HospitalInspections.org

Based on document review and interview, the facility failed to provide a Medical Screening Examination by a doctor to 11 (Patients #5, 8, 10, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 23, 24, and #25) of 25 (Patients #1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 11, 12, 13, 17, 20, 21 and #22) patients presenting to the emergency room.

A review of Patients' #5, 8, 10, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 23, 24, and #25 emergency room records revealed the patients presented to the facility's emergency room seeking treatment. The medical records provided no evidence of an examination or treatment by an ED physician or the Primary Care physician on-call.

A review of the policy titled EMERGENCY MEDICAL TREATMENT AND LABOR ACT (EMTALA) revealed:
"6.2. An ED physician or the Primary Care physician on-call are the only providers authorized to provide a medical screening exam to all patients who present to the ED, to determine the presence or absence of an emergency condition ....
7. An emergency medical condition is defined as:
7.1. An acute symptom that needs immediate medical attention,
7.2. A condition which could jeopardize health of patient or unborn,
7.3. A condition that might result in serious impairment of bodily function, organ, or body part if not immediately treated,
7.4. A condition which includes labor, severe pain, psychiatric disturbance, and substance abuse."

An interview with the Chief Nursing Officer confirmed Patients #5, 8, 10, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 23, 24, and #25 did not receive examination or treatment by an ED physician or the Primary Care physician on-call.