The Implication of Diagnostic Errors.

Diagnostic errors are mistakes in the diagnostic process that lead to a misdiagnosis, a missed diagnosis, or a delayed diagnosis. While the past decade's impetus to improve patient safety has focused on medication errors, health care-associated infections, and postsurgical complications, diagnostic errors have received comparatively less attention. Diagnostic errors will continue to play a major role in the patient safety and quality improvement movement because of their burden on care and their financial burden. Developing a patient-partnered diagnostic approach with self-reflection and awareness of cognitive biases is the key to minimizing the impact of diagnostic errors.