Q: In the past year, has your office practice: This white paper is the second of a three-part series exploring diagnostic challenges in three different care settings. Our first paper addressed diagnosis-related issues in the emergency department.1 In this edition, we investigate diagnostic errors or omissions during office-based care. A future report will explore diagnostic risks for inpatients and their clinical teams. In this paper you will learn: • How often diagnostic errors occur, and in which settings and services, based on data from closed malpractice events.* • Key factors that lead to error in the office-based practice, and which diagnoses are most likely to be missed. • Recommendations to help reduce diagnostic error in office-based practices. • How to identify key vulnerabilities in your practice with a brief self-assessment. ( 1 ) AUTHORS Dana Siegal, RN, CPHRM, CPPS Vice President, Risk Management & Analytics Maryann Small, MBA Senior Director, Business Analytics Susan L. Montminy, EdD, MPA, BSN, RN, FASHRM, CPHRM, CPPS Senior Director, Risk Management & Analytics Marlene Icenhower, JD, BSN, RN, CPHRM, FASHRM Senior Risk Management Specialist, Risk Mangement & Analytics Patricia Bennett, RN, CPC Senior Manager Clinical Coding, Business Analytics Michelle Bondurant, RN, CP Clinical Data Manager, Business Analytics *Coverys® evaluated 6,009 events that closed between January 1, 2020 and December 31, 2024, and identified 294 specific events where a diagnostic error in an office-based practice was alleged. Unless otherwise indicated, statistics and information in this publication were derived from this proprietary data. If so, you’re not alone. These are some of the most common scenarios that can alert you to diagnostic error in office-based practices. | HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT | Exposing the Drivers of Diagnostic Error A DOSE OF INSIGHT ® Coverys | Received a patient complaint that you missed a significant diagnosis? Discovered there was a failure to follow up on a patient test or consult? Been surprised by a patient complaint or notice of a pending lawsuit after losing contact with the patient?