Pixie, I read the article you posted. You do realize that doctors order a lot of tests/imaging for medical-legal reasons. We can do without the extra
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imaging, but if you miss a diagnosis you can get sued. (Not that imaging gives you 100% accuracy, but it helps.) There is a trade off and most doctors err on the side of covering their butt.
I don't think the public understands how big the issue is. Pretty much everyday I hear tests order to "cover your ass."
You also can't compare the US to other countries because other countries aren't as sue happy.
It has also become the standard of care. If other doctors order the test to cover their butt and you don't, you don't have a defense.
"If only a CT was order, then Mr. Jones could have been at his grandson's first birthday."
The breast cancer patient he describes in the article probably didn't have insurance or didn't come in for regular check-ups. The breast cancer would have been caught on mammogram or annual breast exam. I doubt it was missed on both (unless the patient has some super fast growing cancer, which I doubt, I don't think they grow that fast).
So I look over charts in the peds ER. A few months ago a teen came in with appendicitis like symptoms. For whatever reason the attending physician didn't ultrasound the kid and sent him home. It is possible that the presentation wasn't very severe and the doc wanted to spare the kid the extra few hundred in costs. This doc has 20 years experience.
Next day the kid comes back with full blow appendicitis.
Can you image if the kid stayed home and had complications? What if it had perforated?
I can just see the lawyer go "if only you had ultrasound or CT this kid..."
Would an ultrasound or CT have shown the early appy? Maybe or maybe not. But at least there would be less doubt.
What percentage of misdiagnosis is the US public okay with? I am pretty sure it is close to zero (or at least it is when their own health is involved). We can spare the tests, but what the public needs to understand is that 100% correct is not possible. If the pubic is cool with 97% correct (or whatever number), then hey no problem. The extra tests and imaging can be reserved for only the extreme cases. But everyone expects 100% and nobody is ever 100% right.
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