title: Online public reactions to frequency of diagnostic errors in US outpatient care.
abstract: Diagnostic errors pose a significant threat to patient safety but little is known about public perceptions of diagnostic errors. A study published inBMJ Quality & Safetyin 2014 estimated that diagnostic errors affect at least 5% of US adults (or 12 million) per year. We sought to explore online public reactions to media reports on the reported frequency of diagnostic errors in the US adult population.
  
  
  
  We searched the World Wide Web for any news article reporting findings from the study. We then gathered all the online comments made in response to the news articles to evaluate public reaction to the newly reported diagnostic error frequency (n=241). Two coders conducted content analyses of the comments and an experienced qualitative researcher resolved differences.
  
  
  
  Overall, there were few comments made regarding the frequency of diagnostic errors. However, in response to the media coverage, 44 commenters shared personal experiences of diagnostic errors. Additionally, commentary centered on diagnosis-related quality of care as affected by two emergent categories: (1) US health care providers (n=79; 63 commenters) and (2) US health care reform-related policies, most commonly the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and insurance/reimbursement issues (n=62; 47 commenters).
  
  
  
  The public appears to have substantial concerns about the impact of the ACA and other reform initiatives on the diagnosis-related quality of care. However, policy discussions on diagnostic errors are largely absent from the current national conversation on improving quality and safety. Because outpatient diagnostic errors have emerged as a major safety concern, researchers and policymakers should consider evaluating the effects of policy and practice changes on diagnostic accuracy.
authors.affiliation: Houston VA HSR&D Center for Innovations, Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center (152) and the Section of Health Services Research, Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, 2002 Holcombe Blvd, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
authors.forename: Traber Davis
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Giardina
authors.affiliation: UCSF Center for Vulnerable Populations, San Francisco General Hospital, San Francisco, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Urmimala
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Sarkar
authors.affiliation: UCSF Center for Vulnerable Populations, San Francisco General Hospital, San Francisco, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Gato
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gourley
authors.affiliation: Houston VA HSR&D Center for Innovations, Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center and the Section of Health Services Research, Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Varsha
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Modi
authors.affiliation: Houston VA HSR&D Center for Innovations, Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center and the Section of Health Services Research, Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Ashley N D
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.affiliation: Houston VA HSR&D Center for Innovations, Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center and the Section of Health Services Research, Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Hardeep
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Singh
keywords: diagnostic error burden; public perceptions