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Submitted By kedunlapjohnson
Words 1578
Pages 7
Running head: RIGHT TO EMERGENCY CARE

The Right to Emergency Care Including the Needs of the Psychiatric Patient

Abstract
The Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act came about in 1986, but was sought after as far back as the 1960s. This law requires emergency care to individuals regardless of ability to pay. EMTALA requires examination and treatment of individuals who present with an emergency medical condition and/or women who present in labor. This law is applicable to all hospitals that participate in the federal Medicare program. EMTALA should not be confused with medical malpractice law. EMTALA also applies to individuals who present with acute symptoms of psychiatric illness and/or substance abuse.

The Right to Emergency Care Including the Needs of the Psychiatric Patient
The Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) requires access to emergency care regardless of an individual’s ability to pay. EMTALA may also be known as the Anti-Patient Dumping Statute. Regardless of the lack of duty to admit or serve all who present for treatment, a hospital emergency department is an exception to the rule (Showalter, 2015). A hospital emergency department has a duty to “evaluate all patients who present for service and to render emergency care to those who need it” (Showalter, 2015). The need for EMTALA was starting to be recognized in the 1960s (Showalter, 2015). According to Showalter in his text, EMTALA was developed with the “philosophy that healthcare at the time of an emergency is a moral right and must be provided regardless of the patient’s ability to pay” (2015).
History
Enactment
The Emergency Act (EMTALA) was passed in 1986 due to increased concerns over the availability of emergency health care services to the poor and underinsured (Garan, 2015). Several cases identify and describe the need and history of EMTALA. From

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