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How Accurate Are Medical Test Results?

Nov 2, 2017 | Firm News, Medical Malpractice

When you go to a doctor, you expect that they will do everything to discover what is wrong with you. You put your trust in their expertise and abilities to heal you. However, doctors alone cannot diagnose many conditions. You may also need to get testing done at an Indiana medical facility. When it comes to medical tests, you may be alarmed to hear that many of them suffer from accuracy issues.

According to Very Well, accuracy issues with medical testing are due to many factors, many of which are controllable. It all starts when your blood or other bodily fluid is drawn. If an error is made or the specimen is contaminated in some way, it can affect your test results. Once your sample gets to the laboratory, more human error can occur. Even if the test is run correctly and the specimen sample is perfect, errors can occur once the results are read. Some doctors or medical professionals may not have enough knowledge to properly read certain tests, which could lead to false results being communicated to you.

There is also an issue with the tests themselves. Some tests are simply not reliable. They may return false positives or negatives at a high rate, making them difficult to rely on for true results. Even reliable tests can still fail every once in a while.

Because of the unreliability and the high chance of human error in medical testing, medical providers may run multiple tests to verify their findings. You may also be sent to see different doctors or specialists to verify results. This information is only intended to educate and should not be interpreted as legal advice.

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