VA Health Care: Physician Peer Review Identifies Quality of Care Problems but Actions to Address Them Are Limited
HEHS-95-121
Published: Jul 07, 1995. Publicly Released: Jul 07, 1995.
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Highlights
Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO examined the relationship between problem identification and problem resolution in the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) physician peer review process, focusing on: (1) how the results of VA peer review are being used in disciplining physicians with performance problems; (2) the impediments to effective peer review; and (3) whether VA is taking action against physicians who are not performing in accordance with professional standards.
Recommendations
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected Sort descending | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Veterans Affairs | The Secretary of Veterans Affairs should direct the Under Secretary of Health to revise the criteria now being used by medical centers to report VA practitioners to the National Practitioner Data Bank so that they are more consistent with the reporting practices now used in the private sector. |
Closed – Implemented
VA agrees with the GAO findings and concurs with the recommendation. VA revised the criteria being used by VAMCs to report practitioners to the National Practitioner Data Bank, thereby making VA Data Bank participation more consistent in the two identified areas with reporting practices required for the private sector.
|
| Department of Veterans Affairs | The Secretary of Veterans Affairs should direct the Under Secretary for Health to require service chiefs to fully document all discussions held with practitioners involved in cases that peer reviewers conclude that most experienced, competent practitioners might or would have handled differently. |
Closed – Implemented
VA agrees with the GAO findings and concurs with the recommendation. VA provided copies of this report to all facilities and a policy directive was issued to the service chiefs requiring adequate documentation of all follow-up actions taken by service chiefs in response to peer review findings.
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Topics
Evaluation methodsInternal controlsPatient care servicesPerformance appraisalPhysiciansQuality assuranceReporting requirementsVeterans hospitalsQuality of carePeer review