Diagnosis errors are the most common type of medical malpractice claim brought against US radiologists, according to Oncology Nurse Advisor. Oftentimes, the diagnostic error is in regard to breast cancer. This finding comes from an article published in Radiology.
Using data from more than 8,400 radiologists across 47 states, researchers were looking for common causes of medical malpractice lawsuits against these health professionals. Here is what they found:
- 31 percent of the radiologists had at least one malpractice claim made against them in their career.
- The cause of medical malpractice claims could be determined in about 84 percent of the cases.
- Diagnostic errors were the most common cause of medical malpractice lawsuits against radiologists.
The researchers conclude it seems to be a failure to correctly interpret tests that led to the diagnosis error.
As someone facing something as devastating and critical as a potential breast cancer diagnosis, you rely on the expertise, training and knowledge of the doctors who use imaging techniques to diagnose the disease. Radiologists provide cancer diagnoses every day, enabling their patients to get the treatment they need to delay or eliminate the terminal stages of disease.
While most radiologists provide timely, accurate interpretations of medical imaging, sometimes they fail to diagnose cancer, which means you can’t receive the timely care you need.
If you were misdiagnosed or received a late diagnosis, please contact the Law Offices of Michael Barszcz, M.D., J.D., to schedule a free consultation with our experienced Orlando medical malpractice lawyer.