None of the above : uncertainty and diagnosis

When something is amiss, patients seek professional advice to give meaning and order to their symptoms and define a path of action. Diagnosis can be a complex process, however, and is often far from certain, leading to important consequences for both patients and medical practitioners. This chapter illustrates the various sources of uncertainty within the diagnostic process and explores the tensions between medical training for certainty and the reality of an uncertain world. We investigate variations in health professionals' tolerance of uncertainty and some of the impacts that uncertainty has on patients and their caregivers. Despite these tensions, awareness of diagnostic uncertainty does not undermine medical practice; it can actually enhance the effectiveness of the consultation.