Spartanburg (S.C.) Medical Center has agreed to pay $100,000 to resolve allegations it violated the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act, according to a Nov. 12 news release from the HHS Office of Inspector General.
EMTALA, enacted in 1986, requires Medicare-participating hospitals to provide all patients with appropriate emergency care, regardless of ability to pay.
The OIG alleges that in May 2024, Spartanburg Medical Center inappropriately transferred a patient who presented to the emergency department with a large, actively bleeding hematoma near the left carotid artery and a narrowed airway — complications following a carotid endarterectomy performed at another hospital eight days earlier.
The patient was intubated, and the emergency physician ordered tests, secured the airway and consulted with the on-call vascular surgeon. However, the surgeon did not physically evaluate the patient and instead requested the patient be transferred back to the hospital where the earlier procedure was performed, the agency said.
OIG found that the transfer posed significant risk, including potential airway loss, stroke or death, and said Spartanburg Medical Center had the capability to provide stabilizing treatment.
In a statement shared with Becker’s, the hospital said, “Spartanburg Medical Center takes compliance with all federal regulations, including the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act, very seriously. Though not an admission of liability, we reached a settlement agreement with the Office of Inspector General to resolve this matter. Spartanburg Medical Center is committed to patient safety and regulatory compliance, and our priority remains to provide the highest quality care to every patient who comes through our doors.”
Spartanburg Medical Center is part of Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System, which employs more than 10,800 people.
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