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Regulations also mandate that a hospital make reasonable efforts
to contact, within 24 hours of ED arrival, a patient’s agent,
surrogate, family member or other person the hospital believes has
the authority to make healthcare decisions on behalf of the patient
if the patient is unconscious or incapable of communication.
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Transfers - UNMH Policy:
- Individuals with an emergency medical condition
which has not been stabilized may only be transferred on the basis
of either an informed request or certification by a physician
of the medical reasons for the transfer.
- The treating physician is responsible for evaluating,
ordering and arranging all transfers of patients from the Emergency/Labor
& Delivery Departments to other facilities (including physician
offices) for immediate care in occordance with the procedures
set forth in this policy.
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A patient is considered stable for discharge when, within reasonable
clinical confidence, it is determined that the
patient has reached the point where his/her continued care,
including diagnostic work-up and/or treatment, could reasonably
be performed as an outpatient or later as an inpatient, provided
that the patient is given a plan for appropriate follow-up care
with the discharge instructions.
