In a community where many residents travel between providers for imaging, specialty care, and follow-ups, delays often happen in predictable ways. Residents may experience:
- Abnormal imaging or lab results that were never clearly communicated to the patient or weren’t acted on promptly.
- Follow-up instructions that were given, but the next step didn’t happen due to scheduling delays or incomplete documentation.
- Symptoms that persisted after initial visits, yet reassessment wasn’t done aggressively enough when the clinical picture changed.
- Transitions of care—for example, when records move between urgent care, primary care, and a specialist.
Even when everyone involved meant well, the question becomes: was the diagnostic process handled in a way a reasonably careful provider would have handled under similar circumstances?


