In addition to its human toll, violence cost the nation’s hospitals and health systems about $2.7 billion last year, according to a report released by the American Hospital Association.

The total includes:

• $280 million related to preparedness and prevention to address community violence
• $852 million in unreimbursed medical care for victims of violence
• $1.1 billion in security and training costs to prevent violence within hospitals, and
• $429 million in medical care, staffing, indemnity and other costs as a result of violence against hospital employees.

The report Cost of Community Violence to Hospitals and Health Systems, prepared by Milliman, was released last week during AHA’s annual Leadership Summit. The report explores the many demands hospitals and health systems face in responding to violence in their communities, from medical care, to community-based prevention efforts, to security to keep patients and staff safe.

The report examines both community-based violence as well as in-facility violence that can erupt in a highly charged, emotional environment. It breaks down the added expenses that violence brings to hospitals and health systems, including costs associated with training, security staff and infrastructure, staff turnover and absenteeism and behavioral health needs.

“Keeping people healthy is at the heart of health care, and violence runs counter to that,” said AHA President and CEO Rick Pollack. “It's our hope that quantifying the resources hospitals and health systems commit illustrates the enormity of this issue as a public health problem while giving hospitals the chance to highlight their efforts to keep their communities and workplaces safer.”