Developing a program for dealing with violence in healthcare facilities.

The potential for violence is a growing concern in all healthcare facilities. Violent acts may be perpetrated by visitors, patients, employees, or outsiders. There are no simple answers to preventing or defusing such violence, but greater attention to the total climate for violence and a realistic approach to treating its different aspects are essential. In this report, Fredrick Roll, executive vice president, Hospital Shared Services, Denver, CO, which provides security services for more than 140 hospitals in six states, discusses the different aspects of violence that must be considered by all hospitals when setting up programs to deal with the problem.