A majority of diagnostic errors are at least partially caused by problems with electronic health records (EHRs), according to an AHRQ-funded study published in JAMA Network Open. The authors analyzed closed malpractice claims from January 2015 to September 2021 for ambulatory care that were diagnosis- and EHR-related. Of 199 diagnosis-related claims, EHRs were considered a potential contributor to diagnostic errors in 61 percent of claims. About 92 percent involved the testing stage, and the most prevalent outcome for claims (71 percent) was missed or delayed diagnoses. The authors concluded that the study findings illustrated the central role of EHRs for supporting the diagnostic process, and the potential for issues such as suboptimal design or clinician use to facilitate diagnostic errors.
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