![](https://www.acepnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Dr-Terry-feb-2024.jpg)
Dr. Terry: Workplace safety is also a huge priority for ACEP and we have participated in multiple efforts over the years to try to improve the workplace environment relative to safety. ACEP did a survey a few years back, which found that there are increasing numbers of instances wherein emergency physicians are being assaulted while in the clinical setting in the emergency department. It is increasing, whether it be verbal assault or physical assault. We definitely know that this is a real problem and it’s not isolated in pockets of the country. It is a widespread phenomenon. When we realized that, we decided to be proactive about making sure that our emergency physicians are protected and don’t have to go to work feeling fearful. To that end, I personally have actually given a handful of lectures across the country around workplace violence, ensuring that our colleagues and other specialties and other stakeholders are aware of the problem. I think most people who don’t work in the emergency department might be surprised to know how, every single day, assaults are happening in the emergency department. ACEP has been championing a couple of key federal pieces of legislation around ensuring that there are channels wherein workplace violence can be reported in a way to ensure consequences to follow. There is legislation that would require OSHA implementing guidelines around reporting workplace violence. There’s another piece of legislation called the SAVES Act, which would ensure that there are consequences to assault against health care workers and physicians in the emergency department. It’s bipartisan, but it also has a carve-out to make sure that patients who may not have the capacity to make good decisions are protected. ACEP has been pushing now for well over a year to get that SAVES Act into law. We also know that a lot of the work around workplace violence takes place at the state level. In fact, there are several states across the country who have had pieces of legislation introduced that increase the consequences of assaulting a health care worker from a misdemeanor to a felony and additionally ensuring that there are pieces in place around reporting. One of the things that I’ve heard across the country is that there is this hesitation to report the assault because there’s a sense that nothing will actually be done about it. And so that’s another way that ACEP is really pushing to make sure that emergency physicians know that there’s no stigma.
No Responses to “A Conversation with ACEP President Dr. Aisha Terry”