Diagnosing a patient’s ailment can prove difficult when their prior medical history is ignored. For physicians, an accurate diagnosis is critical to providing the care a patient needs to feel better. Medical history refers to the patient’s past diagnoses, surgeries, medications, and experiences. A failure to account for a patient’s prior medical history means the medical provider cannot connect these prior conditions to the patient’s current problems. 

With patient safety at the top of the list of priorities for doctors, clinics, and hospitals, knowledge of a patient’s past medical history helps ensure that the patient’s experience does not cause further harm. When a misdiagnosis occurs in a hospital or clinical setting, it is worthwhile to understand the role played by the failure to consider the patient’s prior medical history. 

How to Perform a Thorough Examination of a Patient’s Prior Medical History

Technology being what it is, there has never been a simpler time to conduct a comprehensive review of a patient’s prior medical history. Taking the time to review a patient’s medical history on a computer screen is necessary to perform due diligence and learn about the patient’s prior medical conditions. 

In medicine, there are often clues from the past that can help a physician avoid a critical misdiagnosis. It may not even be a prior medical condition that alerts a doctor to a likely diagnosis. For example, it may be written several times in a medical history that a patient has a history of drug, alcohol, or other substance abuse. These conditions may help provide fuller context for a physician diagnosing a current condition. 

Past Medical Conditions Must Be Considered

Errors in prescribing and dosing medications can result from not fully considering a patient’s medical history. Many medications are extremely sensitive when it comes to their interaction with previously prescribed medicines. It is not out of the ordinary for a patient to be prescribed a medicine and for that person to experience a downgrade in their condition due to the medication mistake. That said, it is of utmost importance that all past conditions are considered.

Pursuing a Medical Malpractice Claim Due to the Failure to Consider Prior Medical Treatment

Both patients and healthcare providers can suffer harm when a physician fails to fully consider an individual’s medical history. Avoidable harm may result when knowledge of the person’s prior diagnoses is not sought. This failure by the physician to act reasonably is why medical malpractice claims are possible. Considering a claim against a healthcare provider means a premium is placed on experience and tenacity. All the more reason to contact a West Virginia medical malpractice attorney today for a free case review. 

What Medical Conditions Are Most Easily Overlooked When Past Medical History is Ignored?

When considering the medical conditions most easily overlooked related to past medical history, one need look no further than two of the most common, chronic conditions which impact many Americans: diabetes and heart disease. When an even more common, chronic condition is overlooked- such as hypertension- it can lead a physician to miss what may otherwise be a more obvious sign of heart disease. 

In certain circumstances, failing to consider a patient’s prior medical history can cause irreparable harm. Making an incorrect diagnosis could leave a patient without the care needed to stop or even reverse the progression of a medical issue. 

Certain types of care for autoimmune disorders require the physician’s confidence that the recommended treatment will not cause unwanted side effects. A key part of making those kinds of recommendations relates to how well the physician knows the patient’s medical history. Symptoms can be misunderstood, especially when dealing with conditions like fibromyalgia, psoriatic arthritis, or Sjogren’s Syndrome. 

What Does It Mean For a Physician to Have Acted Negligently Related to Past Patient Care?

When a physician agrees to treat a patient, it is essential to make decisions based on the most widely available information- within reason. The legal standard in a medical malpractice case is the actions a similarly situated doctor would have taken. When a prior diagnosis would have made a major difference in the patient’s care and condition, understanding that prior medical history is essential.

Again, it is not only prior medical diagnoses that must be reviewed by a physician. Medications and allergies also play a role in patient care. Using the example noted above, the failure to review past medical history of prescriptions can lead to a worsening of the client’s medical condition. 

In other words: a duty of care owed by the physician to a patient can be breached, or violated, when an understanding of the patient’s past medical history is unknown or incomplete. An injured person must be able to prove a causal connection between that breach and the injury suffered. If the injured party can do so, damages may be sought from the physician, the physician’s practice group, or the hospital where the physician sees patients. 

When Results Matter Most, Trust Crim Law, PLLC

Don’t leave your health or that of a loved one to chance. Instead, contact Crim Law, PLLC for a free case review. Our team of experienced West Virginia medical malpractice attorneys fights for the rights of injury victims. 

A physician owes a patient a certain level of care when administering medical care. The patient’s prior medical history is central to maintaining appropriate care and maximizing the chance of success. By holding negligent parties responsible for contributing to your injury or illness, Crim Law, PLLC serves its clients and helps ensure better outcomes for all patients in the future.