Can an ER Turn a Patient Away?

An emergency room cannot turn a patient away. There’s a federal law called EMTALA (the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act), and that act says that if you report to an emergency room because you’re concerned about an injury or condition, the emergency room has to assess you and determine whether they can treat you at that emergency room or whether you need to be transferred to another facility. But they can’t simply turn you away and say they can’t provide care. If you believe you’ve been turned away from an emergency room without a proper assessment and inquiry into your condition, that could be a medical malpractice case, and you should contact a lawyer.