ER doctors condemn University of Chicago plan to divert patients

The nation's largest group of emergency physicians have condemned University of Chicago's plans to divert some patients from its emergency room, saying the plan comes "dangerously close" to violating federal law and calling for a congressional investigation. The hospital's initiative is aimed at clearing its ER of patients with non-urgent injuries and illnesses by redirecting them to community hospitals and clinics. The University maintains its Urban Health Initiative is about getting patients the right treatment at the appropriate location amid a tough economic climate and that the plan does not violate the law.