Misdiagnosis is more common than you think

If you’re thinking about getting a second opinion on a diagnosis by your primary care physician, it is probably a good idea. More than 20 percent of patients who asked for a second opinion were found to have been misdiagnosed by their primary care provider, a new study found.

The study looked at 286 patients who sought additional advice from the internal medicine department at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. Of those patients, only 12 percent (36 cases) received a correct diagnosis, 21 percent (62 cases) were diagnosed incorrectly and the remaining 188 cases received a diagnosis from their primary care physician that was partially in line with what the specialists at Mayo concluded.

The Mayo Clinic research is the latest to show how often a misdiagnosis can occur. The National Academy of Medicine released a report in 2015 finding 5 percent of adults who seek outpatient care are misdiagnosed annually and that most people receive an incorrect or late diagnosis at least once in their life.

“Diagnostic error is an area where we need more research, more study and more information,” said James M. Naessens, a professor of health services research at the Mayo Clinic. “The second opinion is a good approach for certain patients to figure out what’s there and to keep costs down.”

Has a misdiagnosis affected your health? Share your story with Voices for Affordable Health.