Take a closer look at your program with Corazon Peer Review

Corazon Peer Review includes an in-depth quality assessment of program cases by a Corazon physician advisor, ensuring Open, Objective, and Outcomes-driven input on clinical performance, while identifying any gaps or opportunities for improvement related to clinical best practice and elevating patient care. Our leading physician experts bring their real life, day-to-day expertise and detailed evaluation to cases. Corazon has been providing peer review and external quality feedback to programs for years to create top performing programs.

Benefits of Peer Review

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  • Outside Perspective

    A third party peer review avoids any potential conflicts among internal physicians, as well as any potential conflicts of interest. Corazon Medical Advisors are practicing physicians with specialized expertise in their fields and closely monitored quality outcomes. They are also well versed in communicating difficult messages peer-to-peer and providing valuable recommendations to advance program quality.

  • Enhanced Quality

    Ongoing peer review supports continuous quality improvement. The peer review process yields greater perspective on key performance metrics and can identify opportunities for improvement which go beyond registry data into technique and specific practice recommendations.

  • Proactive Measures

    Hospitals most frequently request formal external peer review after an inciting incident or quality fallout. Instead, Corazon recommends a proactive approach so hospitals can be aware of patterns in the program’s practice before such issues arise.

  • Ongoing Education

    Peer review provides an opportunity for education of both physicians and staff. The entire forum is built around communication, feedback, and education. This is also an opportunity for successful procedures to be highlighted to educate the entire team to promote consistent results.

  • Skills Advancement

    The educational aspects allow for expanded feedback on specialized procedures. Additionally, Corazon Medical Advisors are able to provide proctoring or other training to assist with skills advancement with new or uncommon procedures.

Corazon O3

Outside Perspective

Enhanced Quality

Proactive Measures

Ongoing Education

Skills Advancement

Frequently Asked Questions: Peer Review

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    What is Peer Review?

    Peer review is an external review of cases for the purpose of evaluating the overall quality of care provided, including outcomes, case selection, and appropriateness. Peer Review emphasizes the review of facts related to specific cases by a peer (i.e., a physician in the same specialty) to provide an opinion on the care provided and any opportunities for improvement, further training, or other education.

    Peer review is also used as a tool to endorse best practices as well showcase adherence to clinical practice and/or societal guidelines. The results of peer review should always be shared with providers, and is often shared among peers as well, especially as a learning opportunity.  Peer review can be the means whereby hospitals gather data that highlights clinical quality, which can also be shared with the community.

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    What key benefit will my program realize with Peer Review?

    Peer review, when completed proactively, provides an external opinion on the quality of care being provided by program physicians. The effort measures compliance with established best practices and guidelines, and engages physicians in continued quality improvement (CQI) by sharing valuable feedback. A proactive approach to peer review also establishes a forum to share this information and feedback on a regular basis, which allows the focus to be on holistic program quality, rather than addressing any specific fallouts, or never events when they occur.

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    Won’t Peer Review make my physicians feel a lack of trust in their ability?

    No. In fact, proactive peer review encourages best practices and early identification of opportunities and resolution of problems BEFORE they happen. Evaluating physician performance can provide evidence of best practice, care consistency, and quality outcomes. Again, the peer review forum also allows for open communication related to program quality, and the external third party can maintain confidentiality with the information so as to avoid any interpersonal issues between colleagues who may review each other’s cases.

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    What are the qualifications of Corazon’s Peer Reviewers?

    Corazon’s reviewers are active in the specialty area (e.g. interventional cardiology, cardiac surgery, etc.) in a clinical and/or administrative capacity, and therefore expertly understand the standards by which to review others. Our physicians are experienced with all components of peer review and what drives quality for a cardiovascular program. Corazon also monitors our reviewers’ quality reports and outcomes to ensure they are maintaining high quality in their own practices.

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    Should I combine Peer Review with Accreditation?

    Peer review and Accreditation are two vital components to ongoing program quality. Whether the peer review is incorporated through Corazon’s Platinum Accreditation, or as a parallel engagement, the two approaches allow a hospital to reap the benefits of a full program review. Accreditation can lead to better quality and a continued reflection of best practices and care consistency, which in turn can streamline operations and lower costs. In competitive markets, accreditation can create an edge over programs offering a similar scope of services, and the community perception and reputation of the hospital can be enhanced.

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    How long does a Peer Review take? Can we choose how many records are included?

    Peer Review typically requires two to four weeks to complete following the submission of cases and associated documentation. This process can be expedited, if needed, and will be established at the beginning of any peer review support to ensure feedback is shared at regular intervals and in a timely manner.

    The number of cases under review is up to the client; and oftentimes the turnaround for the reviews is contingent on the number of cases submitted. Corazon can provide input based on a percentage of client volumes, as requested, and the number of records can be adjusted as the peer review continues.

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    What happens if our Peer Review reveals quality issues?

    As part of Corazon’s process, quality issues will be identified through the review feedback forms and shared with the client’s primary point of contact. From there, Corazon will recommend the necessary course of action to improve the identified issues (e.g., additional education, proctoring, further peer review, etc.).

    Today’s specialty programs are under greater quality scrutiny than ever before. Should a quality issue be identified through the review, a timely and proactive approach in correcting the issue will be far less costly than the alternative of ignoring the issue until a failed outcome results.

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    What makes Corazon’s Peer Review different from our internal Peer Review processes?

    Internal peer review is a valuable component for hospitals to have in place. However, some programs may only have one practice engaged in the program, in which case the peer review process could jeopardize an otherwise positive collegial relationship among physicians. Utilizing an independent third party removes these obstacles and allows for candid feedback. Furthermore, a national firm like Corazon also offers a broader perspective based on the practice patterns and patient mix of various programs across the country, and our reviewers reflect this depth and breadth of expertise and experience.

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    Why choose Corazon for Peer Review?

    Based on the depth and breadth of Corazon’s knowledge and resources, the team can help clients address any issue or question that may arise through the review process. Corazon treats all clients as partners, and therefore the goal of any peer review support is to share in the success of the program and highlight the quality of services being offered.

Educational Resources

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In our most recent Corazon Accreditation user group session, Dr. Steven Harrington, CT Surgeon and one of Corazon’s Medical Advisors, discussed how peer review provides continuous feedback and opportunities for ongoing learning, alongside opportunities to recognize and standardize best practice. Watch the video clip below to hear Dr. Harrington summarize those key considerations.
Corazon Senior Vice President, Amy Newell, was interviewed by Lauren Barraza from Vizient Southern States regarding the benefits of external peer review and why your program should consider this strategy for ongoing continuous quality improvement (CQI). Listen below for the full interview!

Corazon Webinar

Webinars

  • Peer Review: A Strategic Choice for Continuous Quality Improvement
    Wednesday, June 2 @ 12 PM ET
    Peer review, when considered as a strategic approach, provides an external opinion on the quality of care being provided by program physicians. The effort measures compliance with established best practices and guidelines, and engages physicians in continued quality improvement (CQI) by sharing valuable feedback. Peer review can also be used for reviewing positive outcomes as a means to promote successful decision making and expanding on methods that are working well for the facility. Peer review should be facilitated as a means of success, not just as a result of an event. Join Corazon’s experts to learn how to make a difference in the quality and efficiency of your care delivery!

Testimonials

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Are you ready to elevate your program performance?

Corazon can provide you with a trusted, outside perspective to advance your program performance. Our Peer Review service, along with our team’s flexibility and support, will help make a difference in the quality and efficiency of your care delivery.