CMS Issues Updated Interpretive Guidelines on EMTALA

[CAL/AAEM News Service]

CMS Issues Updated Interpretive Guidelines on EMTALA

Source: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services ( http://www.cms.hhs.gov )
Date: April 03, 2007


CMS has updated its interpretive guidelines on the Emergency Medical Treatment & Labor
Act (EMTALA).  These guidelines are distributed to the state surveyor agencies to use
during their review of potential violations.  It is important for EM physicians to know
what the surveyors will be looking for.  The key components of the new guidance addresses
the issue of on-call physician requirements; the definition of "labor"; a detailed
discussion of what constitutes a medical screening examination; guidance regarding delays
in service to individuals arriving via prehospital EMS (also known as the "parking"
issue), and the EMTALA responsibilities of recipient hospitals with specialized
capabilities or facilities.  The revisions are effective immediately.  To access the full
document, go to:

http://www.cms.hhs.gov/surveycertificationgeninfo/downloads/SCLetter08-15.pdf


American Academy of Emergency Medicine
555 E. Wells Street
Suite 1100
Milwaukee, WI 53202-3823


Abid Mogannam &
Brian Potts MD, MBA
Managing Editors, CAL/AAEM News Service
University of California, Irvine

The CAL/AAEM Archives are available at: http://maillists.uci.edu/mailman/public/calaaem/


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