The role of the child psychiatrist in peer review

The author describes his role as the only child psychiatrist member of a psychiatric peer review committee in a medical care foundation. In addition to working with hist colleagues on general review and health-policy matters, he also handled issues related to the special needs of children and helped to get third-party benefit packages altered to better suit the treatment needs of children. He offers recommendations to those interested in joining a peer review committee and emphasizes the need for child psychiatrists to work together not only with general psychiatrists but also with pediatricians, psychologists, and social workers to see that high-quality care is available and provided.