Dr. Ashley Williams-Hogue, a trauma surgeon at USA Health University Hospital in Mobile, Alabama, expressed her gratitude for the U.S. Surgeon General’s declaration of gun violence as a public health crisis. In her work, she has seen firsthand how gun violence can devastate lives and treat thousands of patients who have been victims of gunshot wounds annually.
Dr. Williams-Hogue views gun violence as a disease within the healthcare field and estimates that roughly one-quarter of her patients are victims of gunshot wounds. Shockingly, these patients have a 40% chance of returning to the hospital with another gunshot wound, with 20% of those ultimately proving fatal.
Her advocacy on behalf of gun violence victims led her to visit the White House on June 6th for a meeting with 80 other medical professionals as part of the White House’s Office of Gun Violence Prevention. This experience motivated her to brainstorm solutions and consider what role trauma professionals could play in combating gun violence.
In order to make a difference, Dr. Williams-Hogue stresses the importance of community involvement. While national efforts are important, she believes that local communities like Mobile, Alabama, can also take meaningful action to address the epidemic of gun violence by engaging in community programs and working closely with law enforcement agencies to promote safe communities and reduce crime rates
