By Elaina Myers, Assistant Editor

A mysterious package was found at the Froedtert Hospital skywalk early last week, prompting a police investigation, FOX6 News reports. The hospital campus remained open, and all personnel were directed to enter through the specialty clinics entrance. It was determined that the package contained no threat.  

Although this specific incident was a false alarm, frightening circumstances like this are becoming more common at healthcare facilities. According to an American Hospital Association (AHA) report, workplace violence, abuse and threatening behavior have become a serious public health issue within the U.S. health system. Instances of violence have significantly increased over the last decade, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.  

This increase in violence has substantial financial and public image impacts on hospitals. The same report found that in 2023 the cost of violence to hospitals is estimated at around $18.7 billion and preventative costs are estimated at around $3.62 billion. Additionally, the negative attention put on health care facilities affects public perception, making it harder to secure patient retention and staff recruitment. 

Related Content: Addressing Workplace Violence in Healthcare with Reporting Systems

These unfortunate statistics have prompted bipartisan legislation to treat violence against healthcare facilities and workers as federal crimes. According to the AHA, the SAVE Healthcare Workers Act introduced to the House and Senate in May of 2025, is legislation that will make it a crime to assault healthcare workers. 

The hope is that this new legislation will not only keep healthcare workers safe but also reduce work-related stress and job dissatisfaction. According to the HIPPA Journal, the proposed SAVE Healthcare Workers Act will give healthcare workers similar protection to that of airline workers. This means that all perpetrators could face federal prison sentences of up to 10 years and for more serious attacks, meaning those involving a deadly weapon or inflicting bodily harm, jail time of up to 20 years.  

The SAVE Healthcare Workers Act is still pending in Congress. Past attempts to introduce similar legislation, such as the Safety from Violence for Healthcare Employees Act introduced in 2023, have not been successful. 

Since legislation like this is difficult to pass through Congress, states are taking matters into their own hands. According to AXIOS, Utah has enacted legislation that will require all healthcare facilities to establish comprehensive systems for recording and analyzing these violent incidents. All data collection must then be submitted to the state health department.  

Keeping healthcare workers safe is no longer optional - it is essential to ensuring that healthcare facilities continue running smoothly.  

Elaina Myers is the assistant editor of the facilities market.