The Michigan House Law and Justice Committee, chaired by Rep. Klint Kesto (R-Commerce Twp.), heard testimony October 2, 2018 on House Bills 6203 and 6204, from Dr. Michael Gratson, MD, FACEP, and MCEP Executive Director, Belinda Chandler, in support of these bills introduced by Rep. Hank Vaupel (R- Handy Twp.) These bills would amend the Michigan Penal Code to provide additional protections for health professionals and medical volunteers while they are delivering patient care.
Violence against healthcare workers reflects an increasing trend. The FBI and Occupational Safety and Health Administration report that more assaults occur in the healthcare field than any other. According to 2014 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data cited by OSHA, workers in the healthcare and social assistance sector experienced violence-related injuries in the workplace at a rate more than four times higher than the rate for workers in the private sector overall. This exceeds other large hands-on professions, such as construction, manufacturing and retail.
Healthcare accounts for nearly as many serious violent injuries as all other industries combined. In one survey by the American Nurses Association, also cited by OSHA, 21 percent of registered nurses and nursing students reported being physically assaulted in a 12-month period. According to the American College of Emergency Physicians, more than 75 percent of emergency physicians experienced at least one violent workplace incident in the past year. Eighty percent of these assaults are interactions with patients.
