The Peer Review Process
Our thoughtful assessments come quickly in a user-friendly format…
Reports and Recommendations
Following physician, department peer review or hospital-wide assessment, a report will be submitted to the health care facility. It will contain a critique of each case record reviewed that is directly responsive to the questions raised by the hospital. The principal findings and appropriate practical recommendations for hospital action are then summarized. If two physicians have simultaneously and independently reviewed the same records, the Foundation will send individual or combined records, depending upon the purpose of the review.
After a specialty department review, the team of experts will develop a service plan specific to the needs of the department. This plan will outline the factors identified that are contributing to adverse outcome data or quality of care statistics. Recommendations will outline solutions and offer alternatives for positive improvement. In addition to recommendations for positive change and solutions to internal conflicts, the review report includes a remedial program developed by the expert reviewers. Several options may be listed, including educational programs that may be obtained through various specialty societies and our Division, the Foundation for Advanced Medical Education. We recommended that the hospital’s legal counsel be made aware of the written recommendations.
The length of time between submission of data by the hospital to the receipt of the final written report varies from a few weeks to approximately two months or more depending on the complexity of the review. The Foundation will make every effort to respond to emergency situations even more expeditiously.
