Hospital commitments to address diagnostic errors: An assessment of 95 US hospitals

Area of Science:

• Healthcare quality improvement
• Patient safety research
• Health services research

Background:

• Diagnostic errors are a major cause of patient harm.
• The Leapfrog Group identified 29 evidence-based practices to reduce these errors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the adoption of Leapfrog's diagnostic error reduction practices in US hospitals.
• To identify implementation gaps in hospital diagnostic processes.

Main Methods:

• A national pilot survey of Leapfrog-participating hospitals was conducted.
• Practices were divided into two surveys: organizational culture/structure and the diagnostic process.
• 95 hospitals from 23 states responded.

Main Results:

• Hospitals implemented 56% of organizational practices and 62% of diagnostic process practices on average.
• Implementation rates varied widely, with some hospitals adopting only a few practices.
• Commonly adopted practices included interpreter access and error reporting systems. Least adopted were multidisciplinary diagnostic safety teams and CEO commitment.

Conclusions:

• Significant implementation gaps exist for diagnostic excellence practices in US hospitals.
• Findings can guide initiatives to improve diagnostic safety and reduce patient harm.