Healthcare settings need assistance to mitigate violence and other letters

Regarding “Health system consolidation may be holding down healthcare employee wages,” we are concerned about the article presenting the findings of a study on consolidation as established fact given that it is identified as a working paper and has yet to go through a rigorous peer-review process.

Among the many serious concerns about the study are its lack of rigor in the definitions and assumptions it used, and absence of data on total compensation and the recognition of other obvious factors that could affect wage growth. All these factors may result in overstated or skewed results. For instance, the results are based on only 21 geographic areas out of almost 400 included in the study to make a link between wages and mergers, so its sample is largely not even statistically significant much less generalizable.

The study’s focus on wages as the sole measure of employee welfare, rather than total compensation is a material omission. Many hospital and health systems employers offer additional benefits, such as employer-sponsored insurance, time off, and education benefits to attract high quality employees. 

The study also ignores other factors that could have affected wage growth, such as the cost of health insurance premiums, which increased significantly faster than workers’ earnings over the same period.

Melinda Hatton
General counsel
American Hospital Association

Regarding “Sen. Blunt pushes OSHA, CMS for plan to deal with hospital workplace violence,” Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) promised an American Hospital Association audience that he will keep pressing the federal government to help hospitals manage violent patients who threaten their employees and others. The senator should expand his acknowledgment for this issue to behavioral health facilities plus other peripherals (EMS, police, etc.) as it is rampant there as well.

Depending on the population and diagnoses, the direct-care staff are subject to assault—whether patients are with or without restraints. Behavioral health staff are taught verbal/nonverbal de-escalation skills and intervention techniques such as Handle with Care or other crisis-intervention training; however, there is great concern for the assault exposures faced. It takes a special person to work in behavioral health fields as well med-surg hospitals.

I totally agree with the sentiment that it’s tough enough to keep good staff in healthcare settings. It’s even tougher when staffers don’t feel safe in their environment.

John Cox
Clearwater, Fla.

Regarding last month’s Breaking Bias column “Women in leadership are part of Scripps Health’s heritage,” thank you for highlighting the great work being done in gender diversity.

It’s hard to understand why every organization hasn’t taken similar steps given the fact that women are typically the decisionmakers for their family’s healthcare and are by far the majority of the healthcare workforce. In addition, numerous studies have shown the tangible value women (on boards and in senior executive positions) bring to an organization’s overall performance.

In an industry in need of a fresh and more effective approach, a lot of female talent is clearly left sitting on the sidelines. The opportunity costs are staggering. 

I believe transparency around this issue would help accelerate needed changes in the industry. Positive stories about enlightened organizations are a great first step. Thanks for keeping the conversation top of mind with healthcare leaders.

Phyllis Freyer
President
Freyer Consulting
Reno, Nev.