Hospital ERs to screen patients for signs of trafficking

A hospital chain with several hospitals in Arizona says is taking steps to counter human trafficking.

Dignity Health says it has trained staff at three hospitals in the Phoenix area to look for indicators of possible human and that it has implemented mandatory screening in emergency rooms and obstetrics departments.

San Francisco-based Dignity says the training has been conducted at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center in Phoenix, Chandler Regional Medical Center and Mercy Gilbert Medical Center.

According to Dignity, so-called “red flags” of trafficking include homelessness, discrepancies between reported and apparent ages, lack of identification and a dominating or controlling companion who refuses to leave the patient alone.

Dignity says trafficking victims who are identified will be referred to community agencies for support and assistance.