AHRQ Research Summit on Improving Diagnosis in Health Care | Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality

AHRQ Research Summit on Improving Diagnosis in Health Care | Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality

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.

AHRQ Research Summit on Improving Diagnosis in Health Care

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Date: September 28, 2016, 8:30am – 5:00pm

Location:
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
5600 Fishers Lane
Rockville, MD 20857

Most patients will experience at least one diagnostic error in their lifetime, according to the AHRQ-sponsored report, Improving Diagnosis in Health Care, published by the National Academies of Medicine in September 2015. These errors occur in all settings of care, contribute to about 10 percent of patient deaths, and are the primary reason for medical liability claims. Substantial effort is needed to identify research priorities, including how to measure and reduce diagnostic errors, and ensure this information is integrated into practice, where it will translate meaningful benefits for patients. This interactive meeting explored the state of the science of diagnosis in health care and discussed ways AHRQ and other stakeholders can contribute to a collaborative approach to improving diagnostic performance, as well as identify the research and evidence, tools and training, and data and measures that are needed to improve diagnostic performance.  

Agenda and Speakers:

Presentations are available and can be accessed from the presentation titles on the Agenda page. You can also view videos of the conference on the Agenda page.

• Visit the Summit Agenda.
• Read speaker biosketches.

Background Materials:

National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2015. Improving diagnosis in health care. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.

3 Summary Documents:

• Report brief (PDF File , 242 KB)
• Recommendations (PDF File , 158.25 KB)
• Toolkit (PDF File , 238.45 KB)

3 specific chapters, aligning with the breakout sessions:

• Data and Measurement—Chapter 3: Overview of Diagnostic Error in Health Care .
• Health IT—Chapter 5: Technology and Tools in the Diagnostic Process .
• Organizational Factors—Chapter 6: Organizational Characteristics, the Physical Environment, and the Diagnostic Process: Improving Learning, Culture, and the Work System .

Learn more about AHRQ's efforts to improve diagnostic errors.

Page last reviewed August 2017
Page originally created June 2016

Internet Citation: AHRQ Research Summit on Improving Diagnosis in Health Care. Content last reviewed August 2017. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. http://www.ahrq.gov/news/events/ahrq-research-summit-diagnostic-safety.html