Do my feelings fit the diagnosis? Avoiding misdiagnoses in psychosomatic consultation services.
Seidl E, Seidl O. Do my feelings fit the diagnosis? Avoiding misdiagnoses in psychosomatic consultation services. J Healthc Risk Manag. 2021;41(2):9-17. doi:10.1002/jhrm.21456.
Diagnostic safety is a patient safety priority across all medical specialties. Over a five-year period, researchers found that 15% of patients referred for psychosomatic consultations at one university hospital were misdiagnosed. Misdiagnosis was primarily attributed to availability bias or other biases. Semi-structured interviews with referring physicians highlight the contributing role of physician attitudes and unusual clinical features.