Lawrence Technological University opens Healthcare Violence Reduction Center

Lawrence Technological University is opening its new Healthcare Violence Reduction Center thanks to a partnership with the MHA Keystone Center and a grant from the Community Foundation for Southeastern Michigan. The purpose of the Healthcare Violence Reduction Center is to make healthcare workers safer in their workplaces by conducting research and developing new technologies to increase safety measures in hospitals and other healthcare settings.

According to an article on Lawrence Technological University’s website, Stacey Frankovich, the founding director of the Healthcare Violence Reduction Center, shared the reason a center like this one is necessary. Frankovich is quoted as saying, “Every day, dedicated healthcare providers face violence while performing their essential duties. The center’s goal is to reduce healthcare workplace violence by providing research-driven solutions that allow health professionals to focus on patient care without fear. By collaborating with industry partners and leveraging LTU’s cutting-edge research and innovative technologies, we can create safer healthcare environments." 

The Michigan Health & Hospital Association (MHA) Keystone Center Workplace Safety Collaborative began collecting data about healthcare workplace violence in 2017, and reports that the rate of workplace violence in Michigan hospitals is currently at an all-time high. The MHA Keystone Center is partnering with Lawrence Technological University on the Healthcare Violence Reduction Center and has provided a portion of the funding to get it started.

Sarah Scranton, the executive director of the MHA Keystone Center, said, “Protecting our healthcare workers is a top priority for hospitals. Our support for this center contributes to public policy solutions and increased security measures being implemented by lawmakers and hospitals to reduce rates of violence.”

Members of the Healthcare Violence Reduction Center will propose research topics that involve making workplaces safer, and the faculty of LTU who are involved in the center will use their varied expertise and knowledge to investigate the topics. The College of Health Sciences will be the official home of the Healthcare Violence Reduction Center, but faculty members from several disciplines will be involved.

Eric Meyer, who is an associate professor of biomedical engineering and the director of the Biomechanics Laboratory, will be one of the faculty members involved in the center, as well as Brittany Murphy, who is an assistant professor in the Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies program.

Murphy shared her personal experience that has motivated her to get involved with the center. She said, “The healthcare field has seen a drastic increase in violence. As a physician assistant with 11 years of experience, I have unfortunately witnessed healthcare violence firsthand in the workplace. I am grateful for the opportunity to create a safer work environment and support my colleagues in healthcare. The center will collaborate with healthcare organizations to identify the most critical areas of safety weakness for healthcare providers. It will conduct research and develop innovative technologies to create safer work environments for healthcare providers.”

In addition to the partnership with the MHA Keystone Center, the Community Foundation for Southeastern Michigan has provided a $70,000, two-year grant to help fund the Healthcare Violence Reduction Center.

Tarek Sobh, the president of Lawrence Technological University, said, “Establishing this center represents yet another step in increasing the breadth and depth of LTU’s programs in healthcare. Our faculty experts will be working in partnership with healthcare providers, doing everything we can to make healthcare settings safer for both patients and staff.”

For more information about Lawrence Technological University, visit the school’s website.