AHRQ Patient Safety Network ► The impact of clinically undiagnosed injuries on survival estimates.

AHRQ Patient Safety Network





The impact of clinically undiagnosed injuries on survival estimates.

Gedeborg R, Thiblin I, Byberg L, Wernroth L, Michaëlsson K. Crit Care Med. 2009;37:449-455.

The continuing decline in the performance of autopsies has led to considerable concern that physicians are increasingly unaware of diagnostic errors. Missed diagnoses may also adversely affect the accuracy of prognostic systems. This Swedish study compared hospital discharge data and autopsy data for trauma patients and found that missed injuries were relatively common despite an autopsy rate of less than 25%. The performance of the International Classification of Diseases Injury Severity Score—a commonly used prognostic tool for trauma patients—could have been improved by incorporating autopsy data. As inprior studies, the authors conclude that maintaining a high autopsy rate is essential to improving the accuracy of clinical diagnoses.

PubMed citation 
Available at 

Related Resources

STUDY

Factors associated with medication errors in the pediatric emergency department.

Vilà-de-Muga M, Colom-Ferrer L, Gonzàlez-Herrero M, Luaces-Cubells C. Pediatr Emerg Care. 2011;27:290-294.

STUDY

Classifying errors in preventable and potentially preventable trauma deaths: a 9-year review using the Joint Commission's standardized methodology.

Vioque SM, Kim PK, McMaster J, et al. Am J Surg. 2014;208:187-194.

COMMENTARY

Autopsy Revelation.

Shojania KG. AHRQ WebM&M [serial online]. March 2004.

COMMENTARY

Transfusion "Slip".

Kaplan HS. AHRQ WebM&M [serial online]. February 2004.

View all related resources...