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When Doctors Fail to Follow the Differential Diagnosis Method
Posted by: Tom Warner
October 16, 2009
Topic: Medical Malpractice
What Can Happen When Doctors Fail to Use This Method Correctly
The reason that doctors are universally taught the Differential Diagnosis Method early in medical school is because this method has a proven track record for arriving at the correct diagnosis so that the patient receives proper medical interventions and care. When a doctor fails to use the method or fails to use it correctly, the doctor has not provided standard medical care. If the doctor fails to properly diagnose and treat a patient's serious medical condition and it results in serious harm or death, the doctor may be sued for medical malpractice.
In one such case, a woman fell in the hospital and hit her head causing a head wound. The doctor assessed his patient over the phone by talking to the hospital nurses. Rather than consider all the possible conditions that could result from the women's head wound, he diagnosed his patient's head wound as a simple abrasion. The woman was elderly and was on blood thinning medication. Her head wound continued to bleed. Over the course of a few hours, the woman lost consciousness. Finally, a CT scan of her head was ordered and it revealed that she had been bleeding all along into the space between her brain and the dura which covers the brain. The blood accumulated and compressed her brain causing severe neurological injury. By the time the doctor diagnosed her subdural hematoma surgery could not save her and she died. The doctor was sued for the women's wrongful death due to misdiagnosis and failure to treat his patient's subdural hematoma.
The doctor should have had subdural hematoma on the list of possible causes of his patient's problems and confirmed or ruled it out with a CT scan instead of just deciding that she had a non-serious abrasion to her head. Had he done so, it is likely the acute blood from the head injury would have showed up on the CT scan and the appropriate medical interventions would have been arranged to stop the bleeding, remove the accumulated blood and save the women's life.
In another case, an infant developed pus filled lesions on her head shortly after birth. Over the course of the next few days the infant developed a fever, was not feeding well and became listless. The doctor who examined the infant's head lesions shortly after birth attributed them to needle sticks from a monitor. He failed to go through the differential diagnosis methodology and include other possible causes of the lesions including neonatal herpes, which can cause severe neurological injury in a newborn. Neonatal herpes is easily and effectively treated with a safe and readily available anti-viral medication. Because the doctor failed to include neo-natal herpes as a possible cause of the infant's condition and treat with an anti-viral medication, the infant suffered permanent brain injury and will require round the clock care the rest of her life. The doctor who failed to diagnose the infant's condition by properly using the differential diagnosis method was held responsible for the infant's injuries and damages.
When to Contact a Medical Malpractice Attorney
If you believe you, or a family member, have received sub-standard medical care because of failure to follow the Differential Diagnosis Method for diagnosing and treating medical conditions or any other form of medical malpractice, it is time to speak with a knowledgeable attorney to answer any questions you may have and to help you determine the best course of action based on your circumstances.
