Are doctors required to perform peer-to-peer (Physician-to-Physician) reviews?

From the Guidelines

Doctors are required to participate in peer-to-peer reviews in certain situations, such as when a physician's performance falls below a minimum standard or when there is clear evidence of poor or unsafe practice, as emphasized by the importance of professional self-regulation and accountability in maintaining public confidence in the profession 1.

Key Points

• Peer review is a crucial aspect of professional self-regulation, and physicians have an ethical obligation to report behavior that poses a risk to patient safety, such as practicing medicine under the influence of drugs or alcohol or with untreated mental health disorders 1.
• The use of explicit standards, such as clinical practice guidelines, and collective and personal responsibility for observing standards of practice are essential in maintaining a professional practice 1.
• Medical societies' ethics committees, hospital credentials and utilization committees, morbidity and mortality reviews, and other forms of peer review have long been established to scrutinize physicians' professional conduct and ensure good medical practice 1.
• Physicians should welcome and support these methods of ensuring good medical practice, which balance the pediatricians' right to exercise medical judgment freely with the obligation to do so wisely, compassionately, objectively, and temperately 1.
• In situations where peer review is considered "discoverable" by state law, the peer-review process is undermined by the lack of confidentiality, and the effectiveness of peer review is limited 1.

From the Research

Peer-to-Peer Reviews in Healthcare

• The requirement for doctors to perform peer-to-peer reviews is not explicitly stated in the provided studies 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.
• However, peer review processes are used to improve professional practice in health care, and are included in the UK professional revalidation processes for medical practitioners and nurses and midwives 6.
• The studies suggest that peer-to-peer interactions and reviews can be beneficial for healthcare professionals, including reducing burnout and improving patient care 2, 3.
• Peer review processes can be used for quality improvement in health care settings, and can help healthcare professionals reflect on their practice and identify areas for improvement 6.
• The use of peer review processes can also help to create a culture of shared organizational responsibility for clinician well-being and patient safety 2.

Key Components of Peer Review Processes

• The purpose of peer review processes is to improve professional practice and patient care 6.
• The process of peer review involves healthcare professionals reviewing and providing feedback on each other's practice 6.
• The peers involved in the review process can include healthcare professionals with similar experience and expertise 6.
• The outcomes of peer review processes can include improved patient care, reduced burnout, and increased reflection and shared learning among healthcare professionals 2, 3, 6.

Barriers to Implementation

• The time and resources required to implement peer review processes can be a barrier to implementation 6.
• Healthcare professionals may also experience anxiety about the peer review process, which can be a barrier to implementation 6.
• Further research is needed to explore how to incorporate peer review processes into the process of assessing continuing fitness to practice for allied health professionals 6.