequences of medical mistakes with roughly 59% of the victims were identified to be female patients and 50% were patients more than 55 years of age. Aside from causing a serious financial difficulty on the part of the victims, among the common health consequences of diagnosis mistakes includes: (1) physical pain; (2) physical impairment such as difficulty in moving; (3) physical discomfort; (4) emotional harm; (5) mental harm. (Van Vorst et al., 2007) Similar to the findings of Van Vorst et al. (2007), the study of Woolf et al. (2004) categorized the harm caused by medical errors into three categories known as: (1) physical injuries or physical health complications caused by errors during the reporting period; (2) erros with no reported immediate effect but increases the patient’s risk for complications after the reporting period; and (3) psychological or emotional injuries. Although the authors did not bother to quantify the degree of damages, other minor consequences that were mentioned includes: the lost time spent at the hospital or clinics, inconvenience, unnecessary medical expenditures. In line with the negative health detrimental effects of diagnostic errors, the study of Graber, Franklin, & Gordon (2005) reveals that out of one hundred cases of reported diagnostic errors, 90% of these cases involved serious injuries aside from the total of 33 death cases. Conclusion Diagnosis mistake is a serious medical negligence that needs to be prevented. Victims of diagnosis mistakes either suffer from physical, emotional or cognitive as well as serious financial difficulties. *** End *** Appendix I – Van Vorst, R. F., Araya-Guerra, R., Felzien, M., Fernald, D., Elder, N., Duclos, C., et al. (2007). Rural Community Members’ Perceptions of Harm from Medical Mistakes: A High Plains Research Network (HPRN) Study. Journal American Board Family Medicine , 20(2):135 - 143. The authors conducted a survey study to determine the community members’ understanding with regards to the types of harm caused by medical mistakes. In the process, the researchers used the community-based participatory research (CBPR) and distributed the anonymous survey throughout the local community newspapers. Using an open-ended questions with regards to the patients’ personal experiences with medical mistakes and its consequences, a total of 286 surveys shows that the common types of harm associated with medical mistakes includes emotional, financial, and physical harm or a combination of the three causing most of these patients to loss their trust on medical practitioners. Appendix II – Woolf, S. H., Kuzel, A. J., Dovey, S. M., & Phillips, R. L. (2004). A String of Mistakes: The Importance of Cascade Analysis in Describing, Counting, and Preventing Medical Errors. Annals of Family Medicine , 2(4):317 - 326. To identify the most common errors in medicine, the researchers gathered a total of eighteen US family physicians who are participating in a 6-country international study to examine a total of 75 anonymous error reports. In the process, participants were asked to examine and identify the most predominant proximal errors as well as its consequences on the part of the patients. By using cascade analysis in identifying physicians’ error reports, it is easier to understand the process wherein medical / diagnosis mistakes are likely to take place. Appendix III – Bonini, P., Plebani, M., Ceriotti, F., & Rubboli, F. (2002). Errors in Laboratory Medicine. Clinical Chemistry , 48(5):691 - 698. The authors conducted several Medline literature research and queries in order to determine the errors that may occur in the study of laboratory medicine as well as blood transfusion. As a result, the researchers were able to determine the distribution of errors that happens in a clinical laboratory during the pre- and post-analytical phases. Appendix IV – Graber, M. L., Franklin, N., & Gordon, R. (2005). Diagnostic Error in Internal Medicine. Archives of Internal Medicine , 165:1493 - 1499. The authors conducted a study with the purpose of determining the relative contribution of a system-related and impact of cognitive factors in the high incidence of diagnostic errors. As part of the study, the researcher gathered medical professionals to analyze the 100 cases of anonymous diagnostic errors. As a result, the authors were able to take note that 90% of these cases involve patients suffering from injuries aside from the 33 cases who were reported to have died from diagnostic errors. References: Bonini, P., Plebani, M., Ceriotti, F., & Rubboli, F. (2002). Errors in Laboratory Medicine. Clinical Chemistry , 48(5):691 - 698. BusinessWeek. (2008, April 9). Retrieved May 21, 2008, from Medical Errors Costing U.S. Billions Mistakes resulted in 238,337 preventable deaths from 2004-06, survey finds: http://www.businessweek.com/lifestyle/content/healthday/614317.html? Graber, M. L., Franklin, N., & Gordon, R. (2005). Diagnostic Error in Internal Medicine. Archives of Internal Medicine , 165:1493 - 1499. Van Vorst, R. F., Araya-Guerra, R., Felzien, M., Fernald, D., Elder, N., Duclos, C., et al. (2007). Rural Community Members’ Perceptions of Harm from Medical Mistakes: A High Plains Research Network (HPRN) Study. Journal American Board Family Medicine , 20(2):135 - 143. Woolf, S. H., Kuzel, A. J., Dovey, S. M., & Phillips, R. L. (2004). A String of Mistakes: The Importance of Cascade Analysis in Describing, Counting, and Preventing Medical Errors. Annals of Family Medicine , 2(4):317 - 326. Read More