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.”
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I can’t remember the last time I saw a doctor. I have nothing to tell them.
this remains a public health issue...
No its not.
You have a cultural problem that is not being addressed.
Mission creep.
How about this?
How about focusing on an actual medical issue, such as the decline of antibiotics and the rise of resistant strains of bacteria?
Yeah, I'm sure these guys will be right in to talk.
the ONLY conversation I want with him is if he is offering me a free Uzi
You don’t have to give up your gun, just surrender it.
Store it outside the home, where you lose all control. Yea, great ideas there.
With deep intellectual skills like that, how did this guy graduate high school let alone law school?
I thought Mass outlawed firearms anyway. Or maybe that was just Boston.
I hope the good people of Massachusetts see through this for what it is.
I see doctors at an alarming rate - about guns, I have nothing to tell them.
Ma is the perfect place for her. About 20 years ago I was at a patriot’s day celebration in Lexington (or maybe COncord - I don’t remember) when I same some kid ask his mother to buy a little replica musket from some guy who was selling them - we’re talking a 6 inch toy here. Not only did the mother go ballistic on the kid she started screaming at the guy selling them something to the effect how dare he sell guns to children. I think he politely told her to go away if she didn’t like it. I would have been a lot less polite.
I think my doctor is smart enough not to ask this sort of question.
But if he does, I’ll be sure to remind him of his Jewish heritage, the Nazi gun laws, and how easy it was to nearly exterminate his people when they found themselves unable to defend themselves against an intrusive, tyrannical government.
That’s not a direct answer to AG Healey’s question, but I guess it will have to do.
OR how about focusing on MEDICAL MALPRACTICE? Kills more people by far than firearms yearly
What’s next? “Doctors” giving driving tests? The number of people killed on America’s roads and highways has to be some kind of “public health issue”.
So when I speak to my doctor I need to take my lawyer now! Since the doctor is now an agent of the government, will there be a warning like the Maranda warning?
Well, I’m 63 and my Doctor is the Lord, who my wife and I pray to for our “daily bread” of good health every day.
That’s why we don’t waste money on health care insurance. :)
Are the health insurance companies going to pay for this?
Just in Boston, my FRiend. Just dont get sick in that city. XD
a Florida law preventing conversations with patients on their firearms.
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