[Legal Viewpoints on Violence in the Emergency Department]

Medical violence is on an upward trend. The aim of this article is to investigate the role of Taiwan's national legislature under the Medical Act with regard to preventing and managing violence. Because legal protection is limited, we recommend that all healthcare institutes and their staffs continually pay attention to the strategies of violence prevention and keep an eye on high-risk groups and the appearance of pre-event aura. When a violence event occurs, involved persons should resolutely activate the rapid response team and report the event to the healthcare and prosecuting authorities immediately. Furthermore, institutes should provide all necessary resources such as psychological support and legal assistance in order to minimize harm to staffs.