The Importance of Seeking a Second Opinion After a Misdiagnosis

When I was a child, I went to visit my Nani only to suddenly develop a fever. The doctor was too busy scribbling in his notepad at the hospital to even look at me. Without checking my temperature, he declared I had a fever and prescribed me some meds.

Despite the medicine, my skin and urine turned yellow and red. Worried, my Nani took me to another doctor who recommended some tests, and I was finally diagnosed with jaundice.

The primary doctor had misdiagnosed me, and the medicine he prescribed made my condition worse.

If you don’t want to end up like me, read this blog to learn how to protect yourself and reduce the risk of misdiagnosis.

Table of Contents

Impact of misdiagnosis

In India, an estimated 5.2 million people die annually due to medical errors; luckily due to my grandmother’s vigilance, I did not join that statistic. This issue isn’t just limited to India, as a report from CNN Health, states that over 8 lakh people die in the United States every year due to misdiagnosis.

The impact of misdiagnosis can be severe, leading to wasted time and money, potential loss of body function, or, in the worst cases, even death. If misdiagnosis is so common, then…….

What are the reasons for misdiagnosis?

There are two main reasons for misdiagnosis: (i) doctor error and (ii) the complexity of the disease. First, let’s understand the mistakes doctors make that can lead to misdiagnosis:

Doctors do not give enough time: With many patients waiting in long queues, doctors try to see everyone within their shift, often rushing through checkups. As a result, they may skip thorough examinations or miss addressing patients’ questions, increasing the risk of misdiagnosis.
Doctors are human and have biases: In India, people often see doctors as gods, but like gods – the doctors also make mistakes. After all, Lord Shiva unknowingly beheaded his son Ganesha and replaced it with an Elephant’s head. Unfortunately, doctors cannot implement such fixes, but they can make similarly consequential mistakes. They may become biased if they know that a patient has already been diagnosed which can lead them to overlook other potential clues.
Doctors do not have all the tests and facilities available: If a hospital lacks diagnostic equipment, the doctor may be unable to recommend specific tests, limiting the available treatment options. This situation is commonly encountered by doctors in impoverished areas.

Let us investigate the second main reason for misdiagnosis: the complexity of certain diseases, which can often lead to diagnostic errors:

Cancer: Detecting cancer at an early stage is challenging, as it often presents vague symptoms like weight loss or pain that are often neglected by both patients and doctors. As a result, doctors may not suspect cancer and recommend a biopsy.
Mental illness: Diagnosing mental illness is challenging because, unlike other diseases that can be measured by physical changes, mental illness often depends on how patients describe their symptoms. This is a story of a six-year-old girl in China who, due to excessive daytime sleep, was misdiagnosed with asymptomatic epilepsy. The medication her doctor prescribed disturbed her normal brain function causing her to see dark shadows following her.
Autoimmune disease: When the body’s defense mechanism mistakenly attacks its own cells, it is called autoimmune disease. It can be difficult to detect because it displays symptoms like flu-like fatigue, rashes, and fever, that resemble common infections.
Vital organ disease: Vital organs like the heart, liver, and lungs play essential roles in our body, but diseases affecting them can be hard to detect because they often share common symptoms, like shortness of breath or fatigue.
Rare disease: A disease that affects only one person in a million is called a rare disease. Due to limited exposure, doctors may struggle to recognize or accurately diagnose these conditions, leading to potential misdiagnoses.

A study by the Mayo Clinic found that 88% of patients leave with a new or refined diagnosis, changing their care plans and potentially their lives. This striking statistic highlights how easily anyone can be misdiagnosed and makes us wonder…

How to know if you have been misdiagnosed?

To answer this question, you should:

Carefully observe your condition after receiving treatment: If, like me, your condition worsens after the treatment, or if you feel no improvement, take it as a warning sign.
If you are a woman, then you are more prone to misdiagnosis: Yes, you read that right, because women’s bodies are different from men’s, and they are at a high risk of being misdiagnosed. According to a BBC report, nearly 40,000 to 80,000 women die each year due to misdiagnosis in the US. After knowing the reasons for misdiagnosis, you might want to know if……

Is there a solution to misdiagnosis?

After carefully observing your condition and noticing no improvement, it’s time to take a proactive step, that is seeking a second opinion.

A second opinion in medicine is when your health doesn’t improve despite treatment, and you consult another doctor for more clarity.

The benefit of a second opinion is immense for both parties. Patients can make an informed decision and confirm or question the first doctor’s findings, while doctors can reflect on their diagnostic skills.

After understanding the bigger picture of a second opinion, you might be wondering…

How to get a second opinion?

To answer this, follow these steps: (i) find a good doctor, and (ii) understand how to approach them for a second opinion.

Let’s decode these steps one by one, starting with how to find a suitable doctor for a second opinion.

Do good research: Search for a doctor by visiting the hospital’s website, where you’ll find information on all the doctors who work there. You can verify details like experience or year of graduation, via their LinkedIn profile. Remember, the more experience a doctor has, the more they will be exposed to various conditions, which can improve the quality of your care.
Avoid taking a second opinion from the same hospital: If you seek a second opinion within the same hospital, there’s a chance your doctor may have shared your case with another doctor, who could be biased and suggest the same treatment.
Search for a research hospital: Do not limit your search to a doctor, consider searching for research hospitals, where teams of 4-5 doctors collaborate to discuss cases, draw a common conclusion, and plan treatments. In India, well-known hospitals like AIIMS, Tata Memorial, and Fortis offer this level of collaborative care.

Now that you’re an informed patient, your role goes beyond just searching, you also need to know how to approach your doctor in the following ways:

Describe your symptoms, not your primary doctor’s conclusions: Patients often become too emotional and share all the details of their primary diagnosis right away. In such cases, doctors may fall into confirmation bias and avoid spending too much time on further investigation.
Address different findings: After fully listening to your doctor, if the findings differ from those of your primary doctor, inform them about your first diagnosis so they can further evaluate and provide a clearer result.

Conclusion

Till now we have seen how a misdiagnosis can have serious consequences, but by staying informed and taking proactive steps, you can significantly reduce the risk of falling victim to it. Remember, your health is too important to rely solely on one opinion. If your condition doesn’t improve or if you’re unsure about your diagnosis, seeking a second opinion can provide clarity and ensure you receive the right treatment. Trust your instincts, ask the right questions, and don’t be afraid to explore other options. Just like we at SayaCare ensure our customers receive the best fit medicine, you should also take proactive steps to ensure you receive the best care for your health.