Medical Directions, Inc. and Medulogic, LLC. announce the release of a new online continuing education program to help hospitals and their physicians better understand the complexities of the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA).

"This course meets an important need in a creative, cost-effective way," stated course author, David Lickerman, MD. "EMTALA is a very confusing law, one that is easily violated in the course of everyday practice. The law governs the actions of every hospital with an emergency department, every emergency physician, and every physician who takes call for an emergency department. Penalties for violations can be severe. In my experience, the best way to understand EMTALA is to practice working through typical cases," said Lickerman, an experienced Emergency Medicine physician who consults with malpractice carriers and regularly speaks to physicians about EMTALA.

After completing the case-based online program, William Jermyn, MD, the President of the Missouri chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians said, "This clear and concise program contains essential knowledge for front-line emergency physicians. It also provides critical information needed by medical staff members to fulfill their responsibilities under federal law."

The new program is available to physicians via The Virtual Lecture Hall (www.vlh.com), an online CME web site developed by Medical Directions. The EMTALA course is sponsored for 2.5 hours of AMA Category 1 CME credit by the American College of Emergency Physicians and costs $25 for a CME certificate.

Medical Directions, Inc. also offers the EMTALA program for group purchase to hospitals and liability insurers via a customized web site. To learn more, contact Bob Amend at (520)-722-1970.