Strategies for improving diagnostic safety and clinical reasoning

Abstract

Diagnostic safety failures cause up to 15% of adverse health care-related events, many of which have serious consequences. The nature of diagnostic errors is complex and involves individual factors, such as cognitive and availability biases, as well as factors related to organizations and work dynamics. Through this document, the Health Care Quality and Patient Safety Committee of the Asociación Española de Pediatría (Spanish Association of Pediatrics) offers an updated review of the bases of diagnostic error and its characteristics in different health care settings, and proposes strategies for improving diagnostic safety and clinical reasoning, including educational and care delivery aspects and the application of novel technological resources, such as those based on artificial intelligence.