On February 13, 2026, Jackson-Madison County General Hospital District doing business as West Tennessee Healthcare (WTH) entered into a $340,231.20 settlement agreement with OIG. WTH includes two hospitals operating under assumed names: West Tennessee Healthcare Camden Hospital (Camden), Camden, Tennessee, and West Tennessee Healthcare Volunteer Hospital Martin (Volunteer), Martin, Tennessee. The settlement agreement resolves allegations that WTH violated the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA). Based on its investigation, OIG concluded that on four occasions WTH failed to provide appropriate medical screening examinations and on two occasions failed to effectuate appropriate transfers.
Patient A presented to Volunteer’s Emergency Department (ED) in May 2024 from a skilled nursing facility (SNF) after a seizure and falling and hitting her head. The patient was diagnosed with breakthrough seizure and scalp hematoma and discharged back to the SNF. While the patient presented with neurological symptoms, the patient’s neurological status was not reassessed prior to discharge. Following the patient’s return to the SNF, the SNF staff noted that the patient was lethargic and was no longer talking or moving her extremities. The following day, the patient was transported back to Volunteer’s ED via ambulance. This time, the ED provider ordered a CT, which showed an acute C2 fracture. The patient was transferred to a Level 1 Trauma facility. Volunteer did not provide an appropriate medical screening examination during Patient A’s first visit to Volunteer’s ED.