ACOFP 2025 HEALTH POLICY
ADVOCACY PRIORITY NUMBER FOUR
Protect Physicians from Workplace Violence
More needs to be done to protect family physicians from violence in the workplace. The rate of workplace violence is especially high among the healthcare workers and significantly impacts the mental health and well-being of the healthcare workforce. While healthcare workers make up 10 percent of the entire workforce, they experience 48 percent of nonfatal injuries as a result of workplace violence.[i]
Healthcare workers who experience workplace violence may experience symptoms of depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress, and suicidal ideation.[ii] Specifically, a 2023 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Vital Signs report found that more than double the number of healthcare workers reported harassment at work in 2022 than in 2018, increasing from 6.4 percent in 2018 to 13.4 percent in 2022. [iii] The report also highlights the substantial impact of harassment on healthcare worker mental health. Specifically, healthcare workers who experienced workplace harassment were more likely to report feelings of anxiety, depression, and burnout. [iv]
It is critical to protect family physicians from workplace violence especially because such violence can lead physicians and other healthcare workers to experience serious mental health conditions and burnout. It is imperative for Congress to take action to ensure family physicians are safe from violence in the workplace and provide resources to family physicians and other healthcare workers who experience workplace violence and are in need of services and support for recovery.
ACOFP supports the Safety from Violence for Healthcare Employees (SAVE) Act, which was introduced in the 118th Congress. The bill is modeled after existing protections for flight crews and attendants by establishing legal penalties for individuals who knowingly and intentionally assault or intimidate hospital employees[A1]. In addition to establishing federal protections for hospital employees, the bill would authorize the creation of a grant program designed to provide hospital workforce safety and security training.
ACOFP believes this legislation is critical to protecting physicians from workplace violence and supports its re-introduction and passage in the 119th Congress. While the SAVE Act is a good start, Congress must pass additional legislation to protect family physicians from workplace violence.
Advocacy Positions:
- Pass legislation, including the SAVE Act, to protect physicians and the healthcare workforce from workplace violence.
- Support policies that shield workers from violence in the health care setting.
- Ensure that physicians and other healthcare workers who experience workplace violence receive the necessary services and support for recovery.
- Support outreach and awareness efforts on preventing workplace violence and where to receive services and support if a family physician or healthcare worker is a victim of such violence.
[i] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Cammie Chaumont Menendez, Elisa Arespacochaga, et al. Prioritizing our Healthcare Workers: The Importance of Addressing the Intersection of Workplace Violence and Mental Health and Wellbeing. Updated November 25, 2024. Accessed January 9, 2025. https://blogs.cdc.gov/niosh-science-blog/2024/05/29/hcw_violence_mh/
[ii] Nigam JA, Barker RM, Cunningham TR, Swanson NG, Chosewood LC. Vital Signs: Health Worker–Perceived Working Conditions and Symptoms of Poor Mental Health — Quality of Worklife Survey, United States, 2018–2022. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2023;72:1197–1205. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7244e1.
[iii] Nigam JA, Barker RM, Cunningham TR, Swanson NG, Chosewood LC. Vital Signs: Health Worker–Perceived Working Conditions and Symptoms of Poor Mental Health — Quality of Worklife Survey, United States, 2018–2022. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2023;72:1197–1205. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7244e1
[iv] Nigam JA, Barker RM, Cunningham TR, Swanson NG, Chosewood LC. Vital Signs: Health Worker–Perceived Working Conditions and Symptoms of Poor Mental Health — Quality of Worklife Survey, United States, 2018–2022. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2023;72:1197–1205. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7244e1
[A1]Note from FLA Committee member that this should be addressed in all settings, not just hospitals.