Misdiagnoses Declared a Public Health Emergency by Researchers

In a recent study conducted by medical researchers, it has been discovered that the number of misdiagnoses and the consequent harm inflicted on patients is far greater than previously believed. The severity of this issue has now reached the level of a public health emergency. Dr. David Newman-Toker, the director of the Johns Hopkins Armstrong Institute Center for Diagnostic Excellence, states, “Diagnostic errors are, by a wide margin, the most under-resourced public health crisis we face.” According to a report published by the center in BMJ Journals, approximately 371,000 patients die and 424,000 suffer permanent disabilities each year due to incorrect diagnoses.
(Source: BMJ Journals and USA Today)
The impact of these errors affects approximately 12 million Americans annually, as reported by the center.

It is important to note that these misdiagnoses are not solely the result of errors made by primary care physicians. The researchers’ findings align with previous studies on misdiagnoses in various medical settings, including ambulatory clinics, emergency departments, and inpatient care. The report highlights that diseases are misdiagnosed about 11% of the time, with variations depending on the specific condition. For instance, only 1.5% of heart attacks are misdiagnosed, while spinal abscesses have the highest rate of misdiagnosis at 62%. Strokes are of particular concern, with an error rate of 17.5%. This is partly due to the fact that stroke symptoms can sometimes resemble less severe conditions, such as inner ear disease. Dr. Newman-Toker explains, “We don’t miss strokes when somebody is paralyzed on one side and can’t talk. We miss them when they look like something else that’s benign.”
(Source: The Johns Hopkins Armstrong Institute)