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Medical records suggest diagnostic errors account for ____to _____% of adverse events in hospitals

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Final answer:

Diagnostic errors contribute significantly to adverse events in hospitals, occurring due to complex situations and urgency in medical decision-making.

Step-by-step explanation:

Medical records suggest that diagnostic errors account for a significant percentage of adverse events in hospitals. Although the precise figures are not provided in the question, literature on the subject indicates that diagnostic errors can be a common source of patient harm.

These errors occur not because of a lack of knowledge among doctors, but due to the complex and urgent nature of medical decision-making, which can sometimes lead to incorrect application of knowledge. Improving diagnostic accuracy is critical and can potentially lead to a reduction of more than 35 percent in adverse events without additional costs.

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