Who is Reviewing Peer Review?

Peer Review is designed to provide an unbiased opinion rendered by experts in dentistry. I've discussed the Peer Review mechanism in a previous post 1.1.11; describing the Mediation phase and the Full Review components. Like many ADA members, I knew nothing about the PR process until I had the opportunity to experience the system in 2007; again visit my Post of 1.1.11. Let's look at this from a National viewpoint: Would it be logical that patient complaints for any given State Dental Association would be justified 100% of the time? And conversely, would dentists be faultless 100% of the time?

I've compiled statistics from the ADA and the Indiana Dental Association that merit attention.

INDIANA DENTAL ASSOCIATION DISTRIBUTION OF FULL CASE REVIEWS               

Year                Patient Favored                       Dentist Favored      

2000                7                                              3                           

2001                14                                            6                           

2002                7                                              4                           

2003                7                                              4                           

2004                2                                              0                           

2005                4                                              1                           

2006                7                                              3                           

2007                12 (92%)                                 1 (8%)                   

                  ________                               __________

Total                60                                            22

                        73%                                        27%

The ADA Distribution of Peer Review Cases: Methods and Outcomes is available for the most current year from the the ADA Website. You'll need to contact Krishna Aravamudhan for previous year stats, however. I've provided a few stats to whet your appetite.

ADA Full Review Case Distribution: Methods and Outcomes.

Year                                 Patient Favored         Dentist Favored

2001

Kentucky                             100%

South Dakota                      100%

2003

Georgia                               100%

Tennessee                                                                  100%

Louisiana                             100%

Mississippi                                                                  100%

2005

Washington                                                                  100%

South Carolina                    100%

Pennsylvania                       100%

Mississippi                                                                   100%

2007

New Hampshire                                                           100%

Idaho                                                                             100%

South Dakota                                                               100%

Texas                                   100%

Georgia                                100%

Within the ADA Methods and Outcomes Reports the breakdowns of Mediated cases are viewable and it is surprising to me how many of the States appear to demonstrate a bias of those cases also. Unfortunately, not all State Associations report their statistics every year. Texas for example has only reported 2007 results. It would be very interesting to see their stats for a 10 year period as they are a very large State, therefore they have a larger number of cases to review. I have emailed the CEBJA about this to get an explanation;  perhaps the Report Stats are in error? I've been waiting for over two years and as yet I've not received any response or even an acknowledgement of my inquiry from the ADA.

Again, Who Is Reviewing Peer Review?.