Guthrie Joins Campaign to Protect Health Care Workers from Violence

No one is immune to violence in the workplace, including the dedicated caregivers who work within our hospitals, medical clinics and offices. Health care workers often find themselves in stressful situations, working to deliver immediate care for someone in need, regardless of the circumstance.  
  
A national study published by the CDC in 2023 revealed that nearly one out of three public health workers experienced at least one form of workplace violence such as receiving threats, being bullied or harassed, or experiencing stigma due to their public health work. Some of this is a result of the COVID pandemic, but even as COVID numbers ebb and flow, the threat still exists.  
  
Acknowledging this problem, The Guthrie Clinic, including its six hospitals and dozens of medical offices throughout its 10,000 square mile territory, has officially joined the Respect and Heal Campaign, with members of local law enforcement and dozens of caregivers in support. 
  
Launched by Upstate University Hospital in October 2023, Respect and Heal is a regional initiative to present a united front in support of frontline staff, from doctors and nurses to environmental and food service workers and all other members of the caregiving team.  
 
“We are all caregivers because each of us plays a role in providing the health care our patients deserve,” said Dr. Edmund Sabanegh, President and CEO, The Guthrie Clinic. “And in providing this care, we firmly believe each individual deserves as much protection as possible, regardless of their role.” 
 
This initiative is designed to keep hospitals and clinical spaces safe places of healing. The core platform for Respect and Heal is as follows: 
 

• We support shared expectations for respectful behavior at all our hospitals and clinic sites. 
• We support zero tolerance of any threat to staff or patient safety at all our sites. 
• We support the strongest consequences for those who violate safety rules. 
• We support passage of federal legislation such as the Safety from Violence for Healthcare Employees (SAVE) Act which provide more penalties for individuals who knowingly and intentionally assault or intimidate hospital employees, and resources for hospitals to develop innovative workplace safety programs. 
• We support strengthened New York State legislation, similar to laws passed in states like New Jersey, that impose harsh criminal penalties on people who seriously injure health care workers, as well as those who threaten, assault or intimidate health care workers. 
• We support time for internal committees to meet cross institution — to share best practices so every organization, regardless of size, has access to ideas, messaging, tools and solutions.  
• We support the extension of shared training and education to share ideas that effectively manage and de-escalate difficult situations.  
• We support the belief that the vast majority of patients respect health care workers and want to see them safe. 

Guthrie looks forward to working with the other health care organizations affiliated with Respect and Heal, as well as law enforcement and lawmakers throughout the communities we serve, to advocate for the safety of our caregivers.

“So often, it’s health care workers who treat the victims of violence, which can make it easy to forget that those same people can also be the victims of violence in the workplace,” said Jennifer Yartym, President, Guthrie Cortland Medical Center. “Together we are united for a shared purpose of healing, respect and safety for our colleagues and our community.”