A new patient firearm safety screening tool developed by Northwell Health has been integrated into Epic's electronic health record to screen patients for firearm injury risk and collect data on firearm-injured patients.The tool was developed through Northwell Health's National Institutes of Health-funded research study "We Ask Everyone."It screens patients to determine their risk of firearm injury, provides gun locks for patients who are identified as being at risk, refers patients to hospital-based violence intervention program services and collects data for research on patients who have been injured by a firearm."When you are working on the frontlines, especially in the emergency department, the most effective interventions are those that integrate seamlessly into a clinician's workflow and allow you to connect with patients in real time," Dr. John D’Angelo, president and CEO of Northwell Health, said in a statement."Thanks to the dedicated work from Northwell's Center for Gun Violence Prevention and Epic, this digital tool will open the potential to identify patients at risk of gun violence and get them the support they need in the moment. This isn't just about collecting data – it's an example of how all health systems can collaborate to turn every patient encounter into a potential prevention moment. Northwell is proud to be helping lead this important work across the country."The tool was integrated into Epic's EHR system in May and is available to organizations that choose to adopt it.THE LARGER TRENDAccording to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), hospitals and medical centers are the primary places where people obtain treatment for firearm injuries.The organization added that screening tools and interventions used within the healthcare setting could help prevent future violence and suicide among individuals at risk.​Last year, Epic highlighted work done by Kaiser Permanente Washington, where the health system incorporated firearm access screening into its suicide prevention programs, encouraged open dialogue regarding firearm access and safety, and provided free gun locks.