Does the "missed" radiographic diagnosis constitute malpractice?
Recent studies confirm that radiologists disagree as often as 50% of the time and that as many as 30% of pathological findings are "missed." Legally, "simple" errors are not considered to constitute malpractice, but "negligent" errors are; yet there are no practical guidelines to help the courts or the medical profession distinguish between the two. A practical "standard of radiological practice" must be developed, possibly by the various radiological societies, so that the courts may more easily distinguish true negligence from "simple" errors. It is also suggested that review panels be organized to render a medical opinion as to whether or not they conform to standard radiological practice.
D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D004470:Economics, Medical; D006801:Humans; D007603:Jurisprudence; D008318:Malpractice; D011871:Radiology / Q000592:standards*; D014481:United States