A canine patient with polyphagia? Some differentials immediately spring to mind, like hyperadrenocorticism and diabetes mellitus. But what about the less obvious differentials—like sudden acquired retinal degeneration, megaesophagus, or an insulinoma?
From memory alone, it’s impossible to recall all the potential differentials for every clinical sign you see. But failing to consider other diagnoses has been shown to lead to diagnostic errors, particularly when combined with atypical patient presentations, cognitive burden, and a lack of time to think.1
Thankfully, there’s a solution. Enter differential diagnosis lists for veterinarians.
The Importance of Differential Diagnosis Lists
A differential diagnosis list can help you consider all possible conditions, select (and prioritize) diagnostic tests, and ensure no potential differentials are overlooked.
Differential diagnosis lists have been shown to increase diagnostic accuracy for both routine and difficult cases and increase the healthcare practitioner’s confidence in their diagnosis.2
But in the hustle of practice, making a differential list takes time you may not have to spare—especially if you need to flip through textbooks, search online forums, or consult a colleague to find the information you need.
A trusted source of support that puts all your differentials in one place can help streamline the process.
Introducing DDx: An Easy Way to Organize Your Differentials
DDx, the newest feature in Plumb’s Pro™, includes more than 200 differential diagnosis lists on a variety of clinical signs and laboratory results to help you review your differentials and prioritize diagnostics in record time.
Search by clinical sign to get a comprehensive list of common and uncommon differentials organized from most to least likely. Every DDx list undergoes a rigorous peer-review process and includes references so you can chase down a zebra if you need to.
.gif)
Once you’ve reviewed all your differentials, you can turn to the full suite of Plumb’s Pro™ features to get all the reliable clinical information you need to confidently care for your patient from diagnosis to discharge.
Explore the library of Dx & Tx monographs to find clear, actionable diagnostic and treatment recommendations, or search for clinical handouts for help explaining care recommendations to pet owners.
The library of DDx lists in Plumb’s Pro™ covers a full spectrum of topics. With a quick search, you can find a DDx list for anything from abdominal pain to weight loss and wheezing. New topics are continually being added.
With DDx, double-checking your differentials—and finding the best path forward for every patient—has never been easier.
Ready to make Plumb's Pro™ your partner in practice? Subscribe today.
References
- Harada Y, Katsukura S, Kawamura R, Shimizu T. Efficacy of artificial-intelligence-driven differential-diagnosis list on the diagnostic accuracy of physicians: an open-label randomized controlled study. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021;18(4):2086. Published 2021 Feb 21. doi:10.3390/ijerph18042086
- Kämmer JE, Schauber SK, Hautz SC, Stroben F, Hautz WE. Differential diagnosis checklists reduce diagnostic error differentially: A randomised experiment. Med Educ. 2021;55(10):1172-1182. doi:10.1111/medu.14596