Some physicians fail to make the right diagnosis at all or at least on time, causing patients to suffer harm. Different factors contribute to diagnostic errors, including misdiagnosis, missed diagnosis and delayed diagnosis.
The following are two of them.
Mental shortcuts
In the medical field, a mental shortcut or heuristic is a mental strategy that healthcare providers use to make quick decisions. It is commonly used in sensitive situations – those that involve uncertainty or time pressure, allowing for a reasonable course of action to be taken.
Nonetheless, overreliance on mental shortcuts can result in cognitive errors. And one of them is diagnostic errors. This can happen when a physician relies heavily on the initial information they receive (anchoring bias). For example, when they are informed a patient has chest pain and conclude it’s due to heartburn without fully investigating the case to consider other possibilities, such as a heart attack, even if new evidence contradicts the diagnosis made.
Some physicians have also been reported to favor evidence that supports their initial diagnosis (confirmation bias). They selectively seek and interpret evidence that supports the existing hypothesis and ignore any information that does not.
Premature closure is another cognitive bias that can lead to diagnostic errors. This occurs when a doctor stops considering or exploring alternative diagnoses after one is made, even if all relevant information has not been gathered.
Communication errors
Communication breakdowns between a doctor and their patient or among healthcare providers can contribute to diagnostic errors. For example, a doctor makes a diagnosis but fails to communicate it to the patient on time. A physician who keeps interrupting a patient providing details about their condition might also make a diagnostic error because they may miss out on a crucial detail.
A diagnostic error can lead to costly losses. If you have experienced one, legal guidance can help you learn more about your options.
