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Found 469 results
  1. Content Article
    This video published by the Irish Health Service Executive (HSE) tells the story of Pat, whose bowel cancer diagnosis was missed, resulting in his premature death. His daughter Patricia talks about the two investigations that took place into her father's death and how the hospital's internal investigation failed to acknowledge that a staff member had raised concerns about Pat's initial colonoscopy on five occasions, but this had not been followed up. She describes the impact of these events on her father and the rest of the family and calls on medical professionals to "trust us (families) more and fear solicitors less."
  2. Content Article
    In this article for iNews, journalist Sarah Graham talks to Dee Montague-Coast, who has asthma and endometriosis, and who has had very different experiences of care between the two conditions. Dee describes how she has always received excellent care for her asthma, but how she has had to endure disbelief and many investigations, tests for sexually transmitted infections and even surgeries over twenty years, before finally being diagnosed with endometriosis by a private consultant. Sarah highlights the difficulties women face in receiving diagnosis and treatment for endometriosis, in spite of it being the second most common gynaecological condition. She also highlights geographical and race-based disparities in care and treatment and outlines how attitudes towards women's pain means their symptoms are not always listened to and taken seriously.
  3. Content Article
    This report from the National Asthma and COPD Audit Programme (NACAP) offers a view of the care of people with asthma and COPD in England and Wales, and is informed by 103,194 case records submitted to the audit programme. It is the first report to combine data on asthma, COPD and pulmonary rehabilitation across primary and secondary care services to underpin key messages, optimising respiratory care across the pathway.
  4. Content Article
    In November 2021, 15-year old Alice Tapper nearly died due to a missed diagnoses of a perforated appendix. In this opinion piece, Alice shares her experience of being admitted to hospital with intense abdominal pain and other serious symptoms. In spite of her parents' requests for imaging to rule out appendicitis, doctors diagnosed that Alice had a viral infection and refused to prescribe antibiotics. Alice's condition severely deteriorated, leading her father to call the hospital and beg a gastroenterologist for further investigation. Fortunately, the hospital granted his request and after an x-ray and ultrasound, Alice was found to have a perforated appendix. She was going into hypovolemic shock, when severe blood or other fluid loss makes the heart unable to pump enough blood to the body. Thankfully, emergency surgery and antibiotics saved Alice's life, but she reflects on the fact that without her father's intervention, she would probably have died. She describes how her doctors failed to take the concerns she and her parents repeatedly expressed seriously, and that this lack of responsiveness could have been fatal. She highlights research that shows that appendicitis is missed in up to 15% of paediatric patients, and that missed diagnosis is most common in children under five, and is more common in girls than boys.
  5. News Article
    The Society to Improve Diagnosis in Medicine (SIDM) has announced that Congress in the final FY 2023 Omnibus spending bill has doubled dedicated federal funding for research to reduce patient harm from diagnostic error. Statistically, each of us is likely to experience a meaningful diagnostic error in our lifetime. The significant human and financial toll of diagnostic errors, which occur in all settings of care, was first highlighted in a landmark 2015 National Academy of Medicine (NAM) report, Improving Diagnosis in Health Care. The report found that missed, delayed, or un-communicated diagnoses result in more patient harm than all other healthcare-associated harms combined. The NAM report called diagnostic error "a blind spot" in health care quality and safety, and improving medical diagnosis a "moral, professional, and public health imperative." Since the release of the NAM report, SIDM has been working hard to educate policymakers about these issues and advocating for more research funding. SIDM has assembled a coalition of dozens of groups representing health systems, patients, clinicians, and others to raise awareness and spark action. "This funding is an important signal that Congress is becoming aware of the magnitude of the public health burden, both human and financial, associated with diagnostic error and intends to tackle it," says Jennie Ward-Robinson, CEO of SIDM. Citing diagnosis as "the next frontier of patient safety," the NAM report summarised what is known about factors that affect diagnostic safety and accuracy at the clinician, system, and policy levels, and made recommendations at each of those levels. A few promising interventions are already emerging for specific and commonly misdiagnosed conditions, as well as for specific systems-level problems, such as failure to "close the loop" on abnormal test results. But these initiatives are tiny compared the scope and scale of the issue. Read full story Source: CISION PR Newswire, 3 January 2023
  6. Content Article
    Roughly 16 million Americans are living with Long Covid, but many are not getting the right medical care. In this article in Popular Science, Miles Griffis argues that one way to improve the system is by letting patients lead. He describes his own disabling case of Long Covid, the issues he has faced in gaining access to Long Covid clinics and the lack of treatment options available to him. He argues that at some point, the demand from patients for treatment will force progress in Long Covid research.
