OHCA Policies and Rules

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317:30-5-42.7. Emergency department (ED) care/services

[Issued 12-01-06]

Emergency department care must:

(1) Be provided in a hospital with a designated emergency department; and

(2) Provide direct patient care, including patient assessment, monitoring, and treatment by hospital medical personnel such as physicians, nurses, or lab and x-ray technicians.

(A) Medical records must document the emergency diagnosis and the extent of direct patient care.

(B) Emergency department care does not include unattended waiting time.

(C) Emergency services are covered for a medical emergency. This means a medical condition manifesting itself by acute symptoms of sufficient severity (including severe pain) such that a prudent layperson, who possesses an average knowledge of health and medicine, could reasonably expect the absence of immediate medical attention to result in:

(i) Placing the physical or mental health of the individual (or, with respect to a pregnant woman, the health of the woman or her unborn child) in serious jeopardy; or continuation of severe pain;

(ii) serious impairment to bodily functions; serious dysfunction of any bodily organ or part; or death.

(D) Labor and delivery is a medical emergency, if it meets this definition.

(3) Prescheduled services are not considered an emergency.

(4) Services provided as follow-up to initial emergency care are not considered emergency services.

Disclaimer. The OHCA rules found on this Web site are unofficial. The official rules are published by the Oklahoma Secretary of State Office of Administrative Rules as Title 317 of the Oklahoma Administrative Code. To order an official copy of these rules, contact the Office of Administrative Rules at (405) 521-4911.