Does America Have a Misdiagnosis Problem?

If you were diagnosed with cancer, should you trust that diagnosis? It turns out that misdiagnosis of ailments may be more common than you ever imagined. This can lead to patients receiving the wrong treatment, which can lead to further illness and even death. So, what can you do about the misdiagnosis problem in our country? You may be surprised at some of the options available to you.

HOW TO FIGHT MISDIAGNOSIS IN AMERICA

Did you know that there is a one-in-five chance that your cancer diagnosis is incorrect? A doctor at Yale University recently stated that the rate of cancer misdiagnosis is around 20 percent. This statistic was further confirmed by an ongoing study from Precipio, Inc. In this study, 21 percent of 315 patients were found to have been misdiagnosed. This supports the data shown by other studies, but the company’s research also exposed something unexpected.

In over 73 percent of misdiagnosed cases found by the Precipio study, the change in diagnosis may have also changed the recommended treatment for the patients in those cases. That means billions of dollars could have been wasted as patients were given incorrect treatments. Worse yet, such mistakes can lead to prolonged illness and even death.

This data means that it is even more important for patients to get a second opinion, especially when dealing with a disease like cancer. Precipio is offering hospitals and labs services that allow academic medical professionals to review patient data to improve the accuracy of diagnosis, but you can do the same thing by hunting out your own expert and asking them to review your case.

For those individuals who are undergoing treatments that seem ineffective, it is important that you not only seek a second opinion but that you look into getting an attorney. An experienced medical malpractice attorney can not only help you recognize the signs of a cancer misdiagnosis, they can help you get support for your family while you are sick. And in the case that your condition becomes terminal, a medical malpractice attorneycan help your family pursue the resources they will need to handle life without you.

A message from the attorneys at Selingo Guagliardo LLC­—good lawyers helping people out of the woods.