PSRO: advantages, risks, and potential pitfalls.

The authors propose that active physician participation in current review methodologies, including PSRO, can lessen the potential for such problems as the development of unrealistic standards, emphasis on review and record keeping as ends rather than means, and ineffectuality of the systems themselves. Potential advantages of PSRO are seen in areas of quality assessment and improvement, economy, and enhancement of the continuing learning processess of physicians. The authors suggest that physicians should resist pressures toward separation of reviewing authority from clinical competence.