Understanding and reducing diagnostic errors in US emergency rooms
Official title: The Epidemiology of Diagnostic Error in Emergency Care in the United States and the Association with Patient Outcomes and Healthcare Costs
Funded at Rhode Island Hospital · NIH-11425329 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A big study using national data will look at how often misdiagnoses happen in US emergency departments and how those errors affect patients and costs.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Rhode Island Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Providence, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $486,289 |
| NIH project number | 7R01HS029781-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11425329 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Not applicable here as this is a health-services study using national data rather than enrolling patients.
✕Less likely to help
The study uses existing data; individual patient participation is not required.
What this research studies
This project analyzes national claims data to map how often emergency department diagnoses are incorrect for high‑risk conditions and common symptoms. It also examines how diagnostic errors relate to patient harm and to hospital and clinician factors. The goal is to identify where errors are most likely and what factors are associated with worse outcomes so future efforts can improve safety. The findings could help EDs target improvements to reduce missed or wrong diagnoses and lower costs.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, results could guide policy and hospital practices to reduce diagnostic errors and improve patient safety in emergency care.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work shows diagnostic accuracy varies in ED settings, with evidence that safety improvements can reduce errors.
Where this research is happening
-
Rhode Island Hospital
Providence, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Burke, Laura G — Rhode Island Hospital
- Study coordinator: Burke, Laura G
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.