STOCKBRIDGE — Verbal and physical abuse of health care workers at Piedmont Henry has the hospital’s CEO asking the community for a little more kindness, grace, patience and compassion.
“Our doctors and nurses are both physically and emotionally exhausted,” CEO Dr. Lily Henson said. “This virus isn’t novel anymore, and everyone is tired.”
Early on, in March 2020, health care workers were lauded for their dedication and willingness to put their own health on the line to save the lives of others. They were celebrated with parades, cards, food and thank yous from the community.
Over the summer, as the fourth wave of COVID-19 spread across the country due to the Delta variant, Henson said patients were coming into Piedmont Henry terrified of dying, but at the same time demanding treatments that were not scientifically or medically sound. She said when they were refused such treatment, patients and their families bullied, verbally abused and in some cases physically attacked doctors and nurses.
Henson said she herself received nasty messages and threats, adding the hospital has had to increase its security because of the abusive behavior.
“It’s incredibly insulting to have people believe what they read on social media rather than listen to a doctor who has sacrificed greatly and spent years in school to become a physician,” Henson said. “They go into medicine to help people, and it’s hard to see patients die because of misguided beliefs. Please recognize and be respectful of a doctor’s knowledge, expertise and experience.”
Henson said seeing the levels of patients dying daily has also taken its toll.
“My team is in the trenches every day, they’re seeing the sadness, the struggles and the death,” she said. “It’s emotionally taxing to see patients that you’ve come to know die. They’re hurting and traumatized, but they’re here every day to take care of the community.”
Ultimately, Henson is asking patients and families to look at their individual responsibility and consider how they’re contributing to the chaos and making it difficult to provide care when they challenge and abuse health care providers.
“It means something when you’ve committed yourself to medicine, and our goal is always to provide the best possible care,” Henson said. “It’s important for the public to recognize what we’ve been through, and we’re doing the best we can.”