  7. Content Article
    In the UK, the focus of osteoporosis care in the NHS has been on people who have sustained a fragility fracture as a result of their underlying condition. Not much has been done to try and prevent the first fracture by promoting good bone health and proactively identifying people at higher risk. This report by the APPG on Osteoporosis and Bone Health presents the results of its inquiry into primary care provision for people with osteoporosis and those at high risk of fracture, launched in March 2022. The inquiry aimed to establish the current quality of care being offered to patients.
  8. News Article
    Some patients waiting for an endoscopy in Guernsey may be "at risk" because of a large backlog in procedures, the States medical director has warned. The government has announced a tender process to bring in clinicians to help clear the list, which is three times longer than before the Covid pandemic. More than 430 people were on the gastroenterology waiting list as of Tuesday, Dr Peter Rabey said. "We're worried that there is risk to patients in waiting too long," he said. "Although a lot of patients who get an endoscopy have completely normal results, and some have benign disease which can be treated with tablets and things, there will be some patients who might have cancer and we need to find out as best as possible". Read full story Source: BBC News, 20 December 2022
  9. News Article
    As many as 250,000 people die every year because they are misdiagnosed in the emergency room, with doctors failing to identify serious medical conditions like stroke, sepsis and pneumonia, according to a new analysis from the US federal government. The study by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality estimates roughly 7.4 million people are inaccurately diagnosed of the 130 million annual visits to hospital emergency departments in the United States. Some 370,000 patients may suffer serious harm as a result. Researchers from Johns Hopkins University analysed data from two decades’ worth of studies to quantify the rate of diagnostic errors in the emergency room and identify serious conditions where doctors are most likely to make a mistake. While these errors remain relatively rare, they are most likely to occur when someone presents with symptoms that are not typical. “This is the elephant in the room no one is paying attention to,” said Dr. David E. Newman-Toker, a neurologist at Johns Hopkins University and director of its Armstrong Institute Center for Diagnostic Excellence, and one of the study’s authors. The findings underscore the need to look harder at where errors are being made and the medical training, technology and support that could help doctors avoid them, Dr. Newman-Toker said. “It’s not about laying the blame on the feet of emergency room physicians,” he said. Read full story Source: New York Times, 15 December 2022
  10. Content Article
    Diagnostic errors are a known patient safety concern across all clinical settings, including the emergency department (ED). The authors from the John Hopkins University conducted a systematic review to determine the most frequent diseases and clinical presentations associated with diagnostic errors (and resulting harms) in the ED, measured error and harm frequency, as well as assessing causal factors.
  11. News Article
    Rare genetic disorders will be diagnosed and treated in babies thanks to a project to sequence the complete DNA of 100,000 newborns. It should spare hundreds of families in England months, or years, of anguish waiting to find out why their children are ill. The project is the first time that whole genome sequencing (WGS) has been offered to healthy babies in the NHS. It will screen for around 200 disorders, all of them treatable. The Newborn Genomes Programme, to begin next year, is thought to be the biggest study of its kind in the world. If successful, it could be rolled out across the country. Owen, 9, has an extremely rare genetic condition which affects his growth and development. Called THRA-related congenital hypothyroidism, it is one of the disorders which will be included in the new genetic test. Father, Rob Everitt, told the BBC: "I think of all the hours we spent in hospital waiting rooms, getting referred around different departments, all the tests - some of which were quite invasive - that drew a blank every time. I lost count of how many doctors and consultants we went to see and how many tests they did on him." Mother, Sarah Everitt, says getting the diagnosis was life-changing: "It was like winning the lottery….because we knew there was a treatment pathway; we knew we could get him support and he could attend a mainstream school." Read full story Source: BBC News, 13 December 2022
  12. Event
    until
    This conference from the Westminster Health Forum will focus on the future for diagnostics and medical devices in England - looking at developments and next steps for strategy and regulation. The discussion takes place in the context of the upcoming MedTech strategy from DHSC, and will be an opportunity to examine priorities for improving flexibility and transparency in MedTech supply and procurement, securing value for money, and supporting the adoption of innovation in healthcare settings. Delegates will discuss implementation of the MHRA update to the regulation of medical devices, as well as priorities for safety, assessment and contribution to better patient outcomes. Overall, areas for discussion include: Regulation and evaluation: transition to the new medical device regulations and the updated evaluation process - implementation of the new MHRA medical device regulation proportionate regulation and support for businesses - addressing capacity constraints of authorisation of Approved Bodies patient access: establishing new device frameworks for supporting adoption of innovative medical technology - supporting patient access to devices currently on the market the supply chain: flexibility, transparency and responsiveness in the procurement and supply of medical technology collaboration between healthcare providers and suppliers - engaging healthcare professionals in procurement. Supporting the NHS: workforce efficiency and earlier diagnosis - innovation in diagnostic pathways to address backlogs and wait times - improving patient outcomes and the speed of recovery the role of the new community diagnostic centres - encouraging adoption of new diagnostic methods in the centres and across the NHS. Register
  13. Content Article
    Jenny Edwards died in February 2022 from pulmonary embolism, following misdiagnosis. In this blog, her son Tim introduces us to Jenny, illustrating the deep loss felt following her premature passing. He talks about the care she received and argues that there were multiple points at which pulmonary embolism should have been suspected. Tim found the investigation that followed Jenny’s death to be lacking in objectivity and assurance that any learning could be taken forward. He has since produced an independent report, drawing on existing data, freedom of information requests and his mother’s case, to highlight broader safety issues.
