Race and ethnicity and diagnostic testing for common conditions in the acute care setting (27 August 2024)

Summary

Overuse of diagnostic testing is pervasive, but the extent to which it varies by race and ethnicity in the acute care setting is poorly understood.

The objective of this study, published in JAMA Network Open, was to use a previously validated diagnostic intensity index to evaluate differences in diagnostic testing rates by race and ethnicity in the acute care setting, which may serve as a surrogate for diagnostic test overuse.

White patients discharged from the ED with a nonspecific diagnosis of interest were significantly more likely than Black patients to receive related diagnostic testing. The extent to which this represents diagnostic test overuse in White patients vs undertesting and missed diagnoses in Black patients deserves further study.

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.