The Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released “Core Elements of Hospital Diagnostic Excellence,” which outlines key actions for hospitals to take to improve patient diagnoses. These elements include selecting priority diagnoses, engaging relevant stakeholders, implementing tailored improvement strategies and continuously monitoring progress. Implementing these actions enhance diagnosis but also improves patient outcomes and may lead to cost savings through more efficient care.
Diagnostic excellence (DxEx) encompasses multiple practices to improve diagnosis, including ensuring that diagnostic tests are ordered, interpreted, communicated and acted upon appropriately.
This strategy also includes promote diagnostic stewardship and preventing missed, delayed and mis diagnosis. Patient engagement and leadership commitment are critical for the success of DxEx programs. (Trish Anderson)
