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Based on interview and record review, the hospital failed to implement its policies and procedures for the evaluation and treatment of patients presenting for emergency care in accordance with the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA).

Failure to ensure patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) receive a comprehensive medical screening exam by a qualified medical professional and stablizing treatment risks poor health outcomes, injury, and death.

Based on interview and review of documents, the hospital failed to implement its policies and procedures to provide a medical screening exam for a patient that came to the emergency department (ED) seeking emergency care in accordance with the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) for 1 of 26 patient records reviewed (Patient #13).

Failure to provide a medical screening exam for patients before they leave the ED puts patients at risk for harm from a medical or psychological emergency that is not screened and treated.

Findings included:

1. Document review of the hospital policy titled, "Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA), Compliance With" updated 04/18, showed that all patients presenting to the ED were to receive a medical screening exam (MSE) by a physician.

2. On 11/05/19 the investigator reviewed the ED department patient log. Patient #13 presented to the ED on 10/04/19 with the local police department. The ED nurse on duty called the ED adminstrator on call to get clarification about seeing the patient. The police officer with the patient then stated they would call EMS (emergency medical services) and take the patient to another hospital. The patient was taken to another hospital for evaluation and treatment by the police officer.

3. On 11/05/19 at 8:00 AM, the investigtor interviewed a licensed nurse (Staff #1). Staff #1 stated that all patients presenting to the ED required a medical screening exam and stabililizing treatment. No patients were to be turned away. If a patient needed a higher level of care the physician would initiate the transfer to another hospital. Before any patients could be transferred report would need to be given MD (medical doctor) to MD and RN (registered nurse) to RN between the transferring and accepting hospital.

4. On 11/05/19 at 11:00 AM, the investigator interviewed the ED Director (Staff #8). Staff #8 verified the above information.