Get the Correct Diagnosis

Posted on April 11, 2023

With at least 10,000 diseases in the world, though likely more and only about 200-300 symptoms, it stands to reason . . . that even highly experienced and competent doctors make diagnostic errors, about 1 in 20 times. Should you share your symptoms with 2 different doctors, based on their specialty and experience, your diagnoses may be very different.

Get the Correct Diagnosis.

I am in charge of my body. Six days a week I walk a minimum of 5 miles every day. The seventh day I run. I step on the scale every day, first thing in the morning and regularly monitor my blood pressure and pulse, two days a week.

Now that I am of a certain age, I pay more attention to what is going than I did ten years ago. When something feels off, an ache or I am just not feeling well, I do take a ‘let’s see if this is going to pass’ approach. If, after the course of a week to ten days whatever is “bugging” me continues to have my attention, I schedule a visit with my primary care practitioner (PCP), and for good reason.

With at least 10,000 diseases in the world, though likely more and only about 200-300 symptoms, it stands to reason . . . that even highly experienced and competent doctors make diagnostic errors, about 1 in 20 times. Should you share your symptoms with 2 different doctors, based on their specialty and experience, your diagnoses may be very different.[i]

9 things to do to help your doctor make the right diagnosis

1. Write Down Each Symptom.

A symptom is evidence of a disease or disorder in the body. Examples of symptoms include pain, fever, a lump or bump, unexplained weight loss or gain, or having a hard time sleeping. Be clear and concise when describing your symptoms. Your description helps the doctor identify the problem.

2. Plan for Your Appointment

Get a list together of what's been done so far – any and all tests taken thus far: X-rays, MRIs, blood work, etc., and get copies of them. This is especially important, should you be referred to a specialist.

By law you are entitled to your medical records. To do that, call any health care provider you've already seen and ask for an authorization for the release of information form.

3. Know Your Medical History.

Go through your family tree and look at what diseases and conditions run through it. If you don't know, ask your relatives. Conditions like cancer, heart disease, even depression and anxiety have a genetic component, says Caroline Abruzese, MD, president of Personalized Healthcare in Atlanta.[ii]

4. Bring in Your Medications.

You want to make sure you are taking the correct medicine at the correct dose. "Over the years I've seen some unusual things with medications, including the wrong pill in a bottle," says Charles Cutler, MD. [iii]

5. Describe Your Symptoms, but Don't Conclude.

Explain the experience you're having. "If you have ear pain and tell your doctor, 'I have an ear infection,' you're excluding other causes of ear pain, such as TMJ or a tooth abscess, and your doctor may do that as well. Better to keep a wider path and let the doctor entertain all the possibilities. "Accurate but incomplete information is better than definitive but potentially wrong," says Abruzese. [iv]

6. Be Specific About Your Symptoms.

Try to get as precise as you can about what you are feeling. If you've got a pain, is it a shooting, sharp pain, or a dull ache? Does it come and go after eating? How long does it last? A few seconds? A few minutes? How long have you had it? A week? A month? A year? Does anything decrease the pain?

Also, turn subjective data into objective. If you feel feverish, for example, take your temperature for a week nightly and write down all the information.

This way when you see your doctor you can say, "I've had six headaches in one month, they weren't relieved by Tylenol, they lasted four hours, and I had nausea with them." Then give your doctor time to ask questions.

7. Ask Your Doctor What to Expect.

If your doctor does make a diagnosis, ask what you should expect and any red flags you should be looking for, says Gordon Schiff, MD, associate director of the Center for Patient Safety Research and Practice at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. In other words, if you have a viral respiratory infection, you should be better in seven days. If you suddenly develop a high fever or feel neck pain, that's a tip-off that something isn't right, says Schiff.[v]

8. Question, Question, Question.

Don't be afraid to ask the doctor what data is needed to make the diagnosis. What is the list of diagnoses it could be? Are there other specialists, procedures, or tests that would help you make the diagnosis? ASK for the medical name, and then a regular way to describe it? What else could it be? Anything else?

Also ask about the seriousness of this condition. On a 1-5 scale with “1” being “No worries, easy to treat/cure/live with and “5” meaning it’s life threatening and must be treated immediately.”

What does treatment look like? What are the benefits of treatment? What are the risks? What are the discomforts – are these permanent or temporary? When do you want me to make the next appointment and what information can I bring to help make the diagnosis?

Once you have a diagnosis, do not be afraid to second guess your doctor. Are you sure this is what I have? What makes you think that?

9. Do not be afraid to ask for another opinion.

Nature, science, and biology are unpredictable. Lower back pain? A “bone doctor” will think about how your spine may be misaligned or that you may have a bulging disk. A nephrologist’s mind will leap to kidney disease and a generalist may chalk up your pain to a strained muscle from exercising without warming up first. So… the lesson is… It’s worth asking your doc to think outside their own box. It matters A LOT because your treatment plan depends on it.[vi]

“Good doctors are not threatened by a second opinion. In fact, they are strengthened by it."[vii]

As a patient, care partner and patient advocate, every day I am reminded of the importance of taking care of yourself, keeping active and living a fulfilling life.

[i] The Care Partner Project. Little known fact: about 1 in 20 diagnoses is incorrect. https://thecarepartnerproject.org/diagnoisis-checklist/
[ii] Pepper, Leslie, 8 Ways to Help Your Doctor Make the Right Diagnosis. Medically Reviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD on December 20, 2011. WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/cancer/features/get-right-diagnosi
[iii] Ibid.
[iv] Ibid
[v] ibid
[vi] The Care Partner Project. Ask questions. . .lots of questions. https://thecarepartnerproject.org/diagnoisis-checklist/#why-questions
[vii] Charles Cutler, MD. Pepper, Leslie, 8 Ways to Help Your Doctor Make the Right Diagnosis. Medically Reviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD on December 20, 2011. WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/cancer/features/get-right-diagnosis