Doctors ask about weapons?

[Dan Burwell]

In addition to working on guns, my other job is being a Physician Assistant. I have worked in Peds for 8 yrs and am now in family practice (5yrs). I can tell you straight up the question is asked in the same line of questioning as do you have you kid in a car seat, we ask the question to start a dialog on safety. If you answer yes to the firearms question the next question is usually along the lines of do you have it locked up or is the child's access restricted to it.

The information is only between you and your doctor it is not shared with the CDC the AMA or any other statistical gathering company. To share that kind of information is time consuming(identifiable information has to be stripped) and not profitable for practices so it is not done. We are in the business of making money not information gathering (of course this may change if BHO get his way, in which case I will be looking for another job)

I personally did/do ask the question of all my patients then I follow up a yes with then you need to take your child to the range and teach them how to handle it properly/safely. Usually point the Mas Ayoob's gun proofing your child. Of course most of my patients know we are gun friendly since the majority of magazines in our waiting room are gun related.

Remember Doctors especially pediatricians are trying to practice preventive medicine. That means identifying problems before they are a big problem and looking for a solution that works for you.

I would recommend answering the question and if you don't like their reply then go Doctor shopping.

[normanvin]

Originally Posted by Dan Burwell

We are in the business of making money not information gathering

Unless there is a profit to be made.

Would this info fall under doctor patent privileged?

[Dan Burwell]

Originally Posted by normanvin

Unless there is a profit to be made.

There is no profit to be made in information sharing as I said you have to strip the personal info out in order to share it so it is too labor intensive to make any money from it. Trust me I have worked in places that this thought they might just want to try it but when they got to looking at the details they couldn't justify the costs.

Originally Posted by normanvin

Would this info fall under doctor patent privileged?

It is priviledged information meaning we cannot share it with anyone that you do not permit us to share it with (re: signed consent to release information). However most patients sign a release to release information to their insurance companies. While this may sound scary, Insurance companies only concern with patient charts is making sure we(medical providers) didn't overcharge them. They could careless what is actually in there, they are really just trying to find a way not to give us money(something they are quite good at)

Also the way gun safety is usually documented in a patient chart is not "guns in house" it is documented as "disucssed gun safety/proper storage of guns". In order for us to document all we have to do is ask or give you a handout on the subject.

Honestly guys this not a means of anything other than trying to strike up a conversation on safety. Same way we ask about seat belts, car seats, sun screen, cleaning chemicals.

[normanvin]

Originally Posted by Dan Burwell

T

Honestly guys this not a means of anything other than trying to strike up a conversation on safety. Same way we ask about seat belts, car seats, sun screen, cleaning chemicals.

Then why is there no question asking if you clean your own gutters? Burn coal, oil, or natural gas in your furnace?

I don't answer any of the questions.

[mpi]

I also decline to answer any questions of this nature!

[JayBell]

Originally Posted by Dan Burwell

There is no profit to be made in information sharing as I said you have to strip the personal info out in order to share it so it is too labor intensive to make any money from it. Trust me I have worked in places that this thought they might just want to try it but when they got to looking at the details they couldn't justify the costs.


It is priviledged information meaning we cannot share it with anyone that you do not permit us to share it with (re: signed consent to release information). However most patients sign a release to release information to their insurance companies. While this may sound scary, Insurance companies only concern with patient charts is making sure we(medical providers) didn't overcharge them. They could careless what is actually in there, they are really just trying to find a way not to give us money(something they are quite good at)

Also the way gun safety is usually documented in a patient chart is not "guns in house" it is documented as "disucssed gun safety/proper storage of guns". In order for us to document all we have to do is ask or give you a handout on the subject.

Honestly guys this not a means of anything other than trying to strike up a conversation on safety. Same way we ask about seat belts, car seats, sun screen, cleaning chemicals.

home safety/gun safety/car safety/diving board safety ... DOCTORS are not qualified to give any advice thats not medical. period.

if they think they are, i want to see a certification to prove it.

[DBZ220]

I agree completely with Jaybell and with what others have posted as well. I do not appreciate doctors getting into my personal affairs any more than reasonably necessary.

[ruggerio]

Originally Posted by ChamberedRound

I took a day off not long ago to take my daughter to her 3 year-old checkup at the doctor's. During the process, the doctor reviews my daughter's chart, asking me if anything's changed in recent months, updates to my daughter's health, contact information, oh, and "do you have any weapons in the house?".

Huh?

I was floored by that question. I'm there to make sure my daughter is healthy, and they're asking me about weapons? What business is it of theirs if I have a weapon in the house? How does that information assist them in doing their job any better? After I got home, my wife told me, "yeah, they ask me that every time I go in with one of the kids.".

I'm really bothered by this. I know they have the right to ask me anything, and I have the right answer them, or not. But it amazes me that the question was even asked in the first place; it's just completely out of context. Even worse, they are a good doctor's office; great with the kids, and rarely a wait. I'm hesitant to change doctors on the kids, but at the same time I'm not sure if I want to continue supporting a business that implements such practices. It's like the guy at the Deli counter at Redner's asking if you've ever had a drinking problem.

Has anyone else here had similar experiences with their kid's pediatrician or family doctor?

its the common disease called" coocs"

canadiens out of controll syndrome " coocs for short" you see the virus spreads when guns are a left unattended by irresponsible and illegal gun owners , it spreads to the uninformed chillen and they think its a game or that it gives them play - pen cred to have it and so the story goes. house to house, corner to corner

[ruggerio]

Originally Posted by ChamberedRound

I took a day off not long ago to take my daughter to her 3 year-old checkup at the doctor's. During the process, the doctor reviews my daughter's chart, asking me if anything's changed in recent months, updates to my daughter's health, contact information, oh, and "do you have any weapons in the house?".

Huh?

I was floored by that question. I'm there to make sure my daughter is healthy, and they're asking me about weapons? What business is it of theirs if I have a weapon in the house? How does that information assist them in doing their job any better? After I got home, my wife told me, "yeah, they ask me that every time I go in with one of the kids.".

I'm really bothered by this. I know they have the right to ask me anything, and I have the right answer them, or not. But it amazes me that the question was even asked in the first place; it's just completely out of context. Even worse, they are a good doctor's office; great with the kids, and rarely a wait. I'm hesitant to change doctors on the kids, but at the same time I'm not sure if I want to continue supporting a business that implements such practices. It's like the guy at the Deli counter at Redner's asking if you've ever had a drinking problem.

Has anyone else here had similar experiences with their kid's pediatrician or family doctor?

its the common disease called" coocs"

canadiens out of control syndrome " coocs for short" you see the virus spreads when guns are a left unattended by irresponsible and illegal gun owners , it spreads to the uninformed chillen and they think its a game or that it gives them play - pen cred to have it and so the story goes. house to house, corner to corner ti the emergenct room , then to family services ( justly i may add ) and lastly to the coroner and funeral director.

be warned , it all starts with a finely engineered work of inanimate steel.