Ten Commandments to Reduce Diagnostic Errors

    1. Thou shalt First “Do No Harm.".

      2. Thou shalt think of serious and treatable conditions and act on them without delay. 

    

      3.Thou shalt remember that Diagnosis is History, History, History.  Then confirm with clinical examination and more History.  

      4. Thou shalt request a test only if it will change your plan or help in predicting the outcome.

      5. Thou shalt question “authority” such as your   senior residents, attendings, experts, or    even National guidelines.  

      6. Thou shalt continue the debate and questioning even though the data is “IN.”  

      7.Thou shalt maintain a high index of suspicion or uncommon presentations of the common.   

      8. Thou shalt recognize your own beliefs, biases, prejudices, and thinking style.  

      9.Thou shalt be wary of your hunches and intuitions; It is better to use Evidence Based Medicine.  

    10. Thou shalt have an iPad or KindleFire*  in your palm

     Given to his Son Len and Class 2001 Tufts University School of Medicine From Dr. Leonardo Leonidas, Bangor, Maine , 20 May 2001  Copyright 2001. *Originally it was Pilot in your palm (as in Palm Pilot the first smallest tablet in late 1990x.)