There is no EMTALA requirement for on-call
physicians to provide follow-up care; however, on-call
physicians are required to come in based on the
emergency physician’s request.
That’s why emergency physicians sometimes have
no choice but to call in the on-call specialist if they
need a stabilizing service and the physician is
unwilling to provide this service in the office.
Address this “gap” in EMTALA with well-drafted
institutional policies concerning a physician’s on-call
responsibility, including the responsibility to provide
limited follow-up care until the emergency medical
condition is resolved.