In Manzetti v. Mercy Hospital of Pittsburgh, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court held on July 18, 2001 that the hospital and reviewers were entitled to immunity under HCQIA. The Supreme Court disregarded all evidence relating to the reviewed physician’s competitors’ involvement in the case and attacks against him. The Court stated that any self-interest, bias or conflicts of interests by the reviewers were immaterial. According to the Court, the only time HCQIA precludes an economic competitor from involvement in the internal peer review process is at the hearing panel phase of the case; however, HCQIA does not preclude economic competitors from perpetrating due process violations and inculcating bias throughout the early phases of the review process. Under most hospital bylaws, by the time the physician gets to the fair hearing panel, the burden has shifted against the physician with the requirement that the physician prove by clear and convincing evidence that all prior decisions were arbitrary and capricious or factually baseless. Practical experience demonstrates this is a virtually impossible burden to sustain and standard to satisfy.
The Supreme Court also held that the "reasonable effort" prong of the four-part HCQIA immunity test is satisfied if the review activities are "sensible," but they do not have to be "flawless." Thus, the Supreme Court has countenanced due process violations and errors in the peer review process.
See Swinging pendulum of peer review immunity
