Better than leeches? Maybe not by much...

[Nancy LC]

Article at NY Times about how seriously bad doctors still are at diagnosing diseases.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/22/business/22leonhardt.html?ex=1298264400&en=c2d9f1d754850b17&ei=5089&partner=rssyahoo&emc=rss

With all the tools available to modern medicine — the blood tests and M.R.I.'s and endoscopes — you might think that misdiagnosis has become a rare thing. But you would be wrong. Studies of autopsies have shown that doctors seriously misdiagnose fatal illnesses about 20 percent of the time. So millions of patients are being treated for the wrong disease.

As shocking as that is, the more astonishing fact may be that the rate has not really changed since the 1930's. "No improvement!" was how an article in the normally exclamation-free Journal of the American Medical Association summarized the situation.

This is the richest country in the world — one where one-seventh of the economy is devoted to health care — and yet misdiagnosis is killing thousands of Americans every year.

[kebaldwin]

Most doctors can not even properly diagnose pre type 2 diabetes and recommend a low carb diet. I saw I don't know how many doctors -- and not one could tell me I had a blood sugar problem. Luckily there is medical advice for sale on Amazon.com or I would have major (prescription) drug and health problems.

[Dodger]

In almost all illnesses, there is nothing that a physician can do. You will either get better or die. Physicians are good for setting broken bones and little else. They can do nothing for viral infections and have over prescribed antibiotics to the stage that they have created many resistant strains. For cancer, they may extend life for a few months.

[TarHeel]

Tell me about it. My husband is dead because of a misdiagnosis.
Kay

[Nancy LC]

In almost all illnesses, there is nothing that a physician can do. You will either get better or die. Physicians are good for setting broken bones and little else. They can do nothing for viral infections and have over prescribed antibiotics to the stage that they have created many resistant strains. For cancer, they may extend life for a few months.

True, but they're not even diagnosing it properly! So how can you get the right treatment if you're more than likely to get the wrong diagnosis.

I'm sorry to hear that, Tarheel. :( My Mom's doctors seem incredibly incompetent. They've totally ignored her COPD and let her muscles waste away. They could have intervined in that and helped her.

I mentioned it somewhere before, that I thought there should be computer assisted diagnostic tools for doctors, and that is just what this guy did after his daughter was misdiagnosed. But the hospitals don't want them. It doesn't matter to them, or the doctors, whether they diagnose you correctly.
There are no consequences for misdiagnosis.

[Duparc]

In 1998 I was diagnosed as having an oesophagus hernia by a distinguished physician, nice guy, and he nearly got it right except that it was a heart attack! The cardiac physician at the local hospital prescribed tablets (?) then went on holiday. In the meantime, his senior registrar, not being happy about my condition sent me to another hospital for further tests and my feet never touched the ground until I had a quadruple by-pass! The four main arteries to my heart were almost blocked at the point of entry to the heart (result of 18 years as a vegetarian) and seemingly I was on an hourly count-down. This Registrar who saved my life received the scorn of her consultant physician!

My late wife was dismissed as being too sensitive about her health by the local hospital's surgeon and he too nearly got it right except that, 6 months later, on seeing another surgeon, she was found to have breast cancer at an advanced stage. She died.

My granddaughter (16) who was born with epilepsy was told that it was under control and for 2 years it was, that was until one morning when the family awoke to find her dead having suffered an attack just prior to the family awakening.

My middle daughter (45) was diagnosed as having a strained lumbar muscle and was given pain-killers. Soon afterwards a further diagnosis revealed an acidic stomach. I then noticed that she was looking poorly indeed, so questioned the GP about possible cancer. He sent her for tests and cancer was confirmed and 3 weeks later she died! The GP is a genuinely nice guy but his competence as a medical practitioner is a little questionable.

After my cardiac operation I suffered severely from post-operative symptoms for 5 years mainly from neurological problems which the GP denied as being post-operative but who was unable to recognise the symptoms. He suggested referring me to a specialist but, was unable to see my heels for the dust as I made a very quick exit from the consulting room! I subsequently solved my own health problems through reading pharmacology.

It is not just the US that has this problem; it is pandemic in all Westernised countries. It is a known statistical fact that more people die from medical mistakes yearly in hospitals than who die on our roads from accidents, so conclusion; if you are unwell, take a walk along the centre carriageway of a busy highway and you've increased your chances of survival; you might not get better but, you sure will have less chance of dying!

Need any more be said? Increase the GP/MD's salaries and reduce their hours; poor hard working pill-pushers!

[kebaldwin]

Sorry to hear about those problems.

Increase the GP/MD's salaries and reduce their hours; poor hard working pill-pushers!

I don't think that is the solution in the US. The problem is that the AMA, FDA, & Pharma companies (all the people in charge of health here in the US) are corrupt.

I have heard of doctors that agree that a low carb diet is the best thing you can do -- but can not suggest that to patients or they would get into trouble with the AMA / FDA / Pharama and if they got sued, their liability insurance may not cover them because they were not following AMA & FDA protocols.

The AMA / FDA / Pharma try to shut down doctors that suggest low carb, supplements, and natural remedies. In fact, as I post, they release several stories each month saying anything you do on your own is a waste of time, money, and dangerous (fear, uncertainty, and doubt).

[NYNikki]

No doctor is perfect but when they take on that named role (DOCTOR) we as patient's put all out trust in them to do the best thing.

Sadly, most doctors don't even advance their skills to adapt to the changes of today's diseases and cures.

Interesting site...http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/symptomcenter.htm