Posted on 02/14/2017 11:35:00 AM PST by PROCON
Healey, along with members of the Massachusetts Medical Society, Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association and the Massachusetts Major City Chiefs of Police, announced their gun resources for patients this week. (Photo: Mass.gov)
State Attorney General Martha Healey teamed up with the Massachusetts Medical Society on Monday to provide voluntary guidance to heath care professionals in the state on guns.
Announced at Boston Medical Center, Healey and Mass Med are providing two pamphlets and free training on talking to patients about firearms.
“While the vast majority of gun owners are responsible and deeply committed to gun safety, this remains a public health issue, and conversations between patients and health care providers are critically important to preventing gun-related injury and death,” said Healey in a statement.
Compiled as a result of a yearlong effort by the attorney general’s office, Mass Med, and two police chief lobby groups, the literature developed for the program includes a four-page pamphlet for patients covering Massachusetts safe storage laws while touching on disposing of unwanted guns and suicide prevention.
Another two-page pamphlet, directed at health professionals, concerns how to talk to their possibly at risk patients about guns and offers suggestions.
“For example, rather than advising a patient to get rid of a gun, you could suggest that there are a number of different ways to make guns less accessible, ranging from selling/surrendering the gun, to disposing of ammunition, to temporarily storing the gun outside the home,” one suggestion reads.
Mass Med hosts both the literature and other resources, some of which count as continuing education for health care professionals.
“Gun violence is a major public health threat,” said Mass Medical President James S. Gessner, M.D., “and physicians can play a key role in curbing the violence by educating patients about the risks of gun ownership and encouraging our colleagues to talk to their patients.”
The prospect of gun control as a public health issue has proven controversial in recent years with several medical lobby groups banding together to fight a Florida law preventing conversations with patients on their firearms. A 2016 survey published by The Annals of Internal Medicine argues two-thirds of Americans are OK with doctors discussing guns.
The National Rifle Association’s affiliate group in the state contended via social media that the move by Healey and Mass Medical was “dishonest grandstanding” while pointing out the gun safety pamphlet contains no actual NRA-recommended firearms safety “golden rules.”
Mass Medical, for its part, also took to social media, tweeting out the link to the new materials with the tagline, “Learn how to talk to your patients about gun safety.”
I refuse to discuss anything what so ever about my 2nd amendment rights with my doctor or anyone else who I don’t deem “Need To Know” period.
What the he** good is it to store guns outside of your home?
If you think it is only Boston that is affected by this insanity you are wrong. At least half of Massachusetts got bit by the same bug.
All the more reason to not even have a primary care physician.
IIRC, the 0bamacare LAW requires truthful answers do direct questions such as this. Lies are considered a criminal act.
I seem to have missed that in the Constitution.
Probably better to focus on water safety, with all the “tragic boating accidents” I keep hearing about. ;)
“We have to pass it to learn what is in it”....remember?
Lie to the cops, FBI, Congress, same result as lying on 0bamacare forms.
This is one of thousands of reasons this law needs to disappear yesterday.
“talk guns”
You mean like sight picture, breath control, front sight, keep pressing the trigger until threat resolved? That stuff?
So you can claim to be morally superior, Duh.
Liberals tend to misinterpret the clause, “A well regulated Militia..” to mean pass as many gun laws as they want.
"Guns? I don't own any guns, Doc. Guns are scary. My wife would never let me get one."
When your doctor asks about guns, do not argue, get angry, or show any reaction other than surprise that anyone would even ask about a dangerous weapon in your home:
1. Lie. You don’t have any guns. “Of course not.” Or perhaps you once had a bb gun, from when you were a kid, but you turned it in long ago because you didn’t want anyone to put their eye out.
2. Find a real doctor who pays attention to the medical issues you went to the doctor to learn about, instead of playing political correctness games.
3. NEVER disclose any mental health issues to a doctor. If you have problems, deal with them on your own or with someone trustworthy, such as a priest/minister (perhaps).
My wife & I are retired military; when we went to the local VA center to sign up, we were warned to never EVER mention any mental health concerns or issues or answer `yes’ to the have-you-ever-felt-depressed questions.
Straight to the crazy-vet list if you do, no evaluation or court order necessary.
Yep, I’m aware of that abuse of VA power, and it disgusts me. I’m glad you were warned, but it bugs me that doctors are no longer on the side of their patients.
As a Vietnam veteran I lived through years of our being depicted as crazy messed up babykillers & war criminals by Jane Fonda & Hollywood.
That died after Ronald Reagan said we had “fought in a noble cause”. I’ve been grateful ever since.
But unlike today’s combat veterans we didn’t face prescribed psychotropic meds which make things worse and have driven many to suicide.
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