K&L Gates Triage: Emerging Themes for Emergency Departments: What to Know About Treating Psychiatric Patients Under EMTALA

This episode discusses some of the emerging themes and challenges that many hospitals are facing with the increasing number of psychiatric patients presenting to their emergency departments. Particularly, it addresses the unclear expectations of hospitals under EMTALA with respect to psychiatric and behavioral health patients and how the Department of Health and Human Services may be signaling changes in how EMTALA’s screening and stabilization requirements need to be addressed. This episode also highlights a recent OIG settlement relating to alleged EMTALA violations with respect to treatment of psychiatric patients which indicates the government’s focus in this area and the significant potential costs.

About Triage
Triage: Rapid Legal Lessons for Busy Health Care Professionals has been created by K&L Gates to convey information about developments in health law through short, three to ten minute podcasts.

If you work in the health care industry, you have grown accustomed to frequent changes in laws and regulations. On some days, it may seem like an insurmountable task to keep up with every change, especially as a new presidential administration and new policies take shape.

The K&L Gates Health Care Practice will regularly create Triage podcasts to help you learn about the latest developments in health law. Our lawyers will identify the most important changes and analyze the impact of these changes on our clients.

Catch-up on past episodes by visiting our Triage program page.

Subscribe to Triage via your favorite podcast app to have our episodes delivered directly to you as they become available.