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Multicenter Study
. 2022 Mar 1;18(2):e454-e462.
doi: 10.1097/PTS.0000000000000840.

Bedside Clinicians' Perceptions on the Contributing Role of Diagnostic Errors in Acutely Ill Patient Presentation: A Survey of Academic and Community Practice

Chanyan Huang, Amelia Barwise  1 , Jalal Soleimani  2 , Yue Dong  2 , Herasevich Svetlana  2 , Syed Anjum Khan  3 , Anne Gavin  3 , Scott A Helgeson  4 , Pablo Moreno-Franco  5 , Yuliya Pinevich  2 , Rahul Kashyap  2 , Vitaly Herasevich  2 , Ognjen Gajic  1 , Brian W Pickering  2
Affiliations
Multicenter Study

Bedside Clinicians' Perceptions on the Contributing Role of Diagnostic Errors in Acutely Ill Patient Presentation: A Survey of Academic and Community Practice

Chanyan Huang et al. J Patient Saf. .

Abstract

Objectives: This study aimed to explore clinicians' perceptions of the occurrence of and factors associated with diagnostic errors in patients evaluated during a rapid response team (RRT) activation or unplanned admission to the intensive care unit (ICU).

Methods: A multicenter prospective survey study was conducted among multiprofessional clinicians involved in the care of patients with RRT activations and/or unplanned ICU admissions (UIAs) at 2 academic hospitals and 1 community-based hospital between April 2019 and March 2020. A study investigator screened eligible patients every day. Within 24 hours of the event, a research coordinator administered the survey to clinicians, who were asked the following: whether diagnostic errors contributed to the reason for RRT/UIA, whether any new diagnosis was made after RRT/UIA, if there were any failures to communicate the diagnosis, and if involvement of specialists earlier would have benefited that patient. Patient clinical data were extracted from the electronic health record.

Results: A total of 1815 patients experienced RRT activations, and 1024 patients experienced UIA. Clinicians reported that 18.2% (95/522) of patients experienced diagnostic errors, 8.0% (42/522) experienced a failure of communication, and 16.7% (87/522) may have benefitted from earlier involvement of specialists. Compared with academic settings, clinicians in the community hospital were less likely to report diagnostic errors (7.0% versus 22.8%, P = 0.002).

Conclusions: Clinicians report a high rate of diagnostic errors in patients they evaluate during RRT or UIAs.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors disclose no conflict of interest.

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