Six barriers to diagnostic accuracy

Poor communication during care transitions: When patients are transferred between facilities, physicians or departments, there is potential for important information to slip through the cracks.

Lack of measures and feedback: There are no standardized measures to understand performance in the diagnostic process, to guide improvement efforts or to report diagnostic errors.

Limited support to help with clinical reasoning: Clinicians need timely, efficient access to tools and resources to assist in making diagnoses.

Limited time: Providers often report feeling rushed during patient appointments, which impedes their ability to gather a complete history that’s essential to formulating an accurate diagnosis.

It’s complicated: There is limited information available to patients about the questions to ask or whom to notify when changes in their condition occur. It’s also often unclear who is responsible for closing the loop on test results and referrals, and how to communicate follow-up.

Lack of funding for research: The total impact of inaccurate or delayed diagnoses on healthcare costs and patient harm isn’t clear.

Source: The Society to Improve Diagnosis in Medicine https://www.improvediagnosis.org/news_ posts/40healthcare- organizations-launch-unprecedented- effort-toimprove-accuracy-and-timeliness- of- diagnosis/