HospitalInspections.org

1. The facility failed to meet the following requirements under the EMTALA regulation:

Tag A2402-Posting of Signs

Based on observation and interview, the facility failed to post signs specifying the rights of individuals to receive examination and treatment for emergency medical conditions and women in labor in a conspicuous area to be noticed by all individuals entering the emergency department. This has the potential to affect most patients entering the emergency department for services.

Based on observation and interview, the facility failed to post signs specifying the rights of individuals to receive examination and treatment for emergency medical conditions and women in labor in a conspicuous area to be noticed by all individuals entering the emergency department. This has the potential to affect most patients entering the emergency department for services. Findings include:

During a tour of the facility emergency department on 7/19/17 at 11:30 a.m., the patient entrances, waiting room, registration area, and triage room were observed with staff member E. No signs specifying the rights of individuals to receive examination and treatment for emergency medical conditions and women in labor were posted in the walk-in front entrance doorway or hallway. No signs were posted in the registration area or the triage area/room. One sign was posted in a back corner of the waiting room that was not visible to patients from the registration area, triage area, or walk-in front entrance area.

During an interview and observation on 7/20/17 at 10:40 a.m., staff member E showed the surveyor the signs had been placed at the registration booths. The sign in the waiting room remained in the same area. The sign at the ambulance entrance was to be moved from the side of the wall inside the entrance to the corner of the nurse's station straight ahead of the ambulance entrance.