Title: EMTALA, the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act
Headings: EMTALA: The Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act
EMTALA: The Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act
Emergency Rooms Must Screen and Stabilize Regardless of Ability to Pay
Legal Duties of Hospitals Under the EMTALA Law
EMTALA Does Not Provide Free Care

Content: EMTALA has legal definitions of "emergency medical condition" and of the term "stabilized." Further, the CMS says this requirement applies to any facility that provides emergency services, not just to designated emergency rooms. If the medical screening exam finds that there is no emergency medical condition, they are not required to provide further treatment. Stabilize or Transfer: If an emergency medical condition exists, the patient's condition must be treated to stabilize it or to make a transfer to an appropriate facility. The emergency room cannot simply send a patient home with a condition that is expected to deteriorate further. The patient has to be informed of any transfers and give consent. A patient sent home in an unstable condition or sent to a hospital that doesn't have the facilities to treat their condition could have legal recourse under EMTALA. Hospitals are Required to Take Transfers for Specialized Services: This addresses the practice of reverse-dumping, where hospitals with specialized units, such as a burn unit, only accept patients with the ability to pay.