Physician-led workplace violence prevention and response – Jason Stopyra, MD, MS

Many conversations about workplace violence (WPV) in healthcare center around nurses. This makes sense because nurses are subject to high rates of WPV. But violence isn’t only a nursing issue, it’s a system issue. When a WPV event involves a patient, nurses often rely on physician orders that enable them to adjust care in ways that can reduce agitation. Physicians can also be good partners in de-escalating situations. That’s one of the reasons Advocate Health elevated Jason Stopyra, MD, MS, to lead public safety across the health system. 

In this episode of Caring Greatly, Liz Boehm and Jason talk about what led him to take on this role, and how his experiences as an emergency medical technician (EMT) and an emergency physician shaped his perspective. Jason shares what changes when a physician leads public safety and how it can shift the culture around WPV prevention and response. He also talks about how he centers WPV efforts around his love of people, his deep understanding of clinical perspectives and workflows, and various patient conditions and challenges.

Following a WPV event in 2022, Jason was asked to lead WPV mitigation efforts at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist and has since become a nationally recognized expert in this emerging field. In May 2024, he was appointed Vice President of Public Safety at Advocate Health, where he oversees security operations across more than 70 acute care sites and 1,000 ambulatory locations, leading a team of more than 1,500 officers. He directs the enterprise WPV mitigation strategy and is responsible for public safety training, investigations, physical security technology and Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management (BTAM). His combined clinical expertise and dedication to public safety continue to advance violence prevention and response across the organization.

Additionally, Jason is an Associate Professor in the Departments of Emergency Medicine and Implementation Science at Wake Forest School of Medicine. Jason began his career in 2003 practicing emergency medicine in a rural community hospital, where he also served as EMS Medical Director. He joined Wake Forest University in 2013, focusing his research on prehospital cardiovascular disparities through mixed methods and implementation science. He was recognized as North Carolina Doctor of the Year in 2016.

Dr. Jason Stopyra is a leader who cares greatly.

Related links:

• Implementation of "STAMP" at Triage to Prevent Workplace Violence in the Emergency Department: A Quality Improvement Project
• The Alarming Surge of Community Violence and Its Healthcare Implications with Dr. Jason Stopyra
• In Their Own Words: Jason Stopyra, MD