Accurate diagnosis is central to the practice of medicine, yet diagnostic failures and errors occur. The National Academy of Medicine’s 2015 landmark report entitled “Improving Diagnosis in Health Care” (The National Academies Press) identified diagnostic error as a major, unaddressed patient safety issue, noting that “most people will experience at least one diagnostic error in their lifetime, sometimes with devastating consequences.” This report focuses on three themes. First, it promotes focus on the diagnostic process or “diagnosis”, not just diagnostic errors. Second, it defines a diagnostic error as failure to establish an accurate and/or timely explanation for the patient’s problem AND to communicate that explanation to the patient.Third, it places heavy emphasis on collaboration between disciplines.

The UC Davis Health Collaborative for Diagnostic Innovation seeks to address the issues and challenges raised in the National Academy of Medicine’s report by creating an inter-disciplinary community of clinicians, researchers, and educators who will work together to create novel solutions and new approaches that will improve all facets of the diagnostic process.