According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, healthcare workers are five times more likely to experience violence at work than any other industry. Combined with the growing complexity of medical emergencies and natural disaster preparedness requirements, healthcare practices face unprecedented challenges in protecting both patients and staff during crisis situations.

Despite these sobering statistics, many medical practices remain inadequately prepared for emergency scenarios. The consequences can be devastating—not only in terms of patient safety but also regarding potential legal liability and practice reputation.

“Medical emergencies are what many healthcare providers think about first,” said Barbara Hunyady, Midwest Regional Manager Risk Management at ProAssurance, “but that is only one category of emergency that can threaten patients and employees.”

Understanding The Three Types of Medical Practice Emergencies

Barbara Hunyady, Midwest Regional Manager Risk Management, ProAssurance

Healthcare practices must prepare for three distinct categories of emergency situations, each requiring specific protocols and training approaches.

Medical emergencies represent the most commonly anticipated scenario. These situations often involve patients experiencing adverse reactions to medications or individuals who arrive at clinics while being significantly sicker than they initially appear.

“Patients often think, I’m not that sick or I don’t want to go to the hospital, believing they’ll be fine at the clinic,” Hunyady said. “However, they might not realize that after being checked in and seated in the waiting room, they should have been seen by someone emergently.”

The challenge extends beyond the difficulty of managing a patient who comes into the office with an emergency medical condition. It also includes equipment readiness and staff capability to identify medical emergencies. Hunyady recalled a case involving a patient who was intubated in a family practice office in response to an anaphylactic reaction.

“The physician at the office hadn’t performed an intubation in a long time. This would be expected because intubations were not a part of their daily practice,” she said. “The injury related to the intubation gave rise to a lawsuit. Thankfully, the practice had the equipment necessary to perform the intubation. Unfortunately, the physician was not prepared to successfully utilize it.”

Workplace violence represents the second critical emergency category. The statistics are alarming, but many healthcare professionals resist acknowledging the risk. “Some medical professionals push back against training and preparedness efforts,” Hunyady said.

“They often have a this won’t happen to us mentality. They believe they know their patient population well and consider violent incidents very unlikely.”

However, workplace violence in healthcare stems from multiple sources. “With acts of violence, it’s not always just upset patients,” Hunyady explained. “It could also be a family or relationship disagreement between patients or between parents of a patient. Employees having some sort of a personal issue can also draw violence into the office.”

Natural disasters, which comprise the third emergency category, are often overlooked due to geographic assumptions. “Sometimes I think about that term natural disaster and think, well, I don’t live in a hurricane area, so I don’t need to worry about that,” Hunyady said. “But a tornado, earthquake, or flood could definitely be a disaster. What is the plan for that? How do you keep your staff and patients safe?”

The Critical Role of Training and Preparedness

Effective emergency preparedness requires comprehensive training that addresses multiple scenarios and involves all staff members. “One of the biggest shortfalls we find with many of our groups is the training component,” Hunyady said. “It’s crucial to ensure that all staff members are trained and understand their roles during any type of emergency.”

Training must extend beyond clinical staff to include front desk personnel who often serve as the first point of patient contact. “Consider who’s at the front desk when patients first arrive. Is that person able to recognize red flags indicating a patient might be sicker than they appear?” Hunyady asked. “Some patients downplay their symptoms or are in denial about the severity of their condition.”

Practical preparedness measures include maintaining updated emergency contact lists, ensuring equipment functionality, and conducting regular training. “We even recommend conducting mock drills or, at a minimum, having conversations about emergency scenarios,” Hunyady said.

For violence prevention, deescalation training has become increasingly valuable. “There are a number of options for training in de-escalation techniques, which is critical,” Hunyady said. “It’s valuable to provide training for your staff to identify red flags and understand how to communicate effectively with distressed patients.”

Establishing code words and communication protocols helps staff manage dangerous situations without escalating them further. “Several training programs recommend establishing code words with colleagues for when help needs to be called or when police intervention is necessary,” she explained.

Training frequency should be tailored to specific practice needs. “Typically, an annual training is what’s recommended, although the frequency and type of training depends on the practice,” Hunyady said. “It always depends on what types of emergencies you’re likely to encounter, what type of patient population you’re seeing, and how long you have to wait for emergency services to arrive at your location.”

Overcoming Training Resistance and Building Preparedness

Despite the clear benefits of emergency preparedness training, many healthcare practices resist implementing programs. ProAssurance addresses this challenge through education, consultation, and practical support services.

“A surprisingly low percentage of our clients ask about emergency preparedness,” Hunyady admitted. This resistance often stems from busy schedules and competing priorities rather than a lack of concern for patient safety.

ProAssurance helps practices overcome these barriers through targeted consultations and evaluations. When practices experience concerning incidents, the company provides immediate support and guidance. “For example, a medical practice called our helpline seeking advice after an incident,” Hunyady said. “My colleague who spoke with them went through specific questions with that group and uncovered the fact that they had an AED in the office, but the office manager wasn’t sure who in the office was trained on it, if anybody at all.”

Helpline calls and other consultations can lead to assessments that can identify critical gaps in emergency preparedness. “Our risk manager conducted an evaluation of their emergency preparedness for a medical emergency,” she explained. “That AED issue came up as a real shortfall. It got them thinking about several other aspects of their emergency preparedness and they developed a plan for improvement. “

Even minimal training efforts can yield significant benefits. “What we definitely see in any sort of emergency preparedness—whether it’s medical, natural disaster, or violence—is a little bit of training goes a long way,” Hunyady said.

Healthcare professionals face multiple demands on their time and attention. “Our physicians are busy people, and they have lots of education requirements to keep up on,” Hunyady acknowledged. “However, the benefits of proactive training far outweigh the potential consequences of inadequate preparation – including patient harm, legal liability, and practice disruption.”

The stakes continue to rise as healthcare practices face increasing risks across all emergency categories. “Unfortunately, physicians and nurses have lost their lives at work due to patient violence,” Hunyady said.

Looking ahead, healthcare practices that invest in emergency preparedness will be better positioned to protect patients, staff, and their overall operations. The combination of proper training, equipment maintenance, and clear protocols can make the difference between a manageable crisis and a devastating outcome.

To learn more, visit: riskmanagement.proassurance.com.

This article was produced by the R&I Brand Studio, a unit of the advertising department of Risk & Insurance, in collaboration with ProAssurance. The editorial staff of Risk & Insurance had no role in its preparation.