The Story Continues

More interesting news out of Chicago this afternoon, as the American College of Emergency Physicians spoke out against the University of Chicago Medical Center's controversial new plan to redirect patients out of their emergency room.  According to the Tribune, the ACEP said the hospital is "failing in its obligation to treat emergency patients" and is "dangerously close to patient dumping" and violating EMTALA.  They go on to describe the new program as an effort to "cherry pick" richer patients.  

When I first heard about the policy, I wondered how long it would take for a bad outcome to occur, and shortly thereafter Shadowfax wrote about UCMC turning away a child whose face had been mauled by a pit bull.  We'll see how long this program lasts.