title: The correction of interhospital "dumping" by legislation.
abstract: This paper analyzes three years' accumulation of interhospital transfers to the emergency department of University Medical Center in Las Vegas. Seventy-nine percent of the 1,672 patients were classified as inappropriate transfers. The collection rate indicates bad debt write-off charges of approximately one million dollars a year. The Nevada Legislature passed bill AB 289 during the 1987 legislative session, which became effective July 1, 1987. Transfer information shows inappropriate transfers to UMC have been eliminated by this legislation. This paper demonstrates the importance and necessity of being able to control the financial "dumping syndrome."
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, University Medical Center of Southern Nevada, Las Vegas.
authors.forename: C W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Zumpft
mesh_terms: D000046:Academic Medical Centers; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D006766:Hospitals, County; D006801:Humans; D009505:Nevada; D010360:Patient Transfer / Q000191:economics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*