Differential Diagnosis

Doctors are trained to diagnose patients using the “differential diagnosis” process.
Medical malpractice lawyers know that conducting a differential diagnosis before administering treatment is critical, because without a proper medical diagnosis it may be impossible to provide proper medical care.

Three Simple Steps

The differential diagnosis process has 3 steps.

Step 1: Get Their Information: The doctor should gather as much information about the problem as they can. For example, history, risk factors, signs and symptoms.

Step 2: Create a List: The doctor should create a complete list of everything that could reasonably be causing the signs and symptoms.

Step 3: Rule Out: The doctor should apply the differential diagnosis method to rule out the possible causes starting with the most dangerous ones first.

Essentially the differential diagnosis process helps a doctor identify all possible causes of a patient’s signs and symptoms. Then to systematically conduct tests to rule out each item on the differential diagnosis list until the doctor is left with one or more probable causes for the patient’s illness.

Diagnostic errors (medical malpractice) happen when doctors don't use the differential process, or skip one of the steps, resulting in the wrong diagnosis, which results in incorrect care, which lead to injury or death.

Do You Think They Made a Mistake?

Unfortunately there is no law in Canada that requires doctors or nurses to tell patients when they made a mistake or error that caused a patient's injury or death. Often patients or family members think the injury or death was unavoidable. They may never know that they have been a victim of medical malpractice.

Think We Can Help You?

If your child has suffered from a birth injury you can contact medical malpractice lawyer John McKiggan Q.C. online or by calling 423-2050 or toll free at 1 877 423 2050.

You can also get more free information on John's Halifax Medical Malpractice Lawyer Blog.

You may also want to read John McKiggan's book Health Scare: The Consumer's Guide to Medical Malpractice Claims in Canada. You can buy a copy on Amazon.com (all sale proceeds are donated to charity) or you can get a free copy by contacting us through our website.