Editorial: Quality of Current Diagnostic Performance—Our Most Serious Health Care Quality Problem?

Abstract

Editor's note: Our editorial this month is by journal Consulting Editor, Dr. John Williamson. Dr. Williamson is an internationally recognized researcher, author, and speaker on quality assurance. The recipient of many national and international awards, he has served on Hillary Clinton's Work Group on Quality as part of the Interagency Task Force for Health Care Reform. That group produced President Clinton's original bill submitted to the Congress. This past summer, at the request of the White House, Dr. Williamson participated in the "Health Security Express," which traveled some 4,000 miles, to hear the health care concerns of people across this country.

We are indebted to Dr. Williamson, not only for this editorial, but for identifying to the journal the significant issues related to the quality of diagnostic performance. His suggestion led to the special Symposium on Quality Issues in Diagnosis, published in this issue.

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