Is it within the right of a hospital to reject a patient treatment just because he or she is not vaccinated?
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Is it within the right of a hospital to reject a patient treatment just because he or she is not vaccinated?
Hospitals have a mission to serve their communities and provide life-saving care to anyone in need. Moreover, hospitals are bound by the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act, a federal law intended to ensure all have access to care in an emergency. So, hospitals will continue to treat patients regardless of their vaccination status but urge everyone to do their part and get vaccinated for COVID-19 if eligible.
The same ethics that guarantee a life-long smoker will be treated for lung cancer should also apply to the unvaccinated. For emergencies or pregnant patients that arrive in labor, their vaccination status has no bearing on their ability to receive care. But, if a patient is not in acute distress, and needs a procedure that can be delayed for a bit of time, then hospitals could wait until the patient is healthy enough to be vaccinated.