If you think you are having an emergency, you probably are. You should call 911, your doctor, or go to the nearest emergency department. This is called the prudent layperson standard.

The prudent layperson definition of an emergency medical condition is any medical or behavioral condition of recent onset and severity, including severe pain, that would lead a prudent layperson, possessing an average knowledge of medicine and health, to believe that his/her condition, sickness, or injury is of such a nature that failure to obtain immediate medical care could result in placing the patient's health in serious jeopardy, cause serious impairment to bodily functions, serious dysfunction of any bodily organ or part, or (in the case of a behavioral condition), place the health of such person or other in serious jeopardy.

Importantly, the prudent layperson standard of an emergency medical condition focuses on the patient's presenting symptoms rather than the final diagnosis when determining whether to pay for emergency medical claims. Wisconsin adopted the prudent layperson standard in March 1998.

MDs and DOs go to slightly different types of medical schools. More importantly, all emergency physicians at MEP Health have completed specialized residency training in emergency medicine and are board-certified.

You may be seen by a physician assistant employed by MEP Health who works collaboratively with our physicians. PAs are licensed medical professionals who have been through 2 years of medical training. They can diagnose, manage treatment plans, and prescribe medications. PAs practice in every state and every medical specialty.

HIPAA stands for the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996. For further reading, please see the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services page on HIPAA. When a family member or friend is seen in one of our emergency departments, your healthcare providers may be limited in what information they can disclose to you due to HIPAA.

EMTALA stands for the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act. It is a federal law that requires anyone coming to an emergency department to be stabilized and treated, regardless of their insurance status or ability to pay. Please see the American College of Emergency Physicians' page on EMTALA for more information.

You can request a copy of your medical records directly from the hospital at which you were seen. MEP Health does not maintain the original copy of your medical record.

One bill is from the hospital for facility fees such as blood tests, x-rays, and CTs. The second bill is from Madison Emergency Physicians for your physician's time and expertise, as well as any procedures that you needed while in the emergency department.