Skip to main content
Subscribe
  • Sign Up Free
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • News
    • Current News
    • Providers
    • Insurance
    • Government
    • Finance
    • Technology
    • Safety & Quality
    • Digital Health
    • Transformation
    • ESG
    • People
    • Regional News
    • Digital Edition (Web Version)
    • Patients
    • Operations
    • Care Delivery
    • Payment
    • Midwest
    • Northeast
    • South
    • West
  • Opinion
    • Bold Moves
    • Breaking Bias
    • Commentaries
    • Letters
    • Vital Signs Blog
    • From the Editor
  • Events & Awards
    • Awards
    • Conferences
    • Galas
    • Virtual Briefings
    • Webinars
    • Nominate/Eligibility
    • 100 Most Influential People
    • 50 Most Influential Clinical Executives
    • Best Places to Work in Healthcare
    • Excellence in Governance
    • Health Care Hall of Fame
    • Healthcare Marketing Impact Awards
    • Top 25 Emerging Leaders
    • Top Innovators
    • Diversity in Healthcare
      • - Luminaries
      • - Top 25 Diversity Leaders
      • - Leaders to Watch
    • Women in Healthcare
      • - Luminaries
      • - Top 25 Women Leaders
      • - Women to Watch
    • Digital Health Transformation Summit
    • ESG: The Implementation Imperative Summit
    • Leadership Symposium
    • Social Determinants of Health Symposium
    • Women Leaders in Healthcare Conference
    • Best Places to Work Awards Gala
    • Health Care Hall of Fame Gala
    • Top 25 Diversity Leaders Gala
    • Top 25 Women Leaders Gala
    • - Hospital of the Future
    • - Value Based Care
    • - Hospital at Home
    • - Workplace of the Future
    • - Digital Health
    • - Future of Staffing
    • - Hospital of the Future (Fall)
  • Multimedia
    • Podcast - Beyond the Byline
    • Sponsored Podcast - Healthcare Insider
    • Video Series - The Check Up
    • Sponsored Video Series - One on One
  • Data Center
    • Data Center Home
    • Hospital Financials
    • Staffing & Compensation
    • Quality & Safety
    • Mergers & Acquisitions
    • Data Archive
    • Resource Guide: By the Numbers
    • Surveys
    • Data Points
  • Newsletters
  • MORE+
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Media Kit
    • Jobs
    • People on the Move
    • Reprints & Licensing
MENU
Breadcrumb
  1. Home
  2. Opinion
March 24, 2021 01:30 PM

Healthcare industry must drive gun violence prevention

Michael Dowling and Dr. Chethan Sathya
  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Share
  • Email
  • More
    Reprints Print
    Michael Dowling, left, is president and CEO of Northwell Health. Dr. Chethan Sathya is a pediatric surgeon and associate trauma director at Cohen Children’s Medical Center. He is also director of the Northwell Health Center for Gun Violence Prevention.

    The late philosopher, poet and novelist George Santayana famously said, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." When it comes to gun violence and mass shootings such as those that occurred in recent days in Boulder and Atlanta, the bloodshed of the past seems to fade from the public consciousness within days or weeks after they occur, reducing pressure on state and federal lawmakers to enact common-sense gun laws.

    Much like the fatigue we are now seeing in people's willingness to comply with coronavirus prevention restrictions, it seems society—and more importantly our elected officials—has become increasingly numb to the loss of life from not only mass shootings but the tens of thousands of lives lost every year from gun-related murders, suicides and accidental shootings. Although the coronavirus kept most Americans relatively isolated last year, 2020 still saw a record 611 mass shootings (defined as four or more people shot and/or killed in a single event), with gun-related deaths reaching a new high of 43,530, according to the Gun Violence Archive, which tracks shooting incidents nationally.

    COVID-19 has taught us many lessons in medicine, relationships and, most importantly, humanity. We've been forced to learn on the fly, adapt when necessary and better respond when faced with daunting health challenges in the future.

