AHA urges ‘swift’ passing of Senate package to reduce gun violence

Editor's Note

The American Hospital Association (AHA) this week voiced support for the Senate’s bipartisan framework to help reduce gun violence in communities, AHA June 14 reports. The proposal includes provisions to help the country to combat violence and make “critical investments” in behavioral healthcare, school safety resources, and support services, said AHA President and CEO Rick Pollack.

According to AHA, Paul Hofmann, DrPH, president of the Hofmann Healthcare Group in Moraga, California, also recently advocated for action, adding that healthcare organizations need “effective action plans to reduce gun violence.” Hofmann published a report on June 10 via AHA, in which he compiled damning statistics and called this issue a “public health issue [that] requires attention.”

One piece of data, reported on February 22, 2022, by researchers at the Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla, New York, and retrieved from the National Vital Statistics Reports from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, showed that firearms overtook motor vehicle crashes as the leading cause of trauma-related deaths in the US. “In the decade that the researchers reviewed, firearms accounted for 12.6 million years of potential life lost,” Hofmann noted.

“A number of healthcare organizations have taken initiatives to address this ongoing national tragedy, but active engagement is needed by more health systems and hospitals,” he stated before putting forth three action items for consideration. To view the proposed steps, read his full report here.