ECU Health North Hospital Agreed to Pay $200,000 for Allegedly Violating Patient Dumping Statute by Failing to Provide Appropriate Medical Screening Examinations

On August 11, 2026, Halifax Regional Medical Center, Inc. d/b/a ECU Health North Hospital (ECU North), Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina, entered into a $200,000 settlement agreement with OIG. The settlement agreement resolves allegations that ECU North violated the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA). Based on its investigation, OIG concluded that ECU North failed to provide appropriate medical screening examinations to two patients. The first patient, a 34-year-old female, presented to ECU North’s Emergency Department (ED) in November 2024 with a complaint of vaginal bleeding 4 days after a medical abortion. Despite the patient’s presenting complaint, ECU North did not perform a genitourinary exam, observe the extent of her bleeding, or order a vaginal ultrasound. The patient was discharged home less than 2 hours after arriving at the ED. The patient returned to ECU North’s ED 3 days later with heavy vaginal bleeding and so weak she was unable to sit up in bed. The patient was diagnosed with sepsis and retained products of conception, and was admitted to the hospital. The second patient, an 11-year-old male, presented to ECU North’s ED in April 2025 with a complaint of “behavioral, psych.” An ECU North Police Officer (HP) spoke to the patient’s attendant, who said that a county deputy told her to bring the patient to ECU North because the patient tried to set fire to the house. HP asked the attendant why she did not get “involuntary commitment papers” prior to coming to the hospital, stating that the involuntary commitment papers would give the hospital “more authority to hold the kid here.” The ED Care Timeline recorded the patient was “dismissed” from the ED 11 minutes after arriving. The patient had no triage, vital signs, or history and physical examination completed prior to leaving the ED.