On April 16, 1994, Group Health Cooperative members debate a resolution recognizing violence as a public health issue, and the majority vote to pursue an aggressive campaign to combat violence. The passage of this resolution results in a policy of banning weapons at all Group Health facilities.
During the course of the debate, Dr. Tommy Thompson, director of preventive care research, stated that "violence has a clear and measurable impact on the physical and mental health of all our citizens [and] on our clinics, our hospital emergency rooms, and all our healthcare facilities" (Crowley, 227). Some objected that Group Health was veering off on a political tangent, as in the old days, but most agreed that violence was a serious health issue.
