When measuring is more important than measurement: The importance of measuring diagnostic errors in health care

Diagnostic errors are unacceptably prevalent and harmful, [1,2] yet they have received little attention in the field of patient safety.[3] Reasons for this are the lack of widespread awareness of the problem, the myriad and complex factors leading to diagnostic error, and the lack of clearly defined and generalizable measurement strategies for assessment of the diagnostic process and its outcomes.[4] Furthermore, the diagnostic process reflects one of the core tasks of physicians, making diagnostic errors a sensitive topic to discuss, requiring an open, non-punitive safety culture.[5]

Source: The Journal of Pediatrics - December 31, 2020 Category: Pediatrics Authors: Laura Zwaan, Andrew P.J. Olson Tags: Editorials Source Type: research