Office diagnostic errors a leading source of med mal events: Report

Diagnostic errors in office-based practices are a leading source of medical malpractice incidents, according to insurer Coverys’ analysis of claims.

Diagnostic errors occur most often in office-based settings, accounting for 34% of diagnosis-related events, Coverys’ analysis said. The insurer looked at about 6,000 events that closed from 2020 through 2024.

One-third of office-based diagnostic error events resulted in death, and 22% resulted in a patient suffering a high-severity injury. Together, these events accounted for 72% of the indemnity paid, said Coverys, which provides medical professional liability insurance and health care risk management services.

More than a quarter of malpractice events, 27%, closed during the five-year study period involved diagnostic error.

Almost half, 45%, of office-based events alleged a missed cancer diagnosis. The most common missed cancers were prostate, lung, breast and colorectal.

Improving diagnostic accuracy is one of the most meaningful ways to enhance patient safety, Dana Siegal, vice president, risk management and analytics at Coverys, said in a news release.