Practice Practice Pointer

Five strategies for clinicians to advance diagnostic excellence

BMJ 2022; 376 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj-2021-068044 (Published 16 February 2022)

Cite this as: BMJ 2022;376:e068044

The article reviews the following five strategies 

1. Seek feedback on diagnostic decisions 

2. Byte sized practice 

3. Consider bias 

4. Make diagnosis a team sport 

5. Foster critical thinking

There are links here to educational theory & psychological safety. 

Diagnostic errors

Are failures to establish a timely & accurate explanation of a patient’s health problem or to communicate that explanation to the patient. Errors can happen due to the individual (cognitive), team or system factors including social issues. 

Diagnostic excellence 

This involves making a timely and correct diagnosis.  In addition, use the fewest resources while maximising patient experience and managing uncertainty