Misdiagnosis: The growing risk and how to protect yourself

A 2024 report published by the National Center for Biotechnology Information included an alarming statistic: Each year, 12 million adults in the U.S. experience a diagnostic error in the form of an incorrect, missed, or late diagnosis.^{Disclosure 1}

The report’s authors conclude that most people will experience at least one diagnostic error during their lifetime. So, exactly what steps can you take to help prevent being misdiagnosed?

A significant problem that hasn’t received enough attention

While there have been many studies on hospital errors and medication errors, far fewer studies have explored the problem of diagnostic errors. The handful of studies that have been undertaken have found that the problem extends across inpatient and outpatient care—and that these errors can lead to inappropriate treatment and poorer outcomes. For example:

• Around 2.4 million harmful diagnostic errors occur each year.
• Of those, approximately 376,000 inpatients suffer disabling or fatal misdiagnoses.^{Disclosure 2}
• Nearly 40% of serious harms or deaths from misdiagnosis involve stroke, sepsis, pneumonia, venous thromboembolism, and lung cancer.
• Women and minorities have a 30% higher probability of misdiagnosis compared with white males.
• Of serious harms from misdiagnosis, about 76% are attributed to errors involving “Big Three Diseases”—major vascular events, infections, and cancers.^{Disclosure 3}

What you can do to lower your risk of misdiagnosis

Medical experts recommend several steps that could help reduce the number of diagnostic errors in all healthcare settings. These suggestions include:

• Use electronic medical records—leveraging electronic medical records can help streamline the diagnostic process and reduce errors. In addition, many healthcare providers now offer apps that can improve communication between you and your healthcare team.
• Make sure all members of your healthcare team (including pathologists and radiologists) are integral parts of the diagnostic team.
• Ensure physicians and other healthcare providers get regular feedback on the accuracy of the diagnoses they make. Don’t be afraid to seek second opinions to help further ensure accurate diagnoses.

Patients and their families have information that can be vital for healthcare providers working to develop a diagnosis, including previous personal and family health history and a complete description of the symptoms the patient has been experiencing.

To protect yourself from misdiagnosis, you should make sure you and your physician keep the lines of communication open. Answer all your doctor’s questions frankly and, if you don’t understand something your doctor tells you, ask for an explanation in simpler terms.

It’s also important that you have a comprehensive and accurate medical record that can easily be shared by all the physicians treating you. This can help ensure that the results of diagnostic tests are reviewed as part of the diagnostic process and that any needed follow-up is scheduled in a timely manner.

In addition, it’s vital that you arrive at your physician’s appointments well prepared. Before the appointment, make a list of your symptoms, how long you’ve experienced them, and any questions you have for the doctor.

It can be helpful to bring a trusted family member, friend, or advocate with you to the appointment to take notes and ask questions—especially if you’re dealing with a serious health problem. Additionally, a care navigator can help manage particularly complex medical experiences like long-term care, life-threatening illnesses, or short-term disability. By being an active participant in the diagnostic process, you’ll not only be a more informed patient, but you’ll also lower the risk of avoidable diagnostic errors.