  14. News Article
    The number of people waiting more than two months to start cancer treatment remained over 30,000 — double the pre-covid level — for three months to the end of October, according to new data published. NHS England previously committed to bringing the number of people waiting longer than 62 days to be diagnosed and begin treatment, after referral for suspected cancer, to pre-pandemic levels – roughly 14,000 – by March 2023. But the number has been generally growing since the spring, and remained above 30,000 from August through to the end of October, the latest figures available. September and October’s monthly totals were higher than the previous monthly peak in May 2020, after services were disrupted in the first covid wave. The increase in waiters this year has been caused by diagnostic and treatment capacity falling short of an increased number of referrals. Matt Sample, policy development manager at Cancer Research UK, said: “While it’s good to see significant numbers of people coming forward with potential cancer symptoms, performance against key targets are among the worst on record, continuing a trend that existed long before the pandemic hit, with one target having been missed for almost seven years.” Read full story (paywalled) Source: HSJ, 8 December 2022
  15. Content Article
    The waiting list in England stood at more than seven million in September 2022, up by 1.2 million since September 2021 and 2.6 million since 2019. This analysis by the King's Fund outlines what different patients on the waiting list are waiting for, breaking this figure down into: different medical and surgical specialties whether patients are waiting for admission, diagnostics or decisions It highlights that many on the waiting list are awaiting further diagnostics or decisions before treatment can commence, and others are waiting for treatment that does not require admission to hospital.
  16. Content Article
    The BMJ, in partnership with the Choosing Wisely international collaboration, led by the Choosing Wisely Canada campaign, has introduced a “Change” series in the Education section. Articles in the series highlight evidence based strategies and tools to help change practice and reduce unnecessary tests, treatments, and procedures. The articles indicate why and how practice needs to change, usually focusing on one aspect of care, and are aligned with recommendations made by national Choosing Wisely campaigns.
  17. Content Article
    This investigation by the Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch (HSIB) explores the issues associated with the assessment of risk factors for venous thrombosis in pregnancy and the first six weeks after birth. Venous thrombosis occurs when a blood clot forms and causes a blockage in a person’s vein. This can lead to venous thromboembolism (VTE), when part of the clot breaks off and travels through the bloodstream, blocking a blood vessel elsewhere in the body. Pregnant women and pregnant people are at greater risk of developing a venous thrombosis than those who are of the same age and not pregnant. Because of the increased risk, healthcare staff assess a pregnant woman’s risk factors for VTE at key stages before and after the birth, so that they can be given preventative treatment if necessary. While rare, in the UK venous thrombosis and VTE is the leading direct cause of death of pregnant women during pregnancy or up to six weeks after the end of pregnancy. Reference event The reference event for this investigation was the case of Alice, who was 26 years old and was pregnant with her second child. A VTE risk assessment was completed for Alice at her first antenatal appointment, when she was admitted to hospital for the birth of her child, and 24 hours after admission. Her score was zero each time, meaning no risk factors were identified for VTE. During her pregnancy Alice reported experiencing some pain in her calf; she was examined by a doctor who referred her for a scan. This ruled out a deep vein thrombosis (DVT). After giving birth by caesarean section, Alice's risk assessment was repeated, and as it indicated that medication was required, a preventative dose of low-molecular-weight heparin was prescribed and Alice was discharged. Eleven days after the birth of her baby, Alice was taken by ambulance to the emergency department with chest pain, shortness of breath and leg cramps. She was diagnosed with a pulmonary embolism (PE) and was started on a treatment dose of blood-thinning injections. Following investigation, it was found that Alice may not have received an appropriate preventative dose of low-molecular-weight heparin to help prevent the VTE.
  18. Content Article
    Pulmonary embolism is the third most common cause of cardiovascular death worldwide after stroke and heart attack. Although life-threatening, when diagnosed promptly survival rates are good.  This report, authored by risk expert Tim Edwards and published by Patient Safety Learning, highlights serious and widespread patient safety concerns relating to the misdiagnosis of pulmonary embolisms.  Drawing on existing data, freedom of information requests and his mother’s case, he outlines nine calls for action to improve pulmonary embolism care. 
