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I heard some time ago that they will be required to ask that question when Obamacare goes into force. Some doctors have even said that this is the reason they are going to retire at that time. Mine won't since she is only about 40 and still has children to support. She won't get any other answer from me other than "It is none of your and Barack's business".
Is your doctor a psychiatrist cause I don't know why any other doctor would ask you if you had guns. Heck, I bet most people can just look at you and tell you are a gun owner without needing to ask.
The only time it is relevant for any type of health care professional to inquire about guns in a patient's home is if the patient has specifically expressed suicidal thoughts or ideologies, or if they have stated that they intend on harming someone. In this situation, not only would guns be explored, but all weapons would be asked about.
The only time it is relevant for any type of health care professional to inquire about guns in a patient's home is if the patient has specifically expressed suicidal thoughts or ideologies, or if they have stated that they intend on harming someone. In this situation, not only would guns be explored, but all weapons would be asked about.
It would be relevant if there are children in a home for a pediatrician to make sure parents are securing their guns safely, given the hundreds of accidental firearm injury and deaths of children each year.
The only time it is relevant for any type of health care professional to inquire about guns in a patient's home is if the patient has specifically expressed suicidal thoughts or ideologies, or if they have stated that they intend on harming someone. In this situation, not only would guns be explored, but all weapons would be asked about.
It would be relevant if there are children in a home for a pediatrician to make sure parents are securing their guns safely, given the hundreds of accidental firearm injury and deaths of children each year. Also if there is a high incidence of drugs and alcohol abuse in the home, since guns and alcohol are a bad combination. And if there are signs of domestic violence or risk of suicide.
So yes, there are many reasons a doctor might ask about guns in the home out of concern for the health and well-being of a patient and their family.
What is this thread, a red herring? The issue has been decided in federal court.
An NRA-backed law in FL said that doctors were barred from asking patients if they owned funds. Yes, the self-same group which gets up on its hind legs and whines about 2nd amendment constitutional rights saw fit to have its minions pass a law contravening the First Amendment. Doctors sued and the federal courts told FL to cut it out.
Quote:
In a victory for Florida pediatricians and family physicians, a federal judge has blocked a state law that restricted physicians from asking patients if they have guns at home, calling the measure unconstitutional.
Florida Gov. Rick Scott on June 1 approved the National Rifle Assn.-backed law. Under the legislation, physicians who asked patients about gun ownership without justification, entered unnecessary information about such ownership in medical records or discriminated against gun-owning patients faced possible sanctions by the state medical board.
The NRA and others said asking patients about guns in the home was a violation of privacy.
"Should doctor's have the right when I go for a check up to ask me if I've got any guns in my house no I don't think that's none of their business," said Tenpenny.
First and most obviously, a doctor has the RIGHT to ask you any damned question that he likes, just as you have a right not to answer it.
Is it ethical and medically wise for a doctor to ask if you own a gun, in some cases it is critical. If you suffer from PTSD or even minor depression the drugs that are prescribe to treat those issues can in fact cause deeper depression and excite thoughts of suicide. A doctor prescribe those drugs might advice that you remove the guns from your home for a period of time or look for alternative treatments.
What is this thread, a red herring? The issue has been decided in federal court.
An NRA-backed law in FL said that doctors were barred from asking patients if they owned funds. Yes, the self-same group which gets up on its hind legs and whines about 2nd amendment constitutional rights saw fit to have its minions pass a law contravening the First Amendment. Doctors sued and the federal courts told FL to cut it out.
Occasionally when we visit the pediatrician we fill out a form on our daughter's current condition. Early on, I noticed a question on guns in the house that I left blank. The doctor noted that I had apparently forgotten to answer that one. I said "It's no concern of yours." She said it was recommended that thy ask this of parents, to which I replied, "Then let me clarify my response: It's NONE OF YOUR DAMN BUSINESS!"
She got the message and has not mentioned since when I leave that blank.
So are doctors going to become de facto agents for the government now in gathering what should remain private information? What would the response be if I facetiously said "Hell yeah! I've got a 6 year old and keep loaded guns in every corner and under every pillow in the house! I've got 25,000 rounds of ammo in her room, a dozen AR-15s which she dresses up like Barbies, and my kid plays with hi-cap mags like others play with Legos! I feed her black powder with her oatmeal!"
First and most obviously, a doctor has the RIGHT to ask you any damned question that he likes, just as you have a right not to answer it.
Is it ethical and medically wise for a doctor to ask if you own a gun, in some cases it is critical. If you suffer from PTSD or even minor depression the drugs that are prescribe to treat those issues can in fact cause deeper depression and excite thoughts of suicide. A doctor prescribe those drugs might advice that you remove the guns from your home for a period of time or look for alternative treatments.
And I'll bet very few doctors do ask patients about guns when they prescribe anti-depressants, despite the fact that as you note most anti-depressants list increased risk of suicide as a possible side-effect. Otherwise there wouldn't be something like 18,000 suicides from firearms every year. A LOT of those individuals had to have been on anti-depressants.
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