Specialty medical peer review

Specialty medical peer review is the evaluation of matters that deal with quality of treatment, appropriateness of care, utilization and irregular billing rendered by a physician in a narrow specialty to a patient. The specialty peer review committee can act at the request of a patient, a physician, or a carrier. An independent review organization can provide specialty medical reviews for a wide range of medical specialties.

It is the obligation of the peer review committee to conduct unbiased and objective investigations. Specialty peer review panels are often formed by medical associations, insurance companies, health plan carriers or even a state.

Due to the rising cost of healthcare, specialty review committees are emerging as an accepted practice to contain medical costs because of the expertise practicing specialists can provide.