Many Americans will experience a diagnostic error, based on a new Institute of Medicine report, "Improving Diagnosis in Health Care," according to Nature World Report.
John Ball, MD, of the American College of Physicians headed the study.
Here are four key points:
1. In 2013, about 142,000 people died globally because of adverse medical treatment effects.
2. The study found diagnostic errors are responsible for 17 percent of hospital adverse events.
3. Between 44,000 and 98,000 people die from avoidable medical errors, annually.
4. Researchers did not find exactly how often misdiagnoses occur or the amount these errors cost, but encouraged an overhaul of the current diagnostic process.
