New Report: Workplace Violence Against Health Care Providers is a Growing Concern

June 02, 2025

The impact of workplace violence in hospitals is far reaching and costly, according to a new report released by the American Hospital Association (AHA).

The comprehensive report evaluated the resources hospitals and health systems invest to prevent and respond to violence in their facilities and communities. It also analyzed the financial costs and broader impacts of violence and threatening behavior and estimated the total financial cost of violence to hospitals in 2023 to be $18.27 billion.

"It is an unacceptable reality that those who dedicate their lives to healing should face the threat of violence,” said AHA President and CEO Rick Pollack in a statement. “We know the enormous human and emotional toll violence takes on our communities and caregivers. This report goes beyond that to break down the significant related financial costs incurred upon hospitals and health systems.

“With the increase in violent events within clinical settings across the country, the resources needed to protect hospital workers and care for victims has grown exponentially. Every member of the health care team bears an enormous risk and burden of this violence. This report is yet another reminder we must do more to protect them.”

Here are a few key takeaways:

• Costs defined:  The costs reported include health care treatment for victims, security staffing for health care facilities, and violence prevention programs and training, among other areas. Not included in the total annual financial cost of violence but highlighted in the report are the significant effects of violence in communities.
• Rise in violence:  Incidences of violence have significantly increased in the U.S. over the past decade, with rising rates of assault, homicide, suicide, and firearm violence, which were further exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Investing in prevention:  Preventive measures and other “pre-event” expenses associated with violence in the community and within facilities are estimated at $3.62 billion.
• Aftercare: “Post-event” costs for health care, work loss costs, case management, staffing, and infrastructure repair are estimated at $14.65 billion with the largest contributor resulting from the treatment of violent injuries.   
• Contributing Factors:  Additional impacts, like public perception, staff recruitment and retention, legal concerns, job satisfaction, and psychological harm to health care workers, are significant but difficult to quantify due to limited data.

Through comprehensively characterizing the impacts of violence on hospitals, this report highlights the magnitude of violence as a public health problem and informs future policy and research efforts to address violence impacting U.S. hospitals and the health care system, the report states.

HAP continues to support initiatives that aim to protect health care workers from violence. This includes support for The Save Healthcare Workers Act (formerly known as the SAVE Act), which would make it a federal crime to knowingly and intentionally assault a health care worker, similar to protections in place for airline employees. The bill would also create a grant program to support hospital safety.

The report was prepared by Harborview Injury and Prevention Research Center (HIPRC). Read the full report online.