Why a sociotechnical framework is necessary to address diagnostic error (3 August 2024)

Summary

Failures in the diagnostic process are thought to affect at least 15% of patient encounters, cause 34% of adverse events in hospitals, are a leading cause in major malpractice claims and payouts and are recognised as a top priority in patient safety research.

The National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine defines diagnostic error as a failure to establish an accurate and timely explanation of a patient’s medical problem and has been shown to contribute to the morbidity and mortality of an estimated 795 000 patients each year in the USA. 

Although diagnostic error has received significant research attention across multiple clinical settings over the last several decades, it continues to pose consequential challenges and requires improvement in systematic investigation and operational intervention.  Additionally, few effective mitigation strategies have been designed for widespread prevention of diagnostic error.

This paper in BMJ Quality & Safety discusses why a sociotechnical framework is necessary to address diagnostic error.

This year’s World Patient Safety Day on 17 September 2024 (WPSD 2024) is focused on the theme “Improving diagnosis for patient safety”. Find out more.