Workplace　violence　against　healthcare　workers　has　been　a　major　social　problem　in　many　countries.　A　misunderstanding　between　patients　and　physicians　is　the　primary　cause　of　violence　.　The　recent　rise　of　social　media　offered　a　new　communication　channel　between　the　government　and　the　public.　This　study　aims　to　explore　and　examine　the　use　of　social　media　to　improve　public　perception　about　the　medical　workplace　violence　by　considering　a　recently　issued　policy　in　China.　We　collected　12,250　posts　before,　during　and　after　the　implementation　of　the　policy　from　Weibo,　which　is　similar　to　Twitter.　Sentiment　classification　and　topic　clustering　methods　were　used　to　analyze　the　data.　One-way　ANOVA　was　applied　to　assess　the　changes　of　public　sentiments　over　time.　Results　showed　that　the　proportion　of　posts　with　negative　sentiment　statistically　significantly　decreased　after　the　release　of　the　policy,　indicating　the　effectiveness　of　social　media　in　improving　public　perception　about　the　medical　workplace　violence,　to　a　large　extent.　Topic　clustering　results　regarding　the　policy　showed　that　most　people　supported　the　policy.　However,　some　believe　that　punishment　measures　contained　in　the　policy　need　to　be　strengthened　and　that　more　attention　should　be　paid　to　the　hospitals　and　medical　staffs,　as　well　as　how　to　effectively　protect　the　interests　of　patients.　Based　on　these　findings,　we　suggested　government　to　effectively　and　scientifically　use　social　media　to　address　medical　workplace　violence　from　the　perspective　of　the　public　and　further　consider　its　causes　in　terms　of　both　patients　and　medical　staffs,　and　building　an　expert　witness　system　seems　to　be　helpful.　Measures　for　guaranteeing　the　safety　of　medical　staffs　should　be　built　by　comprehensively　evaluating　the　potential　risk.　These　results　can　help　governments　increase　the　engagement　of　their　citizens.