Can PAs provide on-call patient care?

Publication: ED Management

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COPYRIGHT 2006 A Thomson Healthcare Company

[Editor's note: This column addresses readers' questions about the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA). If you have a question you'd like answered, contact Steve Lewis, Editor, ED Management, 215 Tawneywood Way, Alpharetta, GA 30022. Phone: (770) 442-9805. Fax: (770) 664-8557. E-mail: steve@wordmaninc.com.]

Question: Imagine the following situation: John Smith presents to the ED of Community Hospital. Hugo Brown, MD, in the ED performs a medical screening examination and determines that Smith has an emergency medical condition. Brown decides care should be provided by the on-call surgeon, Gina House, MD. After describing the situation to her, House says: "This is an excellent situation for my physician assistant [PA] to come in and provide the care." Does EMTALA allow for the PA to help provide on-call care for patient Smith? In place of House? What should the ED physician do?

Answer: For the longest time, the answers from the Centers...

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