Violence and Aggression Against Physicians and Healthcare Workers

February 2023 

Resolution 09.2022-14 (A-23), Protecting Physicians and Healthcare Workers from Violence and Aggression, was assigned to the Council on Education and Health Workforce for review and recommendation. Based upon the Council’s discussion, the Council recommended to the Board of Trustees that ISMS develop a white paper on violence and aggression against healthcare professionals to provide information and guidance to healthcare professionals to assist in the development of protocols, procedures and mechanisms to ensure a safer and more secure working environment. The recommendation also included several measures that might be considered, including:

• Development of robust surveillance, data collection systems, and technologies and standards to track incidence of violence.
• Security and safety response protocols.
• Solidarity-based strategies to mobilize individuals and organizations across the healthcare ecosystem, to name, confront, and effectively resist hate-based and other types of violence and intimidation. Such strategies could include the development of a “Physician and Healthcare Worker Bill of Rights,” creation of counseling and support services for survivors, and identification of punitive measures and related consequences for individuals engaging in aggressive or violent behaviors.

At its October 2022 meeting, the Board adopted the recommendations of the Council, and assigned the project to the Council for completion. Accordingly, the following document is presented for consideration.

To view this white paper in its entirety, please log in.