Misdiagnosis or a failure to diagnose a severe illness like cancer can be a significant fear for patients visiting the doctor or going to the hospital in Montana and across the country. There can be serious consequences of an incorrect diagnosis or other doctor error, because people can receive incorrect and potentially harmful treatment while lacking much-needed treatment for their actual disorder. This can lead to a declining health condition or even the possibility of the disease becoming untreatable. This means that for health institutions concerned about both liability and patient care, reducing diagnostic errors is a priority.
When performing bone density scans, the use of data entry software for radiology departments can help to cut down on the number of diagnostic errors. This is especially true when reporting the results of ultrasound or dual-energy X-ray (DEXA) radiology tests. The software can also help save time and money; over a five-year period, a study indicated that using this type of software could save a hospital $1 million in radiologists’ wages. Most important for patients, however, is the fact that between 6 and 28 percent of all reports from ultrasound or DEXA radiology contain errors related to data entry.
This type of medical mistake can lead to a seriously worsened medical condition when used to make an incorrect diagnosis. Misdiagnosis can cause a lack of treatment or improper treatment, leading to disease progression, lengthy hospital stays or even fatalities. By installing a software system, hospitals can help to reduce these types of errors.
consequences for a patient who is misdiagnosed can be quite significant and long-term. For people who have seen their own health worsen and decline as a result of a medical mistake or doctor error, a medical malpractice attorney may be able to provide important guidance in the next steps possible to seek compensation for the damages.
