Turnaround and coverage: what review firms publish
Short version: only 5 of 39 firms publish a report turnaround: LevelShift (24 hours, in 1 case example), LezDo TechMed (48 hours standard), Expert Institute (2 to 3 days for a certificate of merit), Medplace (6 days) and Merit Evals (2 to 4 weeks). 2 firms state all 50 states (MLS and CIMRO). Everyone else says "fast," "timely" or "nationwide," so get your case's date in writing.
Limits: Firm facts come from each firm's own website, read 2026-11-12; we haven't hired these firms or graded their reports, and "not stated" means we didn't find it, not that the firm doesn't do it.
Published turnaround, on 1 scale
The spread tracks the product more than the firm. The fastest published numbers are for prep summaries; the slowest is for a physician's written opinion, where Merit Evals states weeks, not days. Hospital peer review sits in between: Medplace states 6 days, and the other peer review firms don't say.
All 39 firms: turnaround and coverage as stated
Firms that publish a number are listed first. Quotes are shortened; follow the source link for the firm's wording.
Why most firms don't publish a number
Turnaround depends on things the firm can't see until the file arrives: page count, specialty, how busy the right reviewer is, and whether a peer-to-peer call is needed. MLS says so directly: turnaround varies by line of business. MES says turnaround is critical because of regulatory and client requirements, and that most peer reviews require contact with the attending physician, which adds a scheduling step. NPRC agrees a completion date per engagement instead of publishing 1. A firm that won't give you a date for your case after seeing the file is a different problem from a firm that won't publish a general number.
Coverage: "nationwide" versus a license where you need it
Coverage claims come in 3 forms:
- All 50 states. MLS says its reviewer network includes all 50 states; CIMRO says it does peer review and self-funded external appeals across all 50.
- Nationwide or national. MES, National Medical Reviews, MRIoA, AllMed, MMRO, Enlyte, Dane Street and others. This usually means clients anywhere in the US, not a reviewer licensed in every state.
- A region. NaviCase says its clinicians are in North America. ARCHI serves facilities in its program.
For hospital peer review, coverage matters less than a clean conflict check: an out-of-state reviewer is often an advantage, since they are less likely to know the physician. For UR and appeals, a same-state license can be required, and only MLS and National Medical Reviews state that they match on state.
Get the date in writing
- Send the page count and specialty before you send the file, and ask for a completion date for this case.
- Ask what moves the date: a peer-to-peer call, missing records, a reviewer change.
- Agree who tells whom when a date will slip, and how far ahead.
- Put the date in the engagement letter or work order.
For the contract side of this, including service levels and remedies, the buyer's guides to review services cover it; this site sticks to what the firms publish.
Questions about turnaround and coverage
Which medical record review company is fastest?
Of published numbers, LevelShift shows 24 hours in 1 case example and LezDo TechMed states 48 hours standard, both for prep summaries. For physician peer review, Medplace states 6 days. 34 of 39 firms publish no number.
Which firms cover all 50 states?
MLS and CIMRO state all 50 states. Many others say nationwide, which usually means clients anywhere in the US, not a reviewer licensed in every state.
Does a peer reviewer need a license in my state?
For hospital peer review it's usually a policy choice; for some utilization review and appeals, state rules can require it. MLS and National Medical Reviews say they match on state when needed.