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Based on interviews and a review of documentation, the hospital failed to provide an appropriate medical screening examination within the capability of the hospital's emergency deparment.

Findings were:

No clinical record for the complainant was available at Seton Southwest Hospital, as she had not been triaged or provided with a medical screening exam.

In an interview with the mother of patient #22 (telephonic @ 512-739-0345) on 3-2-12, she was asked if she recalled the visit to Seton SW ER with her daughter (patient #22) on 1-20-12. Coincidentally, the mother of patient #22 is a physician. She stated that her daughter had fallen down at an odd angle and she was concerned that her daughter's shoulder might be dislocated. When asked if she remembered any other patients in the waiting room that evening, she stated that she remembered a young female that had arrived with a number of family members and that the family members were afraid that the young female would cause further harm to herself.

When asked if she recalled a woman entering the waiting room of the emergency department with any sort of abdominal pain, she stated that she did. She stated that, while she waited with her daughter to be seen by the triage nurse, a woman who appeared to be doubled over from pain came in with a male. While the woman sat down and leaned to the side in her chair, the male accompanying her signed her in. The male approached the triage nurse at two different times, asking how long the wait would be, with the triage nurse answering " I don ' t know " both times. The patient's mother stated that, both times, the man returned to his chair and the woman slumped against him.

The patient's mother stated that the triage nurse called her daughter's name to come and be triaged, and she asked the triage nurse to see the female that appeared to be in pain ahead of her daughter, who was in less distress. The patient's mother stated that the triage nurse replied, " No " and proceeded to tell the woman and man that they (Seton Southwest) were busy but that if she chose to go to South Austin Hospital, they were probably busy as well. The patient's mother stated that the woman and the man left Seton Southwest. She stated that she did not see either one of them again during the time she and her daughter were in the emergency department.

The above was discussed in an interview with the facility Administrator, Risk Manager, Senior Nursing Director and Interim ED Clinical Manager on the afternoon of 3-2-12 in the administrative conference room.

Based on interviews and a review of documentation, the hospital delayed providing an appropriate medical screening examination.

Findings were:

No clinical record for the complainant was available at Seton Southwest Hospital, as she had not been triaged or provided with a medical screening exam.

In an interview with the mother of patient #22 (telephonic @ 512-739-0345) on 3-2-12, she was asked if she recalled the visit to Seton SW ER with her daughter (patient #22) on 1-20-12. Coincidentally, the mother of patient #22 is a physician. She stated that her daughter had fallen down at an odd angle and she was concerned that her daughter's shoulder might be dislocated. When asked if she remembered any other patients in the waiting room that evening, she stated that she remembered a young female that had arrived with a number of family members and that the family members were afraid that the young female would cause further harm to herself.

When asked if she recalled a woman entering the waiting room of the emergency department with any sort of abdominal pain, she stated that she did. She stated that, while she waited with her daughter to be seen by the triage nurse, a woman who appeared to be doubled over from pain came in with a male. While the woman sat down and leaned to the side in her chair, the male accompanying her signed her in. The male approached the triage nurse at two different times, asking how long the wait would be, with the triage nurse answering " I don't know" both times. The patient's mother stated that, both times, the man returned to his chair and the woman slumped against him.

The patient's mother stated that the triage nurse called her daughter's name to come and be triaged, and she asked the triage nurse to see the female that appeared to be in pain ahead of her daughter, who was in less distress. The patient's mother stated that the triage nurse replied, " No " and proceeded to tell the woman and man that they (Seton Southwest) were busy but that if she chose to go to South Austin Hospital, they were probably busy as well. The patient's mother stated that the woman and the man left Seton Southwest. She stated that she did not see either one of them again during the time she and her daughter were in the emergency department.

The above was discussed in an interview with the facility Administrator, Risk Manager, Senior Nursing Director and Interim ED Clinical Manager on the afternoon of 3-2-12 in the administrative conference room.