On June 28, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down a much anticipated 5-4 decision, upholding President Obama's healthcare reform, the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Although much of the commentary that followed revolved around the politics of funding, taxation, and requirements for...
A rash of cases in 2012 have piqued the interest of healthcare systems and legal experts on the matter of peer review protections. These cases serve as a timely reminder that medical staff services departments should take some time to review their procedures and ensure they are...
In my travels around the country, it seems that all physicians have similar concerns and complaints when potential opportunities for improvement are identified. Peer review is, after all, performed for the purpose of helping every doctor be the best doctor he or she can be....
The Colorado Court of Appeals affirmed in part and reversed in part a district court judgment that affirmed the decision of Penrose-St. Francis Healthcare System to terminate a physician's privileges, also denying the physician's request to subpoena records from the peer review...
State medical boards have a duty to provide oversight for physicians in their state, including appropriate disciplinary action when necessary. Unfortunately, recent reports show that many state boards are failing when it comes to punishing doctors after they are reported to the...
Many states protect medical staff peer review information from discovery, meaning that a plaintiff's attorney cannot use it against individuals who participate in peer review. The purpose of the protection is to allow medical staffs to discuss peer review issues candidly and...
