In 1996, HIPAA or the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) was enacted into law. This law has had a significant impact on the health care industry including the need for numerous changes in the way we communicate with our patients, their families, and with each other.
Skepticism is an approach to evaluating claims that emphasizes evidence and applies tools of science. Skepticism is most often applied to extraordinary claims â those that refute the current consensus view. The Skeptical process considers evidence obtained by systematic observations and reason.
So while peer review is a hallmark of science, it is not unique to science. 1  Peer-reviewed journals are publications in which scientific contributions have been vetted by experts in the relevant field. 2  Peer-reviewed articles provide a trusted form of scientific communication. Even if you are unfamiliar with the topic or the scientists who authored a particular study, you can trust peer-reviewed work to meet certain standards of scientific quality. Since scientific knowledge is cumulative and builds on itself, this trust is particularly important.