Issue Brief Identifies Obstacles to Diagnostic Excellence in U.S. Rural Healthcare

Diagnostic Excellence in U.S. Rural Healthcare: A Call to Action, a new issue brief from AHRQ, addresses urgent challenges encountered in U.S. rural healthcare to achieve diagnostic excellence, with a focus on enhancing surgical and specialty care, bolstering care coordination, and screening patients for social determinants of health. 

The brief highlights the substantial impact of diagnostic errors in rural healthcare settings, emphasizes disparities in access to high-quality diagnostic care, and underscores the importance of community engagement, regionalization, and collaboration among interested parties. 

Select to access the new issue brief and others in AHRQ’s series exploring diagnostic safety topics.