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How UTIs Became One of the Most Common Misdiagnoses in American Medicine

  • Mar 12, 2025
  • Meaghan Puglisi
  • 1-min Read

In a piece in TIME Magazine, Dr. Nick Schneeman leans into his geriatric expertise to point out one of the most common misdiagnoses in American medicine – Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs). “It usually happens like this: An old and frail person gets confused, tired, or a little dizzy. Maybe she just doesn’t feel like eating. Or she stumbles,” explained Dr. Schneeman.

These are classic geriatric syndromes that usually receive a classic medical response – the senior is ordered to pee in a cup for testing. The leading suspect is a urinary tract infection.  Too often it’s the wrong suspect.

In this opinion piece, Dr. Schneeman explains the problem in too quickly diagnosing and treating a UTI. “A urine test is easy to order, but that doesn’t mean it’s always the right thing to do.”

Read on for what he means in this provocative TIME Magazine piece…

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