By Mariah Taylor 

Fifty-six percent of surveyed physicians are highly concerned that a peer review could be misused to punish a physician for reasons unrelated to the review.

A medical peer review occurs when a patient or staff member reports that a physician failed to meet treatment standards or acted improperly. So-called "sham" peer reviews are conducted with the intent to target or intimidate a physician for unrelated reasons. Such reviews can be used to silence, punish or carry out a personal vendetta, according to the report. Physicians most at risk for sham peer reviews often work at large hospital systems.

There is limited data on the prevalence of sham peer reviews, though the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons has operated a free sham peer review hotline for 20 years and provides legal consultations on this matter.

"The biggest misconception about sham peer reviews is a denial of how pervasive they are," Andy Schlafly, general counsel at AAPS. "Physicians should become aware of whether sham peer reviews are prevalent at their hospital and, if so, those physicians should look to practice somewhere else."