Diagnostic errors are complex to study. They are hard to assess, difficult to detect, and have various definitions. We define diagnostic errors as diagnoses that are missed, incorrect, or delayed. We aim to measure diagnostic error rates, validate several “e-triggers”, and identify potential predictors of diagnostic error.
Events captured in the Electronic Health Record (EHR), or “e-triggers”, may be clues that a diagnostic error has occurred. As an example, transfers to the ICU, especially when unexpected, may indicate clinical deterioration of a missed diagnosis.