Medical Diagnosis means the process of identifying diseases. Diagnosis can be made only by doctors and physicians. It can be determined by the signs and symptoms exhibited by the diseases. Diagnosis made at an early stage can prove to be a life changing event. Diagnosis helps in having an insight into the disease. Appropriate diagnosis can be made with the help of combination of signs, symptoms, and investigations. Investigations such as blood test, saliva test, medical imaging, stool or urine examinations, biopsy, electrocardiogram, etc are useful in making the diagnosis of a medical condition. Disease diagnosis is essential irrespective of the system of treatment offered to the patient. In case the disease diagnosis is not established then, it may lead to frustrating or upsetting the patient or it may even frighten the patient.

Importance of Diagnosis

On establishing a diagnosis, the physician can plan the management of the medical disease, which shall comprise of the treatment and plan for the follow-ups. Apart from, diagnosis been useful in treating the patient, it is also helpful in educating the patient regarding the cause, progress, outcome, and also in providing advice in maintaining health. Lack of diagnosis may lead to lack of treatment

Diagnosis is quite crucial for research, statistics and further to accomplish the academic interests. It is important for the physician to know the detailed health status of his patient, for some medico legal reasons hence; diagnosis plays an important role in such cases too.

Diagnosis helps in advising the patient regarding the ideal diet and regimen and also regarding any other accessory management. Diagnosis of a case helps in understanding the depth of the disease.

Diagnosis helps in providing proper treatment and slowing down or treating the medical condition. Early diagnosis helps in preventing the spread of the disease.

Proper diagnosis of a disease will help the physician to tackle the disease effectively. Diagnosis helps the physician in deciding the best way to treat the patient. In case, proper diagnosis of a case is not made then, there are chances that the physician shall never be able to manage the disease condition effectively. The attempt of the physician in tackling the medical condition may go futile.

Faulty Diagnosis

Failure to diagnose, faulty diagnosis or missed diagnosis is a form of medical malpractice. In some cases, it may become difficult in making a diagnosis, as there are several diseases which have nearly similar clinical features. The chances of making a faulty diagnosis can be possible if the manifestations of the disease are not sufficiently noticeable or if too much importance is given to some feature of the diagnosis. Inaccurate diagnosis can harm the patient. Missed diagnosis can further result when the patient may have more than one medical problem which confuses the diagnosis process.

When a diagnosis is not made then, there are chances that the treatment recommended could be wrong, which would result in further illness or debilitation. The treatment which the patient actually requires in case the diagnosis was made is delayed or never takes place.