Sham Peer Review Issue Goes Mainstream. WaPo: VA Physicians Fear Sham Peer Review

The paper's words this time, not mine:From the Washington Post, "VA docs concerned about retaliation", June 12, 2014, http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/federal-eye/wp/2014/06/12/va-docs-concerned-about-retaliation/:Retaliation from management is a real concern among Department of Veteran Affairs (VA)  employees ...  James Martin, a physician and a representative of the American Federation of Government Employees National VA Council, told the gathering  that sham peer reviews are a problem in the department. In a later interview, he elaborated, saying, “orchestration of facts” related to issues involving contact with patients [in other words, fabricating stories about substandard patient treatment by physicians, cherry-picking minor incidents and exaggerating them, etc. - ed.] is an issue at some facilities.” Sham reviews, he explained, can be used when management wants to replace or punish a doctor.Retaliation against employee whistleblowers was again the subject of discussion during Thursday’s hearing of the House Veterans Affairs Committee.Further amplifying the point:... During the hearing, Republicans Jeff Miller (Fla.) and Dan Benishek (Mich.), both of whom spoke to the NAVAPD conference, asked Robert L. Jesse, the department’s acting under secretary for health, about reports that VA employees were instructed not to talk with members of Congress.Benishek, a physician and former VA employee, said agency doctors have told him they are ...
Source: Health Care Renewal - Category: Health Management Tags: bad health IT sham peer review Veterans Administration medical scandal Veterans Affairs Source Type: blogs