Published in:
01-04-2022 | Emergency Medicine | IM-Point of view
Overdiagnosis in the emergency department: a sharper focus
Authors:
Marisa Vigna, Carina Vigna, Eddy S. Lang
Published in:
Internal and Emergency Medicine
|
Issue 3/2022
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Abstract
Overdiagnosis occurs when a person’s symptoms or life experiences are given a diagnostic label that ultimately causes them more harm than good. We describe the complex drivers of overdiagnosis spanning five interconnected domains, which can lead to numerous negative impacts on patients. Emergency physicians are often tasked with making timely clinical assessments, decisions, and diagnoses that can unintentionally result in overdiagnosis. Three pertinent areas related to overdiagnosis in Emergency Medicine: anaphylaxis, subsegmental pulmonary embolism, and low-risk chest pain are discussed. For a broader perspective, insight on overdiagnosis from medical students and a patient advisor are presented. The perspectives illustrated are meant to spark reflection on: the ethics of labeling a person with a diagnosis, current clinical practices, the limitations of medical education, and patient care and communication in the context of overdiagnosis in the Emergency Department.