Diagnostic errors in the medical field include wrong, delayed and missed diagnoses. They occur when a health care provider diagnoses a patient with a condition they do not have, doesn’t make a diagnosis in a reasonable period or fails to recognize a patient’s condition at all.
Unfortunately, diagnostic errors are not uncommon, and they can be extremely dangerous. Here is how someone can be significantly harmed by such a medical error:
Worsening of a condition
Diagnostic errors prevent or delay appropriate treatment. This can lead to worsening of a condition. A disease can progress to a stage that is difficult to treat or even fatal without early, accurate intervention.
For example, if a patient with symptoms of cancer is not diagnosed early, the disease may not be discovered until it’s at an advanced stage. This can also be the case with Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, multiple sclerosis, cardiovascular disease, osteoarthritis, organ failure and diabetes.
Unnecessary or harmful treatment
A misdiagnosis can result in a patient receiving unnecessary or even harmful treatment. For example, administering chemotherapy drugs to a patient who has been misdiagnosed with cancer can put healthy cells at risk in addition to the patient experiencing chemotherapy side effects, such as hair loss, fatigue, nausea and increased infection risk.
Further, performing an unnecessary surgery unreasonably exposes a patient to the inherent risks of surgery. This can also result in damage to healthy organs, nerves, or tissues. For instance, when a healthy organ is removed after a misdiagnosis of a tumor.
Cases of amputations stemming from misdiagnosis have also been reported. Additionally, a patient taking medications for a condition they don’t have can lead to organ damage, unnecessary side effects and worsening of the actual condition.
A misdiagnosis can lead to severe harm or even death. It can also cause psychological and financial impacts. If a health care provider acted negligently, causing you harm, learn more about how to protect your rights.
