The patient is in: patient involvement strategies for diagnostic error mitigation

KM McDonald, CL Bryce, ML Graber - BMJ quality & safety, 2013 - qualitysafety.bmj.com
BMJ quality & safety, 2013qualitysafety.bmj.com
Although healthcare quality and patient safety have longstanding international attention, the
target of reducing diagnostic errors has only recently gained prominence, even though
numerous patients, families and professional caregivers have suffered from diagnostic
mishaps for a long time. Similarly, patients have always been involved in their own care to
some extent, but only recently have patients sought more opportunities for engagement and
participation in healthcare improvements. This paper brings these two promising trends …
Although healthcare quality and patient safety have longstanding international attention, the target of reducing diagnostic errors has only recently gained prominence, even though numerous patients, families and professional caregivers have suffered from diagnostic mishaps for a long time. Similarly, patients have always been involved in their own care to some extent, but only recently have patients sought more opportunities for engagement and participation in healthcare improvements. This paper brings these two promising trends together, analysing strategies for patient involvement in reducing diagnostic errors in an individual9s own care, in improving the healthcare delivery system9s diagnostic safety, and in contributing to research and policy development on diagnosis-related issues.
qualitysafety.bmj.com