29 ways to reduce diagnostic errors, according to Leapfrog

The Leapfrog Group on Thursday released a set of 29 recommendations to help hospitals decrease diagnostic errors and “prevent harm to the patient.”

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How common are diagnostic errors?

According to Leapfrog, a diagnostic error is a delayed, inaccurate, or missed diagnosis, or a correct diagnosis that is not properly communicated to a patient and their family members.

“When we talk about diagnostic error, we do not mean cognitive mistakes made by one prescriber or one clinician, because everybody makes mistakes,” said Leah Binder, Leapfrog president and CEO.

Each year, roughly 250,000 hospital patients experience diagnostic errors in the United States, which contribute to over 40,000...