ABSTRACT
This essay examines diagnosis errors, arguing that they result from not random events or differences in skills in the workplace but rather more predictable consequences of system flaws and design problems. The essay examines the structural elements of high-quality diagnosis, concentrating on and describing five intersecting elements: adequate time, informatics infrastructure, diagnostic safety culture, situational awareness, and safety nets. These five elements are held together through trusting relationships within the healthcare setting between healthcare professionals and empowered patients, the absence of which can lead to diagnosis errors.
