Final answer:
If an emergency department physician fails to stabilize an indigent patient before transferring the patient to another facility, he or she is in violation of the EMTALA (Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act).
Step-by-step explanation:
If an emergency department physician fails to stabilize an indigent patient before transferring the patient to another facility, he or she is in violation of the EMTALA (Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act). The EMTALA was enacted in 1986 to ensure that every patient who comes to an emergency department is provided with an appropriate medical screening examination and, if necessary, stabilizing treatment before transfer. It applies to all hospitals that participate in the Medicare program, which includes most hospitals in the United States.