Published in:
01-02-2012 | Editorials
A Follow-Up Report Card on Computer-Assisted Diagnosis—the Grade: C+
Authors:
Craig A. Umscheid, MD, MSCE, FACP, C. William Hanson, MD, III
Published in:
Journal of General Internal Medicine
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Issue 2/2012
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Excerpt
Diagnostic errors result in an estimated 40,000 to 80,000 US hospital deaths annually
1; they are the most common type of medical error cited in malpractice claims and result in the largest payouts
2; they lead to more patient readmissions than other types of errors
3; and autopsy studies confirm the ubiquity of missed diagnoses.
4 Although not all diagnostic errors result in harm, many do.
5 Typically these mistakes represent either cognitive errors, such as those resulting from a lack of knowledge, or communication errors, such as those resulting from poor handoffs and follow-up.
6,
7 Differential diagnosis (DDX) generators have the potential to assist in the former, while other types of clinical decision support can address the latter. …