Ask a second radiologist or pathologist to evaluate the work of the first and there is a 10% to 50% chance that they will expose a misdiagnosis according to numerous clinical studies published over the years.
These are not reassuring barriers and despite many efforts to improve them, medical malpractice is one of the leading causes of death in almost every country in the world. This May, for example, the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released a new report investigating the damage. Medicare Patients stay in the hospital for a month.
What they find out makes reading enjoyable. A quarter of patients were at the receiving end of such events and about a quarter of these events led to an increase in treatment costs to improve them. Physicians reviewing each case also concluded that 43% were avoidable.
When discussing medical errors, it is important to distinguish between negligence and common human error. When it comes to patient outcomes, the list of things that can and can go wrong is long: from conducting false tests to failing to interpret the correct results correctly.
Doctors are as incompetent as all men. In India, where family physicians are common, many people develop a close relationship with their doctor. But putting so much faith in one person can be counterproductive.
There is a widely cited statistic, which underscores the scale of the problem: 5.2 million avoidable medical errors in India each year, resulting in 3 million deaths in the last decade, according to research conducted by Harvard University professor Ashish Jha. Since then, commendable efforts have been made to prevent this. Most notably in 2018, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare began implementing the National Patient Safety Framework.
At the time, Public Health Advisor, Dr. Inder Prakash, was an important issue. She said managing medical errors is complex and cannot be corrected if the focus is only on blaming those responsible.
Finds Second opinion Seems like an obvious solution, but the reality is that it often exacerbates the problem. Patients often feel frustrated or confused about what to do next and who to turn to.
Meanwhile, doctors who make the original diagnosis may eventually feel that their back is pinned to the wall and they will come out fighting to defend their condition. This does not ultimately benefit anyone.
What works is to get multiple opinions through a collaborative approach. This not only reduces the likelihood of errors, but also creates a more productive operating environment for doctors and patients alike.
Doctors no longer feel open in person and as a result they are more than happy to change their opinion after finding alternative solutions from a range of different specialists. They almost always welcome access to a network of experts.
More importantly, patients benefit from a multi-disciplinary approach to their individual case. However, they cannot be expected to receive all these different inputs manually.
Finding different Medical specialists It is a time consuming process for those who are trusted in the field of their specialty. Most patients do not have the tools to do this and especially if they experience severe stress following a life-changing diagnosis like cancer.
All they can do is search for healthcare providers who provide personalized services by providing a holistic approach and continuity of care. By constantly evaluating all available diagnostic and treatment options they will benefit not only physically, but also mentally through constant support and counseling.
Multi-disciplinary, Patient-centered care model Reduces risks and prevents diagnostic errors, while saving costs. They empower patients to make informed decisions at every stage of their medical journey, backed by access to the best possible care.
Empowered patients, guided by medical experts, work collaboratively and transparently, are key to minimizing medical errors and optimizing outcomes.
Sigal Atzmon, Founder and CEO of Medix Global
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