Fed Regist. 2003 Sep 9;68(174):53222-64.
This final rule clarifies policies relating to the responsibilities of Medicare-participating hospitals in treating individuals with emergency medical conditions who present to a hospital under the provisions of the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA). The final rule responds to public comments received on a May 9, 2002 proposed rule (67 FR 31404) that both reiterated the agency's interpretations under EMTALA and proposed clarifying changes relating to the implementation of the EMTALA provisions. These reiterations and clarifying changes related to, among other areas, seeking prior authorization from insurers for services, emergency patients presenting at off-campus outpatient clinics that do not routinely provide emergency services, the applicability of the EMTALA provisions to hospital inpatients and outpatients, the circumstances under which physicians must serve on hospital medical staff "on-call" lists, and the responsibilities of hospital-owned ambulances. These reiterations and clarifying changes are needed to ensure uniform and consistent application of policy and to avoid any misunderstanding of EMTALA requirements by individuals, physicians, or hospital employees.
本最终规则阐明了与参与医疗保险的医院在根据《紧急医疗救治和劳动法案》（EMTALA）条款为前来医院就诊的患有紧急医疗状况的个人提供治疗时的责任相关的政策。该最终规则回应了在2002年5月9日的拟议规则（67 FR 31404）中收到的公众意见，该拟议规则既重申了该机构对EMTALA的解释，又提出了与EMTALA条款实施相关的澄清性修改。这些重申和澄清性修改涉及多个领域，包括向保险公司寻求服务的事先授权、出现在非校园门诊诊所（这些诊所通常不提供紧急服务）的急诊患者、EMTALA条款对医院住院患者和门诊患者的适用性、医生必须列入医院医务人员“随叫随到”名单的情况以及医院所属救护车的责任。需要这些重申和澄清性修改来确保政策的统一和一致适用，并避免个人、医生或医院员工对EMTALA要求产生任何误解。
