Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General Report Releases a Report Noting that Physician-Owned Specialty Hospitals are Poorly Equipped To Handle Medical Emergencies

Physician-owned specialty hospitals are poorly equipped to handle emergency care, according to an HHS OIG report released this week. The report indicated that of the 109 physician-owned hospitals reviewed, 55% had emergency departments and the majority of those hospitals had only one ED bed. The report also found that 7% of physician-owned hospitals do not meet Medicare requirements that a registered nurse be present at all times and that a physician be on call if none are on site. The report also noted that 22% of the hospitals did not address in written policies how emergency situations should be evaluated and handled, 34% of the hospitals rely on dialing 911 to obtain emergency care for patients; and fewer than one-third of hospitals had a physician on site at all times. To view the report go to : http://oig.hhs.gov/oei/reports/oei-02-06-00310.pdf