External peer review allows health care organizations (HCOs) to receive a more objective evaluation of their patient care and diagnoses, resulting in higher-quality care and better medical outcomes. Washington Hospital Services (WHS), a subsidiary of WSHA, has offered external peer review services to its clients for over 20 years. Initially designed to assist Critical Access Hospitals in meeting CMS Conditions of Participation, WHS has since expanded this service to accommodate larger HCOs as well.  

 

Smaller hospitals and clinics often use external peer review to address a lack of internal capacity while larger HCOs have found it to be a cost-effective way to free up their medical staff to focus on higher-value efforts like seeing patients. To accommodate this growing need, WHS now has over 40 specialties represented on its peer review panel. 
 
Clients regularly utilize WHS’ external peer review services when concerns arise about the appropriateness of patient care, or as part of their organization’s overall quality assurance or credentialing process. This may include: 

  • Regularly scheduled quality assessments (whether internally or externally mandated) 
  • Focused Professional Practice Evaluation (FPPE) 
  • Ongoing Professional Practice Evaluation (OPPE) 
  • Patient care or outcome quality concerns 
  • Adverse events 

WHS peer reviews are protected by both a Coordinated Quality Improvement Program (CQIP) and a Patient Safety Organization (PSO), and all WHS reviewers are board certified.  

For more information, contact Rich Boucher at [email protected] or 206-216-2504. (Rich Boucher)