Friday, May 09, 2008
Unintended consequences of EMTALA
Edwin Leap: "EMTALA has created the very conditions it sought to avoid. Now, with specialists unavailable, hospitals full, transfers always difficult and no lack of genuinely sick and dying patients, there’s often 1) no one to care for them and 2) no place to put or send them. EMTALA, the federal mandate to save the poor from sickness has begun to crumble at its foundations, and leave untold numbers of patients, poor and paying, without care."
Posted by Kevin |
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Comments:
EMTALA, I agree that this law is one of the laws enacted by short sighted politician, often ex lawyers who cannot find an honnest job, to legislate to cure a symptoms but not the ailment of our health care.
The anti dumping law at first priori makes sense but its emplementation is desastrous and does do not help the poor indigent population.
The result of course: More regulation, potential legal actions, and again less moneys for healthcare.
Another great way the NY governor found to save health care money: Close hospitals! makes a lot of sence.....!
Getting rid of doctors, nurses, and closing hospitals (but not lawyers) is another great saving $ idea!
The anti dumping law at first priori makes sense but its emplementation is desastrous and does do not help the poor indigent population.
The result of course: More regulation, potential legal actions, and again less moneys for healthcare.
Another great way the NY governor found to save health care money: Close hospitals! makes a lot of sence.....!
Getting rid of doctors, nurses, and closing hospitals (but not lawyers) is another great saving $ idea!
# posted by 
: 10:21 AM
: 10:21 AM
Women get the vote.
Men land on the moon.
Spell checkers invented.
What do these things have in common?
Men land on the moon.
Spell checkers invented.
What do these things have in common?
# posted by : 10:38 AM
: 10:38 AM
A nuclear attack would have done less damage to the US trauma system than EMTALA.
Ed Sodaro MD
Ed Sodaro MD
# posted by : 2:27 PM
: 2:27 PM
I have an article somewhere on my desk that says when a hospital asks for payment in advance it is creating a barrier to care and that violates EMTALA.
The good of Emtala: I had a cousin die who would probably be alive today if emtala had been in place. He had insurance but didn't have an insurance card on him when brought to an er after a mva. Failing the wallet biopsy he was transfered with a ruptured spleen and intracranial bleed to another er.
The bad: There is an entire class of psychiatric patients now who have highly dysfunctional relationships with hospitals and consume tremendous resources who we used to treat quite effectively by denying them inpatient care. Yes, denial of care is the treatment for some people who abuse the system, but no one is willing to try to explain that to the emtala enforcers.
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The bad: There is an entire class of psychiatric patients now who have highly dysfunctional relationships with hospitals and consume tremendous resources who we used to treat quite effectively by denying them inpatient care. Yes, denial of care is the treatment for some people who abuse the system, but no one is willing to try to explain that to the emtala enforcers.
# posted by : 11:01 PM
: 11:01 PM
