Avoiding Failure-to-Diagnose Suits
Failure to diagnose a patient's condition is a common ground for medical-malpractice lawsuits. According to a 2006 study on delay and failure to diagnose ("Missed and Delayed Diagnoses in the Ambulatory Setting: A Study of Closed Malpractice Claims"), diagnostic errors that cause harm patients are usually the result of multiple breakdowns both by individuals and the system.. The article concluded that "An awareness of the most common types of breakdowns and factors could help efforts to identify and prioritize strategies to prevent diagnostic errors." This CME activity explores the most common areas of potential risk and several strategies for avoiding failure to diagnose suits.
Learning Objectives
- Explain the scope of failure-to-diagnose litigation.
- Describe some causes of failure-to-diagnose lawsuits
- Explore actions that providers may utilize to reduce failure-to-diagnose claims against them.
Course Fees
MMS Member Physicians: $12
Nonmember Physicians: $22
Allied Health Professionals: $9.60
Format: Text
CME Credit: 1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™, risk management study
