| Systemic bias in peer review: suggested causes, potential remedies. | |
| | |
MedLine Citation:
|
PMID: 20230242 Owner: NLM Status: MEDLINE |
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
|
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine if peer review conducted under real-world conditions is systematically biased. STUDY DESIGN: A repeated-measures design was effectively created when two board-certified obstetrician-gynecologists reviewed the same 26 medical records of patients treated by the same physician, and provided written evaluations of each case and a summary of their criticisms. The reviews were conducted independently for two different, unaffiliated hospitals. Neither reviewer was aware of the other's review, and neither was affiliated with either hospital or knew the physician under review. This study reports the degree of agreement between the two reviewers over the care rendered to these 26 patients. RESULTS: Three of the 26 cases reviewed had complications. Both reviewers criticized these cases, but criticized 2 of them for different reasons. At least one of the reviewers criticized 14 (61%) of the 23 uncomplicated cases, about which no quality concerns had been raised prior to the review. With one exception, they criticized completely different cases and criticized this 1 case for different reasons. Thus, only 4 of the 17 cases criticized by at least one of the reviewers were criticized by both of them, and only 1 of the 4 cases were criticized for the same reason. The Kappa statistic was -0.024, indicating no agreement between the reviewers (P = 0.98). CONCLUSIONS: As presently conducted, peer review can be systematically biased even when conducted independently by external reviewers. Dual-process theory of reasoning can account for the bias and predicts how the bias may potentially be eliminated or reduced. |
| | |
Authors:
|
Nicholas Kadar |
Publication Detail:
|
Type: Journal Article |
Journal Detail:
|
Title: Journal of laparoendoscopic & advanced surgical techniques. Part A Volume: 20 ISSN: 1557-9034 ISO Abbreviation: J Laparoendosc Adv Surg Tech A Publication Date: 2010 Mar |
Date Detail:
|
Created Date: 2010-03-16 Completed Date: 2010-07-15 Revised Date: - |
Medline Journal Info:
|
Nlm Unique ID: 9706293 Medline TA: J Laparoendosc Adv Surg Tech A Country: United States |
Other Details:
|
Languages: eng Pagination: 123-8 Citation Subset: IM |
Affiliation:
|
Member of New Jersey Bar, Cranbury, New Jersey, USA. nicholas.kadar@comcast.net |
Export Citation:
|
APA/MLA Format Download EndNote Download BibTex |
| MeSH Terms | |
Descriptor/Qualifier:
|
Female Gynecology / standards* Humans Judgment Laparoscopy / standards* Medical Records Obstetrics / standards* Peer Review, Health Care / methods* Physicians Postoperative Complications / epidemiology* Prejudice* Quality of Health Care* Reproducibility of Results |
From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine
Previous Document: IPEG Guidelines for the Surgical Treatment of Adrenal Masses in Children.
Next Document: Intrahepatic glissonian approach for pure laparoscopic left hemihepatectomy( * ).