There are many different ways that medical malpractice can occur. One way is known as misdiagnosis. But, what exactly is “misdiagnosis” and how dangerous can a misdiagnosis be?
Well, for starters, our readers should think about how a normal, routine doctor appointment goes. Typically, patients describe the symptoms that they are experiencing, how long they have been experiencing the symptoms, their pain level and what they have tried in terms of treatment thus far. From that information, the doctor renders a diagnosis, which is an attempt to accurately label the health condition, and then recommend a course of treatment that will, hopefully, solve the problem.
Therefore, a misdiagnosis occurs when a doctor makes a mistake in determining a patient’s health problem. Now, some people may not think this is too big of a deal. For instance, what’s the big difference in treatment for the flu and a strep throat, or even the common cold? Well, while in some cases the impact of a misdiagnosis may just be a few extra days of inconvenient illness, when it comes to more serious health conditions a misdiagnosis can be deadly.
One of the most common misdiagnosis issues is when a doctor fails to diagnose cancer. This is a major problem because many forms of cancer are treatable – if they are detected early. If a patient is under the wrong diagnosis and therefore is receiving the wrong treatment, the cancer can get to a terminal stage. But, cancer isn’t the only disease that can be misdiagnosed. Any Connecticut resident who believes that their health has worsened due to a doctor’s error may want to review their legal options.
