@article{3021,
  keywords = {delayed diagnosis, diagnostic error, head and neck neoplasms, patient safety, quality improvement},
  author = {Joel Franco and Alhasan N. Elghouche and Michael S. Harris and Mimi S. Kokoska},
  title = {Diagnostic Delays and Errors in Head and Neck Cancer Patients: Opportunities for Improvement.},
  abstract = {<p>A retrospective review of 100 sequential patients (2009-2012) with head and neck cancer was performed to determine the frequency of 5 types of diagnostic delays and errors outlined by the Institute of Medicine. There were a total of 105 diagnostic delays/errors. The most common was delay in being seen in the otolaryngology clinic after referral placement (28.6%), followed by diagnostic error by the referring physician (22%), delay in referral of a symptomatic patient to the otolaryngology clinic (16.2%), delay in employing an appropriate diagnostic test or procedure (15.2%), delay in action following reporting of pathology or imaging results for an incidental lesion (11.4%), diagnostic error by the otolaryngology clinic (2.8%), delay in action following reporting of pathology or imaging results for the symptomatic lesion (2.8%), and use of outmoded tests or therapy (1%). Increased awareness of these types of delays/errors will direct actions and processes to reduce or eliminate them.</p>},
  year = {2017},
  journal = {Am J Med Qual},
  volume = {32},
  pages = {330-335},
  month = {12/2017},
  issn = {1555-824X},
  doi = {10.1177/1062860616638413},
  language = {eng},
}