Opinion ID: 2977728
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Overview of EMTALA

Text: For all hospitals that participate in Medicare and have an “emergency department,” EMTALA sets forth two requirements. First, for any individual who “comes to the emergency department” and requests treatment, the hospital must “provide for an appropriate medical screening examination . . . to determine whether or not an emergency medical condition . . . exists.” 42 U.S.C. § 1395dd(a). Second, if “the hospital determines that the individual has an emergency medical condition, the hospital must provide either (A) within the staff and facilities available at the hospital, for such further medical examination and such treatment as may be required to stabilize the medical condition, or (B) for transfer of the individual to another medical facility[.]” § 1395dd(b). Thus, for any individual who seeks treatment in a hospital, the hospital must determine whether an “emergency medical condition” exists, and if the hospital believes such a condition exists, it must provide treatment to “stabilize” the patient. Thornton v. Sw. Detroit Hosp., 895 F.2d 1131, 1134 (6th Cir. 1990). The statute defines “emergency medical condition” as “a medical condition manifesting itself by acute symptoms of sufficient severity (including severe pain) such that the absence of immediate medical attention could reasonably be expected to result in . . . [inter alia] placing the health of the individual . . . in serious jeopardy[.]” § 1395dd(e)(1)(A)(i). “To stabilize” a patient with such a condition means “to assure, within reasonable medical probability, that no material deterioration of the condition is likely to result from or occur during the transfer of the individual from a facility[.]” § 1395dd(e)(3)(A). “Transfer” is defined in the statute to include moving the patient to an outside facility or discharging him. § 1395dd(e)(4). Including the argument made for the first time during oral argument before the district court, Defendants appear to have moved for summary judgment on three grounds: (1) Plaintiff lacks standing to sue under EMTALA; (2) EMTALA’s requirements were satisfied when the hospital admitted Howard on December 13, 2002; and (3) because Howard was indisputably screened and diagnosed as not having an emergency medical condition, EMTALA did not apply. Because any one of these No. 07-2111 Moses v. Providence Hospital and Medical Ctrs., et al. Page 8 grounds would have been sufficient for the district court to grant summary judgment to the Defendants, we address each of them in turn.