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Two-thirds of Americans okay with docs talking guns
guns.com ^ | July 31, 2016 | Jacki Billings

Posted on 08/01/2016 9:02:22 AM PDT by PROCON

Two-thirds of Americans are okay with doctors discussing guns, according to a new survey published by The Annals of Internal Medicine.

The online survey asked Americans whether it’s appropriate for healthcare professionals to talk to their patients about guns. Sixty-six percent of the over 3,900 respondents indicated that it’s at least sometimes appropriate for docs to talk guns. In contrast, 34 percent indicated the topic of guns should never be broached with patients.

As part of the survey, participants were asked to indicate whether they were gun owners. Of those that admitted to having guns in the home, half stated firearm discussions with doctors were okay.

The Joyce Foundation, an organization that loudly speaks out against gun violence and in favor of more gun laws, funded the survey.

Doctors and 2A supporters have repeatedly clashed over this topic, most notably in Wollschlaeger v. Governor of the State of Florida. Commonly known as “Docs vs Glocks,” a Florida lawsuit spawned the 2011 Firearm Owners’ Privacy Act. The act prevented health care workers from discussing gun ownership or safety practices with patients.

After the passing of FOPA, there doctors banded together to sue the state of Florida. The doctors were joined by the Florida Pediatric Society, Florida Academy of Family Physicians, the Brady Campaign and the American Civil Liberties Union who aimed to overturn the act.

Dr. Louis St. Petery, one of the doctors opposed to FOPA, insisted that healthcare providers should be able to ask basic questions about gun ownership especially when children are present in the home.

“What we are after is to protect that kid and be sure that the kid doesn’t get killed or injured inappropriately because the firearm that is in the home is not properly stored,” St. Petery said in an interview with the Orlando Weekly.

The doctors’ case has been heard three times by the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of appeals who, until recently, has ruled against it. In a surprising about-face, the appellate court agreed to rehear the case in front of a full court.

Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi’s office, which represents the state in the case, condemned the appeal, saying the docs have no legal legs on which to stand.

“The act represents the most modest of all professional regulations — a requirement that doctors stick to practicing medicine — and it accomplishes its compelling goals without interfering with doctors’ professional judgment or otherwise burdening more speech than necessary,” Bondi said a brief.


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; Health/Medicine
KEYWORDS: 2ndamendment; banglist; doctors; gungrabbers; obamacare; secondamendment
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To: PROCON
Doc: "Do you own any guns"?

Me: "What is the name and number of your malpractice insurance company? Do they know that you are committing a boundary violation? Please stay on topic concerning only medical issues, or you and I will meet next in an arbitration meeting".

I would be willing to bet you'll NEVER get that question again.

21 posted on 08/01/2016 9:25:03 AM PDT by DCBryan1 (No realli, moose bytes can be quite nasti!)
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To: showme_the_Glory

My family feels safer, because I know how to read.

How does your family feel?


22 posted on 08/01/2016 9:29:06 AM PDT by chris37 (heartless)
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To: PROCON

None of my doctors have even breached the topic with me. I’ve been going to them for years, and would be surprised if they’d ever try. But if one ever did, I’d tell them it was none of their damn business.


23 posted on 08/01/2016 9:29:43 AM PDT by mass55th (Courage is being scared to death - but saddling up anyway...John Wayne)
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To: PROCON

Discussing guns with my doc would be nice; he can afford a wider variety of firearms than I and would be a good source of information to help me decide which to seek or avoid.


24 posted on 08/01/2016 9:30:56 AM PDT by JimRed (Is it 1776 yet? TERM LIMITS, now and forever! Build the Wall, NOW!)
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To: PROCON

Doc, I need a prescription for.308.


25 posted on 08/01/2016 9:34:58 AM PDT by Red in Blue PA (war is peace, freedom is slavery, ignorance is strength, obamca loves America)
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To: PROCON

There is no upside to asking patients about their gun ownership. If a patient told their physician that they had a gun, the physician documented it, and that patient goes on to commit a crime with the gun- what happens? The physician will get those medical records subpoenaed by the lawyers, and possibly open him/her to legal liability.
Therefore, if a physician questions you about gun ownership, that physician has proved to be an extreme leftist, because they have an ideology that outstrips self preservation. Run away.


26 posted on 08/01/2016 9:35:03 AM PDT by kaila
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To: PROCON

Does anyone think that the government should decide what doctors and patients talk about?


27 posted on 08/01/2016 9:35:22 AM PDT by Tau Food (Never give a sword to a man who can't dance.)
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To: PROCON

Next up, they’ll have doctors asking patients whether they lean conservative - a much more serious issue.


