Menu Close

Articles on Diagnostic errors

Displaying all articles

An increasing number of health care decisions rely on information from algorithms. Tom Werner/Digital Vision via Getty Images

Including race in clinical algorithms can both reduce and increase health inequities – it depends on what doctors use them for

Biased algorithms in health care can lead to inaccurate diagnoses and delayed treatment. Deciding which variables to include to achieve fair health outcomes depends on how you approach fairness.
An EEG and MRI allow physicians to follow the activity of the cerebral regions linked to language. This enables them to measure the reactions of a patient in a state of minimal consciousness to various commands. Gorodenkoff/Shutterstock

Emerging from a coma: response to language can help assess states of consciousness

New research shows that post-coma patients who appear to be in a minimally conscious state can still mentally react to language. This finding could help improve their diagnosis and treatment.
Conditions like HIV, TB, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease increase the risk of pulmonary hypertension. Shutterstock

Pulmonary hypertension: why creating awareness is key in Africa

Delayed or late pulmonary hypertension diagnosis is sadly fatal because even specialised treatments will be ineffective at such a progressed stage of the disease.
Machines don’t make the same errors as humans when it comes to decisions based on visual analysis. from www.shutterstock.com

Can machines really tell us if we’re sick?

The value of machine learning is not only that it is more accurate than humans. It is also cheaper and more consistent in its diagnoses.
Not one health-care organisation in the world is measuring the scale of diagnostic error in its patients. Anne/Flickr

The hidden problem of medical misdiagnosis – and how to fix it

Most people would agree that correctly diagnosing a patient’s medical problem is critically important. I’m a doctor – I think it’s important. Patients certainly think it’s important. And I’m fairly certain…

Top contributors

More