From the Research
Number of Healthcare Providers Sued for Failing to Diagnose Cancer
- According to 1, missed cancer diagnoses represented 980 (46%) cases of primary care diagnostic errors, with the majority (76%) involving errors in clinical judgment.
- A study by 2 found that failure to diagnose lung cancer was the most common reason physicians were sued (80% of cases).
- Another study by 3 found that delay in diagnosis was cited as a reason for claimed negligence in 82% of breast cancer malpractice cases.
Average Payout for Failing to Diagnose Cancer
- The average payout for lung cancer malpractice cases was $632,261, as reported by 2.
- For breast cancer malpractice cases, the average payout was $978,858, according to 3.
- A study by 4 found that pathology claim severity is high, especially for claims involving a misdiagnosis of melanoma or a false-negative Papanicolaou test.
Factors Contributing to Malpractice Claims
- Failure to refer to a surgeon was found to be a significant factor in breast cancer malpractice cases, with a twofold increase in likelihood of payment to the plaintiff, as reported by 3.
- Delay in diagnosis of ≥12 months was also found to be a significant factor, with a twofold increase in likelihood of payment to the plaintiff, according to 3.
- Errors in clinical judgment, such as failure or delay in ordering a diagnostic test, were found to be common in missed cancer diagnoses, as reported by 1.