The following is a statement from Scott Shapiro, MD, president of the Pennsylvania Medical Society and a practicing cardiologist from Montgomery County. Dr. Shapiro responds to recent actions taken in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives on HB 1219, a bill that would raise the penalty for violence against health care professionals.
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(HealthNewsDigest.com) – By a vote of 177-0, Pennsylvania’s House of Representatives sent a message that more can be done to protect our state’s health care workers from assault during the performance of their jobs.
House Bill 1219 adds health care practitioners and other health care professionals to a protected class of individuals in the event of an assault. Sponsored by Rep. Judy Ward (R-Blair), the bill raises the penalty from a second-degree misdemeanor to a felony. As Rep. Ward has stated, nearly 60 percent of all nonfatal assaults and violent acts occur in the health care and social assistance industry.
Periodically, our health care professionals are dealing with individuals and families that are in high-stress situations, and occasionally that unfortunately leads to an act of violence against those trying to help. The Pennsylvania Medical Society applauds Rep. Ward for her initiative. With the bill now moving to the state Senate, on behalf of all Pennsylvania physicians, we encourage our state senators to pass this necessary piece of legislation.
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