According to EMTALA or the Emergency Medical Treatment & Labor Act, an emergency medical condition is defined as “a condition manifesting itself by acute symptoms of sufficient severity (including severe pain) such that the absence of immediate medical attention could reasonably be expected to result in placing the individual’s health [or the health of an unborn child] in serious jeopardy, serious impairment to bodily functions, or serious dysfunction of bodily organs.“
This also means that patients have the right to be treated humanely and never be subjected to degrading treatment by any healthcare professional.
Before a physician can begin any course of treatment, the physician must make the patient aware of what he plans to do. For any course of treatment that is above routine medical procedures, the physician must disclose as much information as possible so the patient may make an informed decision about his/her care.
Many times physician or hospital relationships violate a patients right to choose the provider of their choice.
For patients, a lack of privacy could lead to personal embarrassment, public humiliation, and discrimination.
the adequacy of treatmentthe actions of healthcare personnelwait timesoperating hoursbilling and payment issues
