This week, CRC Daily covers legal considerations. Under EMTALA, hospitals are to ensure public access to emergency services regardless of ability to pay. Section 1867 of the Social Security Act imposes specific obligations on Medicare-participating hospitals that offer emergency services to provide a medical screening examination (MSE) when a request is made for examination or treatment for an emergency medical condition (EMC), including active labor, regardless of an individual’s ability to pay.

Pro Publica reported at least 20 rural hospitals in the United States have been found in violation of EMTALA in the past five years based upon federal investigation data. In several instances, women in labor faced serious complications after being denied care or were misdiagnosed at facilities that lacked obstetrics specialists (The Advisory Board Co., 2017).

 Published 5/8/17

Check out the three webinars now available to Platinum Plus members of the Credentialing Resource Center. Follow the links below to access these new releases directly through the CRC website:

• Benchmarking Your Peer Review Program: Best Practices and Removing Barriers to Success
• Medical Staff Applications: Pink Flags Versus Red Flags
• Verify & Comply: Credentialing Standards Compared and Contrasted

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 Published 5/8/17

With over 100,000 physician assistants (PA) in practice and predictions that the number will continue to grow, healthcare organizations are increasingly relying on these practitioners to fill patient-care needs. This means that like with physicians, it is up to the medical staff to monitor and ensure the quality of care being provided by PAs, and medical staff leaders and professionals must familiarize themselves with the profession, including ways to assess competence, state laws regarding licensure, and the certification process.

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