28 posted on 08/01/2016 9:40:04 AM PDT by fwdude (If we keep insisting on the lesser of two evils, that is exactly what they will give us from now on.)
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To: PROCON

My doctor has not asked me about guns, but it will be difficult to claim no knowledge of them (on my part). I have run into him at Sheels. I was buying powder and he was buying bullets.


29 posted on 08/01/2016 9:40:35 AM PDT by jim_trent
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To: Donglalinger

I’d answer, “gum? Yes, I chew gum on occasion.” and then quickly change the subject.


30 posted on 08/01/2016 9:41:51 AM PDT by fwdude (If we keep insisting on the lesser of two evils, that is exactly what they will give us from now on.)
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To: PROCON

The context of the presentation matters.
I blew up at my pediatrician for trying to discuss gun safety with children when I was there with a sick kid for the child’s illness. The OBGYN said it was for safety, and I said yes, it is, like threatening an SOB trying to break into the house, which I’ve had to deal with in the past. She’s acting out of fear a child might play with it and shoot themselves; I’m concerned about someone breaking in and hurting us.
My OBGYN asked the question, I said you work in downtown Dallas, as a young woman, you know that I’d rather be discussing how I dealt with a threat than you treating me for rape. He said he understood and asked what I carried, and where went to practice.

I still use the OBGYN, changed pediatricians. But politics of the AMA means the “do you own a gun” question is part of EVERY electronics medical records system approved by the AMA and several other medical groups.


31 posted on 08/01/2016 9:43:42 AM PDT by tbw2
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To: PAR35

“If your doctor brings up firearms, lie.”

EXACTLY. How is he gonna know?

‘Well, sir, you could be lying. I know you are in deep pain due to cancer but we should go to your house to check on your firearms regardless.” People are making a big fuss about it.


32 posted on 08/01/2016 9:44:36 AM PDT by max americana (fired every liberal in our company at every election cycle..and laughed at their faces (true story))
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To: fwdude
"I’d answer, “gum? Yes, I chew gum on occasion.”

Or Gub what's a Gub?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UHOgkDbVqc

33 posted on 08/01/2016 9:47:57 AM PDT by Donglalinger
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To: PROCON

Complete propaganda to further gun confiscation “as the secretary shall determine” via Obamacare. Obamacare is the death of freedom in this nation. Obamacare will be used to justify every single limitation on our constitutional rights. After all, it’s for the public good.


34 posted on 08/01/2016 9:48:47 AM PDT by Organic Panic
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To: tbw2
The context of the presentation matters.

It certainly does. Last time one of my Docs and I spoke about guns he was complaining about the cost of ammunition.

35 posted on 08/01/2016 9:48:58 AM PDT by Billthedrill
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To: PROCON

My eye doctor is a shooting enthusiast - he set up a special session in a friend’s basement (nice indoor range) so he and his son could check out some of the weapons my Dad left me and let me play with some of their toys.<p.That said, it’s none of the medical profession’s business if I have guns, sharp knives, dangerous lawnmowers, etc...


36 posted on 08/01/2016 9:55:10 AM PDT by trebb (Where in the the hell has my country gone?)
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To: dfwgator

My doc is Colt aficionado. I see him once a year and we talk hunting and shooting for 20 minutes then maybe 5 minutes about my health. He’s getting up there in years, hoping he refers to me to another likeminded doc when he hangs up the old stethoscope. I thought for sure O’care was going to push him into retirement but he stayed on according to his terms; no b/s paperwork, just patient care.


37 posted on 08/01/2016 9:56:22 AM PDT by WinMod70
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To: trebb
Hey pal, the 2nd Amendment doesn't cover dangerous lawnmowers!

Put a blade lock on it :-)

38 posted on 08/01/2016 10:02:51 AM PDT by PROCON (Americans First or Terrorists First - Choose in November)
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To: PROCON

Anti gun authors twisting numbers to make their case look better.

Patient walks in with a sore throat, is it appropriate to ask about guns in the house? No!

Patient walks in saying they feel suicidal, is it appropriate to ask about guns in the house? Yes.


39 posted on 08/01/2016 10:07:24 AM PDT by dangerdoc ((this space for rent))
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To: PROCON

Sure. Just like the question the polls are asking about Obama: “How much do you favor Obama leaving office?”

The headline: “Obama’s Favorability Numbers Spike”


40 posted on 08/01/2016 10:11:59 AM PDT by ChinaGotTheGoodsOnClinton (Go Egypt on 0bama)
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