    Yet, we continually fail to read the warning signs or act based on large-scale tragedies that have become far too common over the past two decades. What we've witnessed time and again is a minimalistic approach to finding viable solutions. As we are seeing now in Boulder and Atlanta, we hear the public outcry when it personally impacts their communities. But we don't hear enough from leaders in Congress who can make a difference.

    With gun violence continuing to surge through the country amid the pandemic, it should be apparent to even those arguing for gun rights and freedoms that we have a very serious problem. This crisis is not an ocean away or even at our door, it is inside our house, tearing at our very foundation and has been for quite some time. Our response? Splintered at best. Unresponsive at worst.

    Unlike what we have done when faced with other life and death issues, we have failed to take appropriate steps to mitigate this one. Some will say that the gun issue is far too political to make any real inroads that make a difference. And at times, it does feel that way. When even incremental steps like closing loopholes in background checks are met with an assault from special interest groups charging that the real goal is to erase the Second Amendment (when nothing could be further from the truth), it leaves those who want thoughtful, reasoned change to experience the ultimate sense of futility.

    Still, we can and must do better than merely express righteous outrage when what used to be the unthinkable occurs–as it does more and more frequently. The Boulder gunman's rampage involving the use of an assault rifle-type weapon is merely another example of bloodshed that could have been prevented. This is our sad reality.

    Tragedy can always occur despite our best preparations. That's when we look to learn from our mistakes. But before we change our protocols, first we must ask ourselves if we did our best to respond? Did we marshal our resources the way we do annually for the flu or during the COVID pandemic? Did we use an ounce of prevention? Sadly, when it comes to gun violence, we know the answer and we should be ashamed as a society.

    As any experienced crisis manager will tell you, every traumatic incident is best managed by what you do before the event occurs. The most effective response is addressed in the planning and the approach. Whether it's something like a virus, an unexpected financial setback or something far more sinister, preparation is key.

    It is why we believe healthcare leaders must take a lead role in confronting the public health crisis of gun violence as we have with epidemics and pandemics. Who better to prepare for life and death issues plaguing our citizens than those who face those issues round the clock? Our EMS personnel transport the wounded, hospital emergency departments receive the victims, our nurses and physicians personally deal with the carnage. We work with government, police, first-responders, and public and private employers to build coalitions to address other public health crises. Why would gun violence be any different?

    Those who fear the divisive politics of this issue may be hesitant to weigh in. That is not healthcare's pedigree. When you face the likes of COVID-19, cancer, ALS, Alzheimer's, cardiac disease and other killers as part of your every day, you do not scare easily. When you've already stood against polio, made advances against stroke and other neurological diseases, conquered the death sentence of AIDS, made inroads against cancer—and other afflictions that rob us of our humanity—you understand the importance of developing a plan, sticking to it and working it until you see results.

    It's called determination, and it's what we promise to bring to the public health crisis of gun violence.

    More than a year ago, Northwell Health took the lead in reaching out to other health leaders, physicians, philanthropists, scientists, law enforcement and concerned citizens to advocate for gun violence prevention strategies and changes in our gun laws that would help prevent future carnage. We are committed to nonpartisan research to advance sound policy that ensures our constitutional freedoms, yet simultaneously seeks to preserve life against senseless attacks by studying the benefits and costs of a wide variety of initiatives.

    Our position is simple. We are pro-Second Amendment and anti-senseless killing. It is a position that not only represents the vast majority of Americans, it represents every single, right-thinking American because it ensures our freedoms and seeks to minimize the slaughter of innocent victims.

    As caregivers on the front lines of public health who are conquering the worst pandemic of our generation, we are obligated to ask the question of whether we have done enough to help prevent the latest tragedies in Boulder and Atlanta. Unfortunately, our collective answer is "no."

    The onus is on us, a multitrillion-dollar industry, to use our political capital and mobilize our employees to advocate for change.

