What Florida Medical Specialties Commit The Most Diagnosis Errors?
People trust Florida health care providers to deliver quality patient care, so it is shocking to learn that everyone in the US will experience diagnosis errors at some point during their lifetimes. Along with this disturbing detail, the Society to Improve Diagnosis in Medicine (SIDM) also reports that misdiagnosis causes up to 80,000 fatalities every year. The figures on permanent disability from misdiagnosis are roughly the same, but injuries are likely much higher. These mistakes impact around 12 million individuals, and researchers estimate that diagnosis errors cause more patient harm than all other acts of medical negligence combined.
Medical specialty areas are extremely diverse, covering various aspects of the human body and its systems. As a result, the types of misdiagnosis are also different depending on the physician’s specialty. It is essential to consult with a Tampa diagnosis errors attorney right away if you suffered harm, since the consequences can be horrific.
Top Medical Specialties for Misdiagnosis: The SIDM report stresses that diagnosis mistakes occur across all medical practice areas, including primary care, emergency medicine, internists, radiology, and numerous sub-specialties. However, the data shows that misdiagnosis is common in three areas:
- Oncology: The largest incidence of diagnosis errors occurs in cancer care, which encompasses a wide range of medical specialties. Mistakes may be made by the oncology or pathology teams, as well as physicians covering the specific type of cancer. Examples include a gynecologic oncologist or surgical oncologist.
- Vascular Medicine: Misdiagnosis of vascular events and conditions often occurs in connection with stroke or heart attack, when timing is critical. A vascular neurologist or vascular surgeon may be negligent in detecting the condition, but ER doctors also commit errors when a patient presents under emergency circumstances.
- Infections: Regardless of how it was acquired, infection can be life-threatening. Health care providers in all specialties must be prepared to treat promptly, but their efforts are hampered by failure to diagnose infection.
Consequences of Diagnosis Errors for Patients: Misdiagnosis prevents proper treatment, and there are situations where a mistake does not result in harm to the patient. However, diagnosis errors can have serious implications when treatment is delayed or not provided at all. The patient could continue to suffer pain and discomfort, but most medical conditions will worsen without care. Cancer could become terminal, though treatment options would have been available if the disease was caught promptly.
Another consequence of misdiagnosis is that the patient could receive unnecessary treatment because the physician diagnosed another condition. Some forms of treatment are harsh, expensive, and carry significant side effects, causing harm from care that was never needed.
Speak to a Florida Diagnosis Errors Lawyer About Options
The effects of a diagnostic mistake can be extreme and long-term, so it is important to take action when a health care provider commits acts of medical negligence. For information on how our firm supports your rights, please contact the Tampa, FL offices of Greco & Wozniak P.A. at 813.223.7849 or via our website. We can schedule a no-cost case analysis with an experienced diagnosis errors attorney.
Source:
improvediagnosis.org/facts/
