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There is a way to ask the question without violating the patient’s right to privacy. I have used it in my practice for over 30 years. It goes like this, “If there are firearms in the home, are the adults familiar with safe storage and handling?” A yes answer can mean the adults are familiar with gun safety regardless if there are guns or not. Usually, people who don’t own guns answer, “We don’t have any guns.” No one has ever said, “I leave my loaded guns lying around on the coffee table for the kids to play with.”

Either way, what gets recorded in the medical records is, “Firearm safety in the home discussed with patient.”