A new report says violent assaults in hospitals are too common and possibly underreported.
The suburban Chicago-based Joint Commission is urging hospitals to take action in an alert released Thursday.
The group's database shows increasing reports of assault, rape and murder in the nation's health care facilities.
The most reports occurred during the past three years. There were 36 reports of violence in 2007, 41 in 2008 and 33 last year.
Copyright 2010 Associated Press.
