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Family Physician Mock Interview

Question 23 of 30 for our Family Physician Mock Interview

Family Physician was updated by on August 31st, 2021. Learn more here.

Question 23 of 30

Has there ever been a time when you had to notify a patient of a missed diagnosis or an inaccurate result that was given to you?

"I can recall an instance when some lab results were misfiled on a patient's paper chart. Unfortunately, the results were bad news which left the patient devastated. Once the error was realized, we called the patient and asked her to come into the clinic for a consultation. Of course, she was thankful to know that her prognosis was not bad, but it was a very emotional event. We used that experience as the foundation for implementing new guidelines on verifying and documenting orders before a patient was notified."

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How to Answer: Has there ever been a time when you had to notify a patient of a missed diagnosis or an inaccurate result that was given to you?

Advice and answer examples written specifically for a Family Physician job interview.

  • 23. Has there ever been a time when you had to notify a patient of a missed diagnosis or an inaccurate result that was given to you?

      How to Answer

      While healthcare providers strive for accuracy and thorough care, no one is above making a mistake. The interviewer understands that. The important thing is being willing to address a mistake with professionalism and proper follow-through. That is what the interviewer wants to see in your answer.

      Written by Darby Faubion on August 31st, 2021

      Entry Level

      "I haven't been faced with an experience like this yet in my career, and I am very thankful to say so. I do always try to double-check results, especially if they are indicative of an abnormality or poor prognosis before notifying a patient in hopes of preventing an episode like this."

      Written by Darby Faubion on August 31st, 2021

      Answer Example

      "I can recall an instance when some lab results were misfiled on a patient's paper chart. Unfortunately, the results were bad news which left the patient devastated. Once the error was realized, we called the patient and asked her to come into the clinic for a consultation. Of course, she was thankful to know that her prognosis was not bad, but it was a very emotional event. We used that experience as the foundation for implementing new guidelines on verifying and documenting orders before a patient was notified."

      Written by Darby Faubion on August 31st, 2021

      Anonymous Interview Answers with Professional Feedback

      Anonymous Answer

      "Yes, I had three to four patients with diagnoses of hypo and hyperthyroidism who were under my treatment, but the symptoms and responses to treatments were very unusual, then I did some research and send them to private labs, and ______ hospital lab at the same time then I realized that our lab response is different from private labs. I sent a letter to management attached with both lab results. Finally, I realized that the hospital for a period of time was using outdated kits. I recalled all patients with thyroid tests during that period and corrected all mistakes and apologized to all of them."

      Jaymie's Feedback

      This is a good example where the issue wasn't necessarily life-threatening but needed to be identified, addressed, and corrected. It's great to share that you took ownership like this, took the initiative to understand what was happening, and apologized to patients for the error.

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