We must protect those who protect us | Opinion
Brad J. Uren and Michael V. Gratson
The Detroit News
Aug. 17, 2026, 8:00 p.m. ET
<a href="https://cm.detroitnews.com/comment/?storyUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.detroitnews.com%2Fstory%2Fopinion%2F2026%2F08%2F17%2Fwe-owe-healthcare-workers-a-safe-environment-opinion%2F91332341007%2F&marketName=detroitnews&commentsopen=false” rel=”nofollow noopener” target=”_blank”>View Comments
Healthcare workers are a critical part of our Michigan communities. They are the professionals we trust with our most vulnerable moments. Yet, a growing crisis is tearing through the core of our healthcare system
Violence against healthcare workers has reached epidemic proportions, and it is time for the Legislature to close the dangerous gaps that leave our caregivers exposed
While the 2023 bipartisan legislation (House Bills 4520 and 4521, PA 273 of 2023) was a critical first step, it is fundamentally incomplete. By focusing largely on incidents involving only visitors, these laws do not account for the reality of the threats faced by staff. In truth, only 31% of violence against healthcare workers is perpetrated by visitors. The overwhelming majority of these incidents arise from patients themselves, leaving a massive portion of the violence unaddressed by current legal protections.
The statistics are sobering. Healthcare professionals, despite making up only 10% of the U.S. workforce, endure a staggering 48% of all nonfatal workplace violence injuries. This is not just an emergency department issue; it is a pervasive crisis affecting the entire healthcare workforce. Healthcare workers are five times more likely to suffer workplace violence injuries than the average worker across all industries
Such protections are not new territory for our state or federal government. Michigan already recognizes the need to protect specific classes of public-facing workers. State law provides enhanced protections for law enforcement officers, firefighters, and emergency medical service workers. Similarly, federal law provides specific protections for airline crews, making it a felony to assault or interfere with a flight attendant or pilot. Extending similar protections to our healthcare workforce is not an expansion of precedent; it is the fulfillment of a long-overdue obligation to match the safety standards afforded to these other critical sectors.
Crucially, this legislation is not about criminalizing the vulnerable. Healthcare professionals understand the nuance of their work; they know the difference between a malicious actor and a patient suffering from a medical condition. The proposed legislation inherently supports a critical diversionary approach. When a patient lacks the capacity to understand their actions due to clinical issues — such as delirium or psychiatric distress — these laws allow for identifying that lack of capacity to avoid unnecessary prosecution, directing patients toward appropriate behavioral or medical treatment instead. This approach is entirely consistent with the ethics of healthcare: to protect the safety of the workspace while ensuring that patients receive the care their conditions require.
The personal and professional cost of the status quo is devastating. Research shows that 85% of workers who experience such violence report anxiety, and nearly two in five have considered leaving the profession specifically due to safety concerns. Michigan is already grappling with a critical staffing shortage; we cannot afford to let these preventable tragedies drive our best talent away
We owe our healthcare workers more than just our gratitude; we owe them a safe environment. The passage of House Bills 4532, 4533, 4534 and 4535 would send a critical signal to our healthcare workforce that their lives are valued by society and the legislature. By closing the loopholes that current laws inadvertently leave open, this package sends a clear, unified message: violence against those who heal is a crime that will not be tolerated. Our healthcare system is on the brink; let us choose to protect those who sustain it.
Brad J. Uren, MD FACEP, is chair of the Michigan State Medical Society. Michael V. Gratson, MD, MHSA, FACE, is president of the Michigan College of Emergency Physicians
