AHRQ Patient Safety Network ► Medical costs of Alzheimer's disease misdiagnosis among US Medicare beneficiaries.

AHRQ Patient Safety Network

Patients misdiagnosed with Alzheimer disease (vs. Parkinson disease or vascular dementia) used more medical services and cost far more.

Alzheimers Dement. 2015;11:887-895.



Medical costs of Alzheimer's disease misdiagnosis among US Medicare beneficiaries.

Hunter CA, Kirson NY, Desai U, Cummings AK, Faries DE, Birnbaum HG. Alzheimers Dement. 2015;11:887-895.

Diagnostic errors are moving toward the forefront of patient safety. This study analyzed Medicare patients that were initially misdiagnosed as having Alzheimer disease prior to their diagnosis of vascular dementia or Parkinson disease. These patients used more medical services, costing approximately $9,500 to $14,000 more each year, up until the time of their correct diagnosis.

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