AHRQ Deputy Director Calls Improving Diagnosis the ‘Next Critical Leap’ in Patient Safety

Improving diagnosis represents the “next critical leap in patient safety,” according to an editorial by AHRQ Deputy Director Sharon B. Arnold, Ph.D., in the journal Diagnosis. The editorial accompanied publication of proceedings from last year’s AHRQ Research Summit on Improving Diagnosis in Health Care, whose participants detailed that diagnostic error is common, costly and preventable. The Sept. 28 summit convened diverse experts from inside and outside government to summarize knowledge gaps, clarify challenges to improving diagnosis and identify areas of potential future research. Access the proceedings and Dr. Arnold’s editorial for more about this emerging patient safety topic.