Fortunately, there are others who would say the same about my primary care office. I appreciate what they do, and usually they appreciate what I do. They send undoctored patients to me, so I can keep the patient the hell out of the emergency room, which is fine with them.

Viva la difference.

I for one am all in favor of any legislation allowing enhanced penalties for violence in ER’s.

My intern year in an inner-city hospital. Maybe I was lucky. There were city police on site. I never could figure it out. I swear, a patient got out of line, the cops came out of the woodwork. Overwhelming force. Shock and awe. I saw no cops, two seconds later it’s nothing but blue uniforms.

I say zero tolerance for violence in ER’s.

I doubt our hospital security guards are armed, either.

But the bad guys ignore the rules. When the shooting starts, they’re the only ones with effective weapons.

Remember: When seconds count, the police are only minutes away.

There is no reason staff should be abused or, heaven forbid, injured trying to do their jobs.