ARIZONA MEDICAL PEER REVIEW ATTORNEY
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The medical peer review process is designed to protect patients from physicians who may present a danger to patient safety. However, the medical peer review process can often be used as a sham by a hospital for political or financial reasons.
If you have been accused of providing substandard patient care or unprofessional behavior at your hospital, your case will most likely be initiated into the medical peer review process. Do not enter the peer review process alone, take a proactive approach and seek legal counsel. Going through the peer review process unrepresented could leave you with the temporary or permanent revocation of your hospital privileges.
Is it a Sham Medical Peer Review?
Many medical peer review proceedings are initiated due to legitimate concerns about a physician’s standard of care or behavior; however, many of these proceedings are initiated in bad faith. Sham medical peer review can arise out of:
- Financial Concerns: A physician may be targeted for providing services that compete with the hospital or other employed physicians. Additionally, a physician may be targeted for declining to participate in joint opportunities that would have benefited the hospital.
- Retaliation: A physician can be singled out for raising concerns about the quality of care, the safety of patients or the competence of other practitioners at the hospital. Arizona has laws that protect “whistle blowers.”
- Political Reasons: A physician may be targeted because he or she has differing views with administrators or other hospital staff members.
- Personality Conflicts: A doctor can be accused of disruptive behavior due to the way he interacts with staff members.
- Quality of Care Concerns: Hospital administration can point to deficiencies in the care given by the physician.
- Documentation Errors: Concerns can be raised regarding the quality and timing of a physician’s charting.
Sham medical peer review can end in discipline that has no basis in fact. Additionally, sham peer review can allege psychological problems, substance abuse claims, personality issues or allegations of mental acuity problems.
A physician has the right to legal counsel during the medical peer review process and Attorney Robert Chelle can provide the counsel needed to protect a physician’s interests.
If you have been accused of substandard care or disruptive behavior and must now go through the medical peer review process contact Arizona Attorney Robert Chelle today.