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Chapter 43 - The Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA) and psychiatric patients in the emergency department

from Section 6. - Administration of psychiatric care

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 April 2013

By
Derek J. Robinson
Edited by
Leslie S. Zun
Edited in association with
Lara G. Chepenik  and
Mary Nan S. Mallory
Leslie S. Zun
Affiliation:
Department of Emergency Medicine, Mt Sinai Hospital, Chicago
Lara G. Chepenik
Affiliation:
Yale University School of Medicine
Mary Nan S. Mallory
Affiliation:
University of Louisville, School of Medicine
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Summary

The Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA) was enacted in 1986 as a component of the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985. The emergency physician must ensure that a psychiatric presentation is not masking or coinciding with another illness, such as an occult head injury, metabolic disturbance, or toxic ingestion. It is commonplace for mental health screeners from the community to participate in the evaluation of patients with psychiatric emergencies and assist in locating inpatient availability when the emergency medical condition (EMC) is not stabilized and inpatient care is required. Failure to comply with EMTALA can lead to substantial consequences for hospitals and physicians. Emergency psychiatry involves a broad healthcare team and members vary in their level of responsibility and education. Understanding the requirements imposed by EMTALA is an essential compliance topic for each team member.

Keywords

Pacific Islandersemergency psychiatryHispanic AmericansAsian Americanscultural identityculture-bound syndromeslanguage barriersAmerican IndianAfrican AmericansAlaska Natives
Type
Chapter
Information
Behavioral Emergencies for the Emergency Physician , pp. 320 - 323
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2013

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