Framework for Standardized Data Collection of Workplace Violence Incidents in Health Care

Workplace violence in health care settings continues to be a growing concern, posing significant impacts to the safety and well-being of health care workers, patients, and families. As part of ongoing efforts around health care workforce violence prevention, the IHI Leadership Alliance convened safety leaders and experts from across the health care industry to create a framework for standardized data collection of workforce violence incidents. The aim was to establish a comprehensive data standard to measure workplace violence events, enabling health care leaders to better understand the impact of their efforts and learn from one another across the industry.

This publication presents a recommended framework for standardized data collection of workplace violence incidents in health care, including critical data elements needed to effectively analyze incidents. The framework offers organizations a valuable tool to enhance their ability to predict, prevent, and analyze workforce violence incidents within their own health care settings. Additionally, the use of a more standardized workforce violence data collection structure across the health care industry will enable organizations to collaborate more effectively and facilitate data-driven approaches to keeping the workforce safe from harm. 

These initial recommendations, informed by expert panel and industry partner input, lay the foundation for future efforts to test, refine, and expand the framework for broader industry implementation.

How to Cite This Document: Boord J, Weckman A, Martinez N. Framework for Standardized Data Collection of Workplace Violence Incidents in Health Care. Boston: Institute for Healthcare Improvement; 2025. (Available at ihi.org)