The recent revelations at Dubbo Hospital have highlighted what appears to be a systemic failure in our health system to follow up on diagnostic test results. One might have thought it such a simple concept that if tests are ordered they are reviewed.
In our experience the failure to review is of endemic proportions in the health system and all too often having tragic consequences. Our medical negligence team have acted in many cases where doctors and health professionals have failed to review diagnostic test results where the results were abnormal and required immediate action for treatment – such referral for specialist review, for further investigations or for procedural or operative treatment.
In our practice just in the last twelve months we have seen some horrific life-long consequences for our clients where doctors have failed to review test results. Some examples of cases involving a failure by a doctor to follow up abnormal test results in which we acted for the patient include the following:
Our client presented to his G.P. complaining of shortness of breath when exercising and some chest pain on exertion. He was typically a very fit man, running every day. He was referred for a CT Angiogram, which was returned revealing that he an occluded left anterior descending artery which was high-risk in appearance.
Our client presented to his G.P. complaining of shortness of breath when exercising and some chest pain on exertion. He was typically a very fit man, running every day. He was referred for a CT Angiogram, which was returned revealing that he an occluded left anterior descending artery which was high-risk in appearance.
Our client reported to his G.P. complaining of a hoarse voice which worsened throughout the day. He had been experiencing symptoms for approximately six (6) weeks. He was referred to the local hospital to see an ENT on a non-urgent basis. He continued to complain to his G.P. and no further referral took place except for a referral for an ultrasound of the thyroid which was clear.
Our client had experienced abnormal bleeding (haemorrhagia). She was referred to a gynaecologist for treatment and had routine annual pap-smear tests. Test results were returned but not reviewed by the gynaecologist. They showed that there were highly suspicious of pre-cancerous cells which required further urgent tests and potentially biopsy.
If you or someone you know has suffered an injury as a consequence of a doctor not informing them of and/or acting upon an abnormal test result, we would be pleased to discuss your/their options in a free initial consultation. You can either book an appointment online or call us on (02) 4050 0330 to make an appointment with one of our expert medical negligence solicitors.