Diagnostic discordance, uncertainty, and treatment ambiguity in community-acquired pneumonia: a national cohort study of 115 U.S. Veterans Affairs hospitals.
An accurate diagnosis of pneumonia ensures that appropriate treatment can be administered in a timely manner. In this large retrospective study, researchers compared hospital admission and discharge diagnosis of community-acquired pneumonia. More than half of patients had a discordant diagnosis at discharge. EHR notes described more uncertainty for patients with discordance. This study highlights the importance of understanding diagnostic uncertainty in pneumonia-related care.