ACEP and the American Hospital Association (AHA) co-hosted a Senate briefing today in support of the bipartisan Safety from Violence for Healthcare Employees (SAVE) Act.
“There’s a problem but we can fix it,” said James Phillps, MD, FACEP, an emergency physician in Washington, DC speaking on behalf of ACEP.
Dr. Phillips appeared alongside Mark Boucot, president and chief executive officer, Potomac Valley Hospital, Keyser, W.V. and Garrett Regional Medical Center, Oakland, Maryland, and Rachel Culpepper, DNP, RN, CENP, General Medicine Service Line Director, Indiana University Health West Hospital, Avon, Ind.
Senator Joe Manchin (I-WV) joined the panelists as a featured speaker and lead Senate sponsor of the SAVE Act.
“We’re asking for the same protections workers in other industries have,” said Sen. Manchin. “It’s not too much to ask.”
Violence is not something anyone should have to tolerate as a health care professional, the panelists explained. On top of safety concerns, a steady barrage of assaults lowers morale, impacts recruitment and retention, and complicates care delivery.
“We are trying to break the cycle. We shouldn’t have to feel unsafe,” Culpepper said. “It’s really important we keep caregivers at the bedside. Incident response takes resources and focus and that delays care that patients deserve.”
The SAVE Act is a central component of ACEP advocacy this year. The legislation would make assaulting a health care worker a federal crime.
“This is a nonpartisan, commonsense issue,” said Dr. Phillips. “Today was a great opportunity to stand up for patients, stand up for ourselves, and try to get this bill passed.”
This briefing marks the third in a series on preventing ED violence this year. ACEP advocacy makes sure that you are heard directly where your voice matters most.
An ACEP poll found that 91% of emergency physicians said they or a colleague were threatened or attacked within the prior year. Emergency physicians are leading the call for solutions and sharing their troubling stories.
Your engagement makes the steady drumbeat of physician advocacy possible. Together, we are making a difference.
