title: How to overcome violence against Healthcare professionals, reduce medical disputes and ensure patient safety.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In recent years there have been many cases of violence against healthcare professionals (HCPs) in China leading to the death of some doctors as well as nurses by patient's relatives. Our objective was to identify the causative factors for these violent acts and address these isssues which is vital to ensure patient safety.
  
  
  METHODS
  A multidisciplinary research task force was formed to do a root cause analysis of the violent acts against the healthcare professionals. A flowchart was developed to identify the steps in the process and discover the potential links.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There are complex reasons behind the violence against HCPs. However, the main reasons were found to be poor quality of medical services and increased awareness of patients' rights and their willingness to knock at the doors of courts to seek justice. The feasible counter measures includes stimulating hospital directors to improve patient safety, aligning incentives with quality of service provided in healthcare facilities, monitoring educational quality of HCPs, making necessary changes in medical education programmes besides setting up a reasonable academic promotion mechanism for health professionals based on merit and competence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Poor quality of medical services, increased awareness among patients about their rights has resulted in increase in medical disputes and at times violence against healthcare professionals. A number of effective measures can be undertaken by the government, hospitals, and medical schools ensuring patient safety. However, it is essential to sensitize the hospital directors to elevate their quality of medical services.
authors: Hongxing Yu, School of Medicine and Health Management, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Tongji Medical College, No. 13, Road Hangkong, Wuhan, China. Department of Science and Education, Affiliated Dongfeng Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China.
authors: Hongxing
authors: H
authors: Yu
authors: Zhenglu Hu, School of Public Health, Sun Yat Sen University, Guangzhou, China.
authors: Zhenglu
authors: Z
authors: Hu
authors: Xifan Zhang, National Health and Family Planning Commission of the People's Republic of China, Department of Primary Health, Beijing, China.
authors: Xifan
authors: X
authors: Zhang
authors: Bin Li, School of Management, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, China.
authors: Bin
authors: B
authors: Li
authors: Shangcheng Zhou, School of Management, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China.
authors: Shangcheng
authors: S
authors: Zhou
keywords: Medical care research; Medical insurance; Quality improvement; Quality of health care; Violence