Hospitals are places of healing, hope, and health. They provide 24/7 care to patients and work with community partners to develop and lead programs that promote health and well-being. However, violence against health workers is on the rise. Overall, medical professionals are five times more likely to experience workplace violence than workers in other fields.
Hospitals and health systems are working to provide safe spaces for health care workers to provide care and patients to receive the care they need. This includes focusing on technology and training to reduce risk, redesigning facilities and workflows to prioritize safety, and engaging with hospital security and surrounding communities to support prevention and crisis response. This includes reconsidering the collaboration between
AHA's Hospitals Against Violence (HAV) Initiative shares resources and strategies to promote a culture of safety across the field. To guide health leaders in their efforts to prevent and reduce violence, the HAV Initiative developed the Building Safe Workplaces and Communities framework, which focuses on data, accountability, and continuing education and training. did.
AHA's top legislative priority this year is to enact the Safety from Violence for Health Care Workers (SAVE) Act. This is bipartisan legislation that would provide federal protections to health care workers similar to those available to airline and airport workers. AHA has developed numerous resources that you can use to encourage legislators to support and enact her SAVE Act. This also includes customizable messages that you can send to your representatives and senators.
At Dartmouth Health, the health system I lead, our employees understand the stress that individuals and families can experience in a healthcare setting. And I know it's the same for caring caregivers at other hospitals. However, it is important to set guardrails to ensure that everyone adheres to a certain level of respect and behavior when visiting or receiving treatment at a hospital.
In workplaces such as hospitals, schools, grocery stores, theaters, and places of worship, taking precautions and fostering a culture of respect, inclusivity, and cooperation will help keep people who live and work in our communities safe.
