Unbiased focused or ongoing professional practice evaluations (FPPE and OPPE) can be difficult to obtain in some organizations. Conflicts of interest or a sufficient lack of internal expertise can lead to ambiguous or conflicting recommendations, or simply create a barrier to continuous quality improvement when no review appears possible. Other organizations seek external help with peer review so they can keep their staff physicians productive.
Washington Hospital Services (WHS) offers external specialty peer review in over 30 specialties, including anesthesia, cardiology, gastroenterology, general surgery, infectious disease, neonatology, neurology, OBGYN, oncology, orthopedics, otolaryngology and urology. Hospitals who use WHS report high satisfaction with the quality of the reviews, quick turnarounds and the value of the service. For more information, please contact Quality and Clinical Services Program Manager Rich Boucher at richb@wsha.org or (206) 216-2504. (Ed Phippen)
