Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/1169964
30 POPULATION HEALTH 30 CEO/STRATEGY In wake of shootings, medical associations speak out against gun violence By Emily Rappleye S everal healthcare groups spoke out against gun violence aer at least 31 people were killed in mass shootings in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio, Aug. 3-4. American Medical Association President Patrice Harris, MD, called on the American public and lawmakers to take action against gun violence. "e devastating gun violence tragedies in our nation … are heartbreaking to physicians across America," Dr. Harris said in a state- ment. "Common-sense steps, broadly sup- ported by the American public, must be ad- vanced by policymakers to prevent avoidable deaths and injuries caused by gun violence. We must also address the pathology of hatred that has too oen fueled these mass murders and casualties." e AMA has long been a proponent of gun safety, including more extensive background checks, gun buy-backs and funding to re- search gun violence. e association began to actively lobby Congress in 2016 to over- turn legislation that barred the CDC from researching gun violence, and it declared gun violence a public health crisis. In January 2019, the physician association deemed ille- gal gun sales a public health emergency. American Hospital Association Chairman Brian Gragnolati called on hospitals to use their "collective voice" against gun violence. "We must come together to support each other and stand up against violence in all its forms," he said in a statement. "We must continue to re- spect that diversity of all kinds is at the heart of our core values as a nation. Our patients, com- munities and our children are counting on us to build a future safe for all and free from fear." e AHA is working with its members through the Hospitals Against Violence Ini- tiative to spread best practices on violence prevention related to guns and other types of violence, like human trafficking. American College of Emergency Physi- cians President Vidor Friedman, MD, said the U.S. needs to treat firearm injuries as a public health epidemic. He called for more research funding and policy to create change. "Firearm injuries — accidental or otherwise — should be addressed as a public health ep- idemic, with investments in research and a sweeping commitment to change that match- es or exceeds the level of a number of diseas- es, outbreaks or disorders that capture the public conscience but have exacted far less of a human toll in recent years," Dr. Friedman said in a statement n Tenet appoints former US Army surgeon general to its board, announces 2 retirements By Anuja Vaidya D allas-based Tenet Healthcare selected Nadja West, MD, to serve on its board of directors, effective Oct. 8, and announced the re- tirements of two longtime directors. Dr. West is a lieutenant general in the U.S. Army and its 44th surgeon general. She is the former commanding general of the U.S. Army Medical Command. She will retire from the Army before taking on the board position. Previously, Dr. West was the joint staff surgeon at the Pentagon, where she was the chief medical advisor to the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff. She has received several military awards, including the Distinguished Service Medal, the Defense Superior Service Medal and the Legion of Merit with three Oak Leaf Clusters. Dr. West is trained in family medicine and dermatology. Additionally, two directors, Edward Kangas and Brenda Gaines, are retiring from the board, effective Nov. 7. "These retirements are part of the board's long-term refreshment efforts underway since 2017," said Ron Rittenmeyer, executive chairman and CEO of Tenet in a statement. "As a result of these changes, 70 percent of Tenet's directors will have joined the board within two years." n Trinity Health adds CXO, CIO to leadership team By Anuja Vaidya L ivonia, Mich.-based Trinity Health named two new members to its exec- utive leadership team. Cassandra Willis-Abner will serve as senior vice president of diversity and inclusion and chief experience officer for the organiza- tion. She has worked at Trinity Health since 2017, when she joined as vice president of diversity and inclusion. She previously worked at Ann Arbor-based Michigan Med- icine for nearly 20 years. She holds a mas- ter's degree in health services management and policy from Ann Arbor-based Universi- ty of Michigan. Marcus Shipley is Trinity Health's new senior vice president of innovation and CIO. He joined the health system in 2012, prior to which he was vice president of information technology, IT infrastructure and operations at Cigna. He has nearly three decades of IT experience and holds an MBA from the Uni- versity of Texas at San Antonio. n