How and why misdiagnoses occur
New York residents who are concerned about the quality of their medical care may be interested in learning about the common circumstances that can cause a misdiagnosis to occur. Doctors, other health care specialists, patients and laboratory or pathology tests can all contribute to a misdiagnosis in some way.Patients may attempt to diagnose their own medical conditions without consulting medical professionals. If they do see doctors, they may refrain from mentioning all their symptoms due to embarrassment or the belief that they aren't worth mentioning unless specifically asked about.The limits of a doctor's knowledge may also contribute to a misdiagnosis. There are over 20,000 human diseases, and medical professionals tend to be aware of only the most prevalent ones. Varying levels of skill and biases towards diagnosing what is commonly [...]