Emtala Answer Book: 2021 Edition

The EMTALA Answer Book provides an authoritative, easy-to-access guide for addressing the thorny issues surrounding EMTALA for emergency department physicians, emergency nurse managers, emergency administrators, and risk managers, helping them to understand the implications of their decisions vis-à-vis this law. The potentially problematic aspects of medical screening, treatment, transfer, and other EMTALA responsibilities of hospitals are explored from the medical perspective, and practical suggestions for compliance are provided.

Highlights of the 2021 Edition include:

• Important updates to EMTALA, especially those related to COVID-19, include:
  • A fully revised Chapter 12, "EMTALA and Public Emergencies," which discusses EMTALA and COVID-19.
  • New Appendix P, "EMTALA Requirements and Implications Related to Coronavirus Disease 2019," which contains key CMS documents detailing the changes to the way in which CMS is enforcing EMTALA during COVID-19 pandemic.
• A revision to sections of Chapter 2, "Comes to the Emergency Room," that deal with Section 1135 waivers of EMTALA sanctions during emergencies and pandemics have been updated
• The 2019 changes to sections of the CMS State Operations manual dealing with administrative enforcement of EMTALA
• A revised Chapter 15, "EMTALA and Whistleblower Protection," with the latest favorable developments protecting hospitals against whistleblowers
• Discussions of the most recent court decisions including under what circumstances heirs of a deceased patient may sue for claimed EMTALA violations, and limitations on the long-held rule that the hospital's duty to stabilize a patient with an emergency condition ends with the admission or transfer of the patient
• New EMTALA-related settlements published by the Office of Inspector General
• Selections from the State Operations Manual pertaining to EMTALA investigations

Previous Edition: EMTALA Answer Book, 2020 Edition, ISBN 9781543810356