All physicians have a duty to participate in peer review. Fears of retaliation, ostracism by colleagues, loss of referrals, or inconvenience are not adequate reasons for refusing to participate in peer review. Society looks to physicians to establish professional standards of practice, and this obligation can be met only when all physicians participate in the process. Federal law in most states provide legal protection for physicians who participate in peer review in good faith. Conversely, in the absence of substantial evidence of professional misconduct, negligence, or incompetence, it is unethical to use the peer review process to exclude another physician from practice, to restrict clinical privileges, or to otherwise harm the physician's practice.
All health professionals share a commitment to work together to serve the patient's interests.
The best patient care is often a team effort, and mutual respect, cooperation, and communication should govern this effort. Each member of the patient care team has equal moral status. When a health professional has major ethical objections to an attending physician's order, both should discuss the matter thoroughly. Mechanisms should be available in hospitals to resolve differences of opinion among members of the patient care team. Research Medical progress and improved patient care depend on innovative and vigorous research.