Dr. Van Stephen Monroe, Jr. Agreed to Pay $65,000 for Allegedly Violating Patient Dumping Statute by Failing to Accept an Appropriate Transfer

On October 15, 2024, Dr. Van Stephen Monroe, Jr. (Dr. Monroe), Chattanooga, Tennessee, entered into a $65,000 settlement agreement with OIG. The settlement agreement resolves allegations that Dr. Monroe violated the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA). Based on its investigation, OIG concluded that in May 2022, Dr. Monroe violated the requirements of EMTALA when he failed to accept the appropriate transfer of a patient from the ED of another facility. The facility requesting the transfer had diagnosed the patient with a myocardial infarction, an emergency medical condition. The facility requesting the transfer did not have the specialized capabilities and capacity to treat the patient at the time the transfer was requested. Dr. Monroe was aware that his participating hospital had the capabilities and capacity to treat the patient, and Dr. Monroe refused to accept the appropriate transfer. Senior Counsel Julie Redlinger represented OIG.

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