Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA): July 30

Date: July 30, 2024 Time: 10:00 AM

Location:

Three-part webinar series offered through the Iowa Hospital Association

July 16, July 30, August 13
10 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Registration:

IHA Members: $495 per organization 
Non-IHA Members: $595 per organization 

*Please note: The registration fee includes an unlimited number of connections within the same hospital or health system corporate office. 

Register Online

In February, the Biden-Harris Administration announced a comprehensive plan to educate and promote patient access to the full rights and protections for emergency medical care afforded under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA). In May, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services identified a new method for the general public to directly file complaints for alleged EMTALA violations.  

These changes bring heightened awareness and attention to hospital obligations under EMTALA. For Medicare-certified hospitals, adherence to EMTALA regulations and interpretative guidelines is critical to avoiding significant fines and the potential loss of Medicare participation. This webinar series through the Iowa Hospital Association will provide essential insights to ensure your hospital remains compliant with federal regulations and enhances patient care.

Agenda

Part 2: Critical EMTALA Issues

The second webinar in the series will delve into key topics such as the adequacy of medical screening examinations, appropriate patient transfers, certification of false labor, EMTALA signage requirements, and issues related to observation, inpatient and outpatient status.

The session will discuss EMTALA issues such as:

  • Adequacy of medical screening examinations

  • Appropriate transfers

  • Certification of false labor

  • EMTALA sign issues

  • Observation, inpatient and outpatient.

Objectives

At the end of this session, you will be able to: 

  • Describe an adequate medical screening examination for behavioral health, obstetrics and other patients.

  • Describe an appropriate certification of false labor.

  • Illustrate an appropriate transfer and discuss what must be included on the transfer form.

  • Review what language must be on EMTALA signs.

Who Should Attend

These webinars are designed for leaders and staff organization-wide, including:

  • CEOs

  • Chief medical officers

  • Chief nursing officers

  • Compliance officers and legal counsel

  • Safety officers

  • Risk managers

  • Department directors

  • Quality improvement staff

  • Behavioral health and psychiatric staff    

  • Emergency department staff

  • Physicians

  • Nurses

Speakers

Nancy M. Ruzicka, BS, RPh, MBA, MJ, CHC
Owner, Ruzicka Healthcare Consulting

A recognized expert, Ruzicka focuses on state and federal rules, regulations and interpretative guidelines. She provides consultation to individual client hospitals, nursing facilities, rural health clinics, physician offices and other Medicare-certified healthcare providers through onsite mock surveys, remote consultation and interpretation of Medicare Conditions of Participation. Ruzicka also provides education on federal regulations throughout the nation to multiple state hospital associations. She has served as content expert and editor for regulatory client hospital education for Lammico, a medical malpractice insurance company.

Ruzicka previously worked as the Compliance and Integrity Officer at MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center and Director of Regulatory Compliance at UnityPoint Health, Des Moines. She has more than 20 years of experience with the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals. While working for the State of Iowa, she surveyed hospitals, critical access hospitals, psychiatric hospitals, intermediate care facilities for developmentally disabled, nursing homes and other Medicare-certified entities. Ruzicka was responsible for updating state hospital licensing regulations, which had not been updated since the early 1970s. 

Register online