EMS A to Z: EMTALA and Diversion

Show Notes:

From your hosts, Dr. Josh Gaither, Dr. Amber Rice, and Dr. Rachel Munn

 

What is EMTALA?

The Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act

It states that hospitals with an emergency department must provide at minimum a medical screening exam to any patient who presents for care and cannot refuse care to any patient, regardless of insurance status

Once present on hospital grounds, the hospital must treat & stabilize any presenting patient

What is Diversion?

Hospitals / emergency departments may state that they do not have the capacity to provide medical care to additional patients, for a variety of reasons:

Internal disaster

External disaster

This is system dependent

The Southern Arizona / Tucson area is a no-divert system (barring internal disasters)