A patient presents at a small rural medical clinic after falling from a ladder. The physician suspects that the patient may have intracranial injuries but no diagnostic equipment to determine the severity of injury is available. What is necessary for the physician to legally transfer this unstable patient?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Rationale 1: In order for transfer of an unstable patient to meet EMTALA requirements the physician must certify that the receiving hospital has space available for the patient's care.
Rationale 2: Transferring patients is not without risk. The transferring physician must certify that the risks associated with transferring the patient are outweighed by the benefits of transfer.
Rationale 3: There is no requirement to certify that the receiving hospital is a Medicare provider.
Rationale 4: The receiving hospital must be willing to provide care to the patient being transferred.
Rationale 5: There is no need to confirm that an accident caused the injuries.

A Patient Presents at a Small Rural Medical Clinic After