Diagnostic errors might be relatively common

Patients who seek treatment from Ohio doctors may feel as if they are the victims of a missed diagnosis or a misdiagnosis. A missed diagnosis occurs when a doctor fails to determine what health condition a person is experiencing. A misdiagnosis occurs when a patient does not have the illness or other ailment that a medical professional claims that individual is dealing with.

It is believed that 5% of all diagnoses are incorrect, but there is no way to know for sure how often that a missed diagnosis or a misdiagnosis occurs. This is because autopsies are rarely performed after a patient dies to determine if a mistake was made. Furthermore, there is no formal way for a doctor, a patient or someone representing a patient’s interests to report a diagnostic error. In some cases, a mistake won’t result in a person dying or experiencing a lower quality of life.

However, those who don’t seem to be getting better in a timely manner may want to seek a second opinion from another doctor. In some cases, it may be in a person’s best interest to obtain a referral to see a specialist. Failing to do so could result in receiving inappropriate treatment or missing out entirely on treatment that might cure whatever condition a person has.

A failure to diagnose a patient’s medical condition in a timely manner could be an example of medical malpractice. This may be true if a medical professional had the tools and experience necessary to determine what a person had but failed to exhibit the requisite standard of care. An attorney may show that a doctor ignored a patient’s symptoms or failed to run tests in a timely manner. If a malpractice claim is successful, a patient may receive compensation for the losses that have been sustained.