External peer review: How physicians and organizations can benefit

Leading up to the 21st century, peer review evolved constantly, undergoing rapid change. New regulations and requirements were implemented both by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in the 1960s and by the establishment of the Health Care Quality Improvement Act of 1986. Functions and duties of committees shifted as physicians accommodated their increased responsibilities related to peer review. Even today, many physicians struggle to find the time to fulfill these medical staff activities, while others experience difficulty appropriately defining who should participate in peer review in order to keep it fair and unbiased.

This is an excerpt from a members-only article. Please log in or become a member to read the complete article.