  19. News Article
    The government is setting up 19 more diagnostic centres in communities across England to help tackle the Covid backlog. Ninety one are already open and have delivered more than 2.4 million tests, checks and scans since last summer, ministers say. It is hoped the centres will speed up access to services for patients, thereby reducing waiting times. Seven million people in England are now waiting for hospital treatment. GPs can refer patients to community diagnostic centres so that they can access life-saving checks and scans, and be diagnosed for a range of conditions, without travelling to hospital. Some are located in football stadiums and shopping centres and can offer MRI and CT scans, as well as x-rays. In September, according to the government, the hubs delivered 11% of all diagnostic activity - and its ambition is for 40% to be achieved by 2025. Read full story Source: BBC News, 7 December 2022
  20. Content Article
    This briefing paper, from the Royal College of Radiologists, was produced to help inform an adjournment debate in the house of commons focusing on pulmonary embolism misdiagnosis. The briefing highlights concerns around staffing gaps, workforce planning and equipment shortages within this area, and the threat this poses to patient safety.
  21. News Article
    Five million people were unable to book a GP appointment in October, analysis of NHS data suggests. The Labour party, which studied figures from the GP Patient Survey, warned the struggle to see a doctor will mean many patients will not have serious medical conditions diagnosed until it is “too late”. According to the survey, some 13.8% of patients, or around one in seven, did not get an appointment the last time they tried to book one. With almost 32 million GP appointments reported in England in October, the party said it means that more than 5 million people could have been unable to book a GP appointment when they tried to make one that month. October saw GP surgeries carry out the highest number of appointments since records began in 2017, despite a depleted work force. Labour’s shadow health secretary Wes Streeting told Labour List: “Patients are finding it impossible to get a GP appointment when they need one. I’m really worried that among those millions of patients unable to get an appointment, there could be serious conditions going undiagnosed until it’s too late". Professor Kamila Hawthorne, chair of the Royal College of General Practitioners, said in a statement: “GPs and their teams are working flat out to deliver the care and services our patients need. GPs want our patients to receive timely and appropriate care, and we share their frustrations when this isn’t happening. But difficulties accessing our services isn’t the fault of GP teams, it’s a consequence of an under-resourced, underfunded, and understaffed service working under unsustainable pressures.” Read full story Source: The Independent, 6 December 2022
  22. Content Article
    This is an Adjournment Debate from the House of Commons on Wednesday 30 November 2022 on patient safety concerns relating to the diagnosis of pulmonary embolisms.
  23. Content Article
    An expert review of the clinical records of 44 deceased patients who had been under the care of neurologist Dr Michael Watt has found there were “significant failures” in their treatment and care. Dr Watt, a former Belfast Health and Social Care Trust consultant neurologist, was at the centre of Northern Ireland’s largest ever recall of patients, which began in 2018, after concerns were raised about his clinical work. More than 4,000 of his former patients attended recall appointments. At the direction of the Department of Health, in August 2021, the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA) commissioned the Royal College of Physicians to undertake an expert review of the clinical records of certain deceased patients who had been under the care of Dr Watt, with the intention to understand his clinical practice, to ensure learning for others and to help make care better and safer in the future.
  24. Content Article
    In this interview for Healthcare IT News, Lisa Hedges, associate principal analyst at Software Advice, discusses the findings of a survey of 1,000 patients on telemedicine usage after the worst of the pandemic. She also talks about the future of telemedicine. The survey found that: more than half of patients are concerned about the quality of care they're receiving through telemedicine. the majority of people prefer virtual appointments for common illnesses. 86% of patients rate their telemedicine experience as positive. 91% are more likely to choose a provider that offers telemedicine. 49% prefer telemedicine visits for mental health treatment, despite it being one of the more remote-ready specialties.
  25. News Article
    A review of the clinical records of 44 patients who died under the care of former neurologist Michael Watt has found "significant failures in their treatment" and "poor communication with families". While this review looked at a sample of cases in which people died, potentially thousands more could be affected. The review arises from a 2018 recall of 2,500 outpatients who were in Dr Watt's care at the Belfast Health Trust. About one in five patients had to have their diagnoses changed. This separate review into 44 deaths was conducted by the Royal College of Physicians at the request of the regulator, the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA). It highlighted concerns over clinical decision-making, prescribing and diagnostics. It reveals a misdiagnosis rate of 45% among this group of patients, twice that for living patients. Speaking to BBC News NI, the RQIA's chair, Christine Collins, said the outcome of the review was "shocking and gut-wrenching as so many had experienced unpleasant deaths which they ought not to have done". Read full story Source: BBC News, 29 November 2022
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