April 2002 Bulletin

Developing an orthopaedic team response to family violence

Debra A. Zillmer, MD, chair of the AAOS Task Force on Family Violence, suggests the following model team approach to responding to family violence:

• Develop an office/clinic response plan, which includes cooperation between physicians, physician assistants, nurses, medical assistants, etc.
• Equip offices/clinics with literature from local family violence resources, camera, body maps, consent forms.
• Designate a member of the care team as a resource person available to spend time with the patient once identification has been made.
• Send office/clinic staff to training sessions on family violence.
• Familiarize yourself with local family violence resources and the national hotline number (1-800-799-SAFE).
• Know your state reporting requirements.
• Work with existing resources in the community and the local hospital emergency department.