EMTALA Survey

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Have any of you ever been through an EMTALA Survey and if so what were they looking for , how long did it take to get the results and were there any fines involved?

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Specializes in Emergency & Trauma/Adult ICU.

No, I've never even heard of an "EMTALA survey".

Who (what organization) is performing this survey?

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the emergency medical treatment and active labor act (42 u.s.c. 1395dd, emtala) is a united states act of congress passed in 1986 as part of the consolidated omnibus budget reconciliation act. it requires hospitals and ambulance services to provide care to anyone needing emergency treatment regardless of citizenship, legal status or ability to pay. the emergency medical treatment and active labor act (42 u.s.c. 1395dd, emtala) is a united states act of congress passed in 1986 as part of the consolidated omnibus budget reconciliation act. it requires hospitals and ambulance services to provide care to anyone needing emergency treatment regardless of citizenship, legal status or ability to pay.

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We went through an EMTALA review about 18months ago. They pulled random charts from transfers in and out to make certain COBRA guidelines were followed. They reviewed our training records for EMTALA that we instituted just prior to the review. We had a violation by our then ED Medical Director. He walked into the ambulance bay, opened the door of the squad that had just arrived with a late term pregnant woman and ordered them to the regional medical center without any MSE or stabilizing. Needless to say, he is no longer with us. We self-reported the violation and started a major education on EMTALA/COBRA. Because of our reporting the violation and our efforts, they chose not to fine us and cleared us of the violation.

I hope it goes as well for you.

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Specializes in Emergency & Trauma/Adult ICU.

I'm well aware of EMTALA, thanks.

What I asked was, what organization is conducting this "EMTALA survey"? Is it part of a site visit by your local or state health department? Or is this an internal review process being done by your hospital?

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Specializes in ER, ICU, Infusion, peds, informatics.
i'm well aware of emtala, thanks.

what i asked was, what organization is conducting this "emtala survey"? is it part of a site visit by your local or state health department? or is this an internal review process being done by your hospital?

ours was done by the state.

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I think it was the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services that sent the surveyor.

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There is an ER in town doing something similiar to this. From what I understand it's used for LWOTs...making sure they didn't leave while being medically unstable..etc. Not sure of all the details, but i believe that to be the essence of it.

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Specializes in Rehab, Nurse Education, Management, ED.

I work for the VA and just recently found out the EMTALA doesn't actually apply to us. That means that other ED's are free to dump their patients onto us. Kind of sucks sometimes.:scrying:

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I work for the VA and just recently found out the EMTALA doesn't actually apply to us. That means that other ED's are free to dump their patients onto us. Kind of sucks sometimes.:scrying:

Actually that is backwards. Other EDs cannot dump on you because they are bound by EMTALA, but the VA is free to dump because they aren't held to EMTALA. We love that the VA goes on full divert almost daily and we are stuck with VA patients wanting to go there, but we have to find a doc to admit them since theirs doesn't have privileges with us.

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