    Letter
    to the
    Editor

    Send us a letter

    Have an opinion about this story? Click here to submit a Letter to the Editor, and we may publish it in print.

    Recommended for You
    disruption healthcare
    5 health system execs sound off on disruptors
    modern healthcare top innovators
    Nominations sought for top innovators awards
    Most Popular
    1
    More healthcare organizations at risk of credit default, Moody's says
    2
    Centene fills out senior executive team with new president, COO
    3
    SCAN, CareOregon plan to merge into the HealthRight Group
    4
    Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan unveils big push that lets physicians take on risk, reap rewards
    5
    Bright Health weighs reverse stock split as delisting looms
    Sponsored Content
    Get Newsletters

    Sign up for enewsletters and alerts to receive breaking news and in-depth coverage of healthcare events and trends, as they happen, right to your inbox.

    Subscribe Today
    MH Magazine Cover

    MH magazine offers content that sheds light on healthcare leaders’ complex choices and touch points—from strategy, governance, leadership development and finance to operations, clinical care, and marketing.

    Subscribe
    Connect with Us
    • LinkedIn
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • RSS

    Our Mission

    Modern Healthcare empowers industry leaders to succeed by providing unbiased reporting of the news, insights, analysis and data.

    Contact Us

    (877) 812-1581

    Email us

     

    Resources
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise with Us
    • Ad Choices Ad Choices
    • Sitemap
    Editorial Dept
    • Submission Guidelines
    • Code of Ethics
    • Awards
    • About Us
    Legal
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
    • Privacy Request
    Modern Healthcare
    Copyright © 1996-2023. Crain Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    • News
      • Current News
      • Providers
      • Insurance
      • Government
      • Finance
      • Technology
      • Safety & Quality
      • Digital Health
      • Transformation
        • Patients
        • Operations
        • Care Delivery
        • Payment
      • ESG
      • People
      • Regional News
        • Midwest
        • Northeast
        • South
        • West
      • Digital Edition (Web Version)
    • Opinion
      • Bold Moves
      • Breaking Bias
      • Commentaries
      • Letters
      • Vital Signs Blog
      • From the Editor
    • Events & Awards
      • Awards
        • Nominate/Eligibility
        • 100 Most Influential People
        • 50 Most Influential Clinical Executives
        • Best Places to Work in Healthcare
        • Excellence in Governance
        • Health Care Hall of Fame
        • Healthcare Marketing Impact Awards
        • Top 25 Emerging Leaders
        • Top Innovators
        • Diversity in Healthcare
          • - Luminaries
          • - Top 25 Diversity Leaders
          • - Leaders to Watch
        • Women in Healthcare
          • - Luminaries
          • - Top 25 Women Leaders
          • - Women to Watch
      • Conferences
        • Digital Health Transformation Summit
        • ESG: The Implementation Imperative Summit
        • Leadership Symposium
        • Social Determinants of Health Symposium
        • Women Leaders in Healthcare Conference
      • Galas
        • Best Places to Work Awards Gala
        • Health Care Hall of Fame Gala
        • Top 25 Diversity Leaders Gala
        • Top 25 Women Leaders Gala
      • Virtual Briefings
        • - Hospital of the Future
        • - Value Based Care
        • - Hospital at Home
        • - Workplace of the Future
        • - Digital Health
        • - Future of Staffing
        • - Hospital of the Future (Fall)
      • Webinars
    • Multimedia
      • Podcast - Beyond the Byline
      • Sponsored Podcast - Healthcare Insider
      • Video Series - The Check Up
      • Sponsored Video Series - One on One
    • Data Center
      • Data Center Home
      • Hospital Financials
      • Staffing & Compensation
      • Quality & Safety
      • Mergers & Acquisitions
      • Data Archive
      • Resource Guide: By the Numbers
      • Surveys
      • Data Points
    • Newsletters
    • MORE+
      • Contact Us
      • Advertise
      • Media Kit
      • Jobs
      • People on the Move
      • Reprints & Licensing