Should Your Doctor Ask If You Own Guns?

Time mag ^ | May 16, 2016 | Alice Park

[Mr. Mojo]

Doctors routinely ask if you smoke, and counsel you to wear your seat belt when you’re in a car. Technically, either behavior isn’t any of their business, but they do fall under the umbrella of preventive care.

Now Dr. Garen Wintemute, director of the violence prevention research program at the University of California Davis, and his colleagues want to add firearms to the office visit for similar reasons.

First, he says that no federal or state laws prevent doctors from asking their patients about whether they have guns in the home.

[Graybeard58]

It’s Time magazine. They’re just lying to bolster their point.

*************************************************

See my #80.

[Mamzelle]

Yeah, when did a doc last ask you if you owned a gun? This is a policy to bully doctors. Instead if dreaming up moronic comebacks, doctors should be protected from government pressure in this regard. You might be surprised how many docs are packing in the office.

[Chode]

NO!!! but in my case i've been to the range with him and his father, so he kinda already knows

[Mamzelle]

Gee, talk that way to your primary care doc and expect a firing. they can fire you. Then see how easy it is to get another doc when word gets around that you're a litigious jerk.

Or, maybe your snotty and vaguely threatening remark doesn't get you your own comedy show, but does enter on your medical chart--a permanent record with no privacy protection, thanks to the Federak Givernment.

I visit these threads and always find the same thing--snotty remarks aimed at health personnel. If doctors are so keen to know about your guns, why do so many belong to the NRA?

[Mamzelle]

Stupid. That’d end up in your chart. For life.

[GailA]

H no!

I’m on my way this morning to see for me new doctor, Cornea specialist, I have no idea what his paper work says as it looks like ants on 4 pieces of paper. They can fill out the paper work since they were so stupid as to send something that small to a low vision person.

But if that question is asked, the answer is NO. Nor do I answer questions about my families medical history, they are not the patient, I am, and their health in no way reflects mine.

[GailA]

Same goes for those just coming out of the Military, NEVER tell them you have PSTD you will lose your gun rights. Work with your pastor to help you get through the rough spots.

[Brooklyn Attitude]

“The doctor asks me if i own guns I answer “what’s your favorite sexual position?” When they get all indignant and say “that’s personal” or “that’s none of your business!” I simply say “so is your questions about guns”. Game, set, match.”

You may think you have won, but any answer other than a simple “no”, screams YES. Just say “no”, there is no penalty for lying, and tell your wife and kids to do the same.

[Celtic Conservative]

I am a cop and I have a civilian CPL as well for when I retire. There is little the Gov’t doesn’t already know about me.

CC

[ops33]

My doctor and I did discuss guns during my last physical. He told me of a new indoor range not far from where I live.

[T-Bone Texan]

"...Texans puff up their chests about how “free” they are, but they don’t look at the creeping socialism that exists there. Take a look at a Texas map and you will see that already there are two tiers of counties moving upward from the Mexican border that are solid RAT. And then there are their big $hithole cities like Dallas, San Antonio, QueerHouston, and Austin. My answer to those folks is, “you’re next and you won’t be able to stop it either!”...",

Spot on - Agree 100%. I know a lot of folks like this. "It cain't never happen here!" is simply an expression of ignorance.

[Big Red Badger]

God Bless TEXAS !

[zeugma]

My response: Well Doctor, as it happens I'm armed right now!

[JimRed]

“Break into my house some night, Doc, and you’ll find out.”

[sheana]

I simply refuse to chit chat or answer personal questions. Period.
If I fill out forms with personal questions I put NA.
I’ve never had anyone ask about my answers.

[AppyPappy]

Only if he wants to buy one.

My Dr is former military. And he’s like 14 years old.

I am getting old.

[JimRed]

Because it’s been my home for neary 76 years and I still have hope that a correction will take place.

Same way I feel about my New Jersey home; most of my 72 years were spent here and I love a lot of things about my county. The mistreatment of second amendment issues and crippling taxation are the most pressing problems.

[MortMan]

NTHockey, Bobalu’s post stated that the doctor advised about the increased danger to the person with Alzheimer’s, and the family made the decision to remove the firearm.

Within a family, safety can absolutely trump the second amendment - just the same as providing a 3 year old with a glock is idiotic and should not be allowed by the family.

This was not a government removal, but a family intervention, based on decreased capacity to understand and remember.

[mad_as_he$$]

Nice one! I am going to start answering “transhuman”.

[NTHockey]

Understood. However, one must be careful so that the family decides and not a blanket statement. Otherwise, the regime will jump on that as reason to confiscate a gun. Then several guns. Then all guns.

As always, common sense prevails.