The newly updated Fifth Edition of Peer Review Guidebook is a comprehensive resource for understanding the peer review process and disciplinary proceedings involving physicians.

Peer review in the health care setting has numerous elements, and while there are few fixed definitions, the essence of the process addresses physician credentialing, privileging, and professional evaluation, both ongoing and focused practice evaluation. Health care entities conduct peer review for multiple reasons, including improvement of care, protection of patients from harm, and improvement of physician performance. While the initial process begins when a practitioner applies to be a member of the medical staff or gain privileges at a hospital or other health care provider, latter elements can include potential reduction or denial of privileges to those under review. The critical guidance for peer review is found in the Health Care Quality Improvement Act (HCQIA), which offers immunity from monetary damages for those individuals and institutions that participate in an adverse professional review action relating to the competence or professional conduct of a physician, provided that its procedural requirements are followed.

Edited by Barbara Blackmond, Charles J. Chulack, Joshua A. Hodges, Lauren M. Massucci and Daniel Mulholland, this updated edition contains information about HCQIA and its impact on the peer review process, suspension of privileges, injunctive relief from peer review actions and the effect of the privacy rule of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act on peer reviews. The title also provides a multitude of citations to cases, regulations, and other sources. In addition, the appendices include a listing of cases in which physicians have alleged violations of the American Disabilities Act, cases dealing with physician-behavior issues, a comprehensive list of exclusive-contract case law, cases decided under HCQIA , and numerous others that address the peer review process.

The eBook versions of this title feature links to Lexis Advance for further legal research options.