LAUSR

Diagnostic errors, were given relatively little attention, compared to the effort invested in treatment errors. However, erroneous diagnoses continue to be quite prevalent (10-15% in every setting investigated), and are often associated with substantial patient harm including increased mortality and frequent permanent disability. Physicians may not be aware of the fact that despite the wide availability of sophisticated diagnostic imaging and new and sensitive tests, diagnosis remains far from infallible, due to a complex interplay of physician, patient, and illness factors. Research devoted to misdiagnosis remains difficult to perform and insufficient in scope, but the search for the optimal means to improve diagnostic accuracy continues. Newly achieved insights regarding diagnostic errors are presented, and essential system and individual approaches to improve diagnostic accuracy are proposed.