PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - J. Gough
TI  - Correlation between clinical and autopsy diagnoses in a community hospital
DP  - 1985 Sep 01
TA  - Canadian Medical Association Journal
PG  - 420--422
VI  - 133
IP  - 5
4099  - http://www.cmaj.ca/content/133/5/420.short
4100  - http://www.cmaj.ca/content/133/5/420.full
SO  - CMAJ1985 Sep 01; 133
AB  - Forty-six consecutive autopsies performed in 1 year on patients who died in a 120-bed urban community hospital were analysed with respect to clinical-pathological correlation. The mean age of the patients was 71 years. Errors in clinical diagnosis were assigned to one of four classes: class I, a missed major diagnosis, the detection of which before death would probably have changed management and resulted in longer survival or possible cure; class II, a major missed diagnosis that, if detected before death, would probably not have altered management; and classes III and IV, minor missed diagnoses. Six (13%) class I and 10 (22%) class II errors were found, as well as a number of class III and IV errors. Suggestions are made regarding the use of such data in audit procedures.