Diagnostic Errors in Office-Based Care Report

This report is the second in a three-part series titled A Dose of Insight – Hidden in Plain Sight: Exposing the Drivers of Diagnostic Error, focusing on diagnostic errors in office-based practices. It presents an analysis of over 6,000 closed medical malpractice claims from 2020 to 2024, revealing that 27% of these claims involved diagnostic errors, with office-based settings accounting for 34% of diagnosis-related events. A significant finding is that 45% of these events alleged missed cancer diagnoses, particularly for prostate, lung, breast, and colorectal cancers. The report indicates that one-third of these errors resulted in patient death, and 22% led to high-severity injuries, which collectively accounted for 72% of indemnity paid. The report emphasizes the need for improved diagnostic accuracy to enhance patient safety and outlines five practical actions for clinicians to address these risks. This installment follows a previous report on emergency departments and precedes a future report on inpatient care.