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When we go to a medical professional, we trust that we will get the best care possible. However, sometimes that’s not the case. In fact, a study done by Johns Hopkins found that more than 250,000 people in the U.S. die each year from medical errors. Some of these medical errors include missed diagnoses and misdiagnoses. While these two things sound the same, they are in fact different and carry different consequences.
Missed Diagnosis
A missed diagnosis happens when a patient’s condition or illness is not diagnosed or addressed. This can happen for a multitude of reasons:
- Lack of proper medical testing
- Lack of consideration of other diagnoses
- Misinterpretation of test results
The consequences of a missed diagnosis can be harmful. A patient’s condition can worsen without proper treatment, leading to more symptoms or even death. If your health issues are declining and your doctor is ignoring your requests, we recommend seeking a second opinion from another healthcare professional.
Misdiagnosis
Misdiagnosis happens when a patient is wrongly diagnosed with a condition or illness. Like a missed diagnosis, a misdiagnosis can happen through the negligence of a healthcare professional. The results of a misdiagnosis can be devasting to a patient’s health. Not only can they be denied necessary treatments, which in the case of cancer can detrimentally affect their chance of survival, but they may be prescribed unnecessary medication for an illness they do not have.
A person should not have to suffer mentally, physically, and financially from a doctor’s mistakes. If you or a loved one recently experienced a missed diagnosis or a misdiagnosis, the team at Grossman Roth Yaffa Cohen is here to help.
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