Human trafficking (HT) is a hidden-in-plain-sight crime—victims walk among the public at large, yet they remain essentially invisible. Lack of education and knowledge on HT and anti-trafficking measures is particularly egregious in healthcare. In fact, the literature shows the majority of people being trafficked access the system without being identified…
Human trafficking (HT) is a global public health crisis and one of the fastest growing criminal enterprises that grosses hundreds of billions of dollars annually, all of which are tax-free profits made off the sale of human cargo. And yet, research shows the problem is poorly understood or recognized among…
Editor's Note According to the annual Sentinel Event Data Report, The Joint Commission received 1,411 reports of sentinel events—an event not related to the natural course of an illness or condition that causes severe harm, permanent harm or death—in 2023. Of that total, 96% of events were voluntary self-reported by…
Editor's Note Divisive cultural issues such as abortion, gender-related care, and disagreements over the COVID-19 pandemic will "amplify the health care sector's visibility as a potential target for attack" by domestic extremists, according to a March 4 ABC News report on a confidential memo issued by the Department of Homeland…
Editor's Note This recent study of five pediatric clinics in Los Angeles County, California, found that when clinic staff performed screening for adverse childhood experience (ACE), they were able to elicit important patient information and build trust, with no adverse events reported. The study, titled "Clinician and Staff Perspectives on…
Editor's Note Mercy Health, Springfield, Ohio, on June 1, announced that it had formed its own police department and purchased its own police vehicle to help ensure the safety and security of its staff, patients, and visitors. The new department will provide 24-hour police officer coverage, 7 days a week,…
Editor's Note The American College of Surgeons (ACS) announced May 1 that throughout the month of May it will promote STOP THE BLEED in collaboration with the Chicago Cubs, City of Chicago’s Office of Emergency Management and Communications (OEMC), and programming to educate and empower the public to learn simple…
Editor's Note In this study, researchers from Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, find that violence-related trauma increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Trauma registry data on 2,563 violence-related patient presentations in Connecticut from 2018 to 2021 were included in the analysis. The researchers found a: 55% increase in violence-related…