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Are there any guns in your home . . . . .YMMV, FAR

7,411 1,848 July 22, 2013 at 09:10 AM in Rant (2)
. . . . . said the doctor to my bride when she had two of my kids in for their wellness visits today. What does that have to do with anything? And the doc didn't let up. My bride kept telling her that she doesn't need to answer that question; so the doc asked it multiple times throughout the visit.
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Joined Apr 2004
Mr llama llama
> bubble2 3,048 Posts
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The Llama
07-22-2013 at 02:37 PM.
07-22-2013 at 02:37 PM.
Quote from Frogstar :
Sorry. I'll try to cut back.
Seriously. It's hard enough being a cynic.
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Joined Apr 2004
Mr llama llama
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The Llama
07-22-2013 at 02:44 PM.
07-22-2013 at 02:44 PM.
Quote from gunnerusa :
Exactly. Anyway, the reason that doctors ask about guns in the home is because it's a risk factor for accidental childhood deaths. From the American Academy of Pediatrics:



http://pediatrics.aappublications...13a#sec-14
That would be a reason for pediatricians to ask about guns in the home. All pediatricians are Dr's, not all Dr's are pediatricians.
If a Dr is doing to ask about guns on the basis of safety, then they should ask about poison, knives, wiring, how hot the stove gets, how hot the water gets, whether you need a new roof or not, if you live in a bad neighborhood, etc. This is just Dr's overreacting to hot button issues like Newtown and trying to help where they really can't.
There are exceptions, of course - like someone is showing signs of mental instability and violence and you have the let them go home. Might be a good idea to ask then. That doesn't provide reason enough to put it as a standard question on a form.
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Joined Mar 2011
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gunnerusa
07-22-2013 at 02:45 PM.
07-22-2013 at 02:45 PM.
Quote from The Llama :
That would be a reason for pediatricians to ask about guns in the home. All pediatricians are Dr's, not all Dr's are pediatricians.
If a Dr is doing to ask about guns on the basis of safety, then they should ask about poison, knives, wiring, how hot the stove gets, how hot the water gets, whether you need a new roof or not, if you live in a bad neighborhood, etc. This is just Dr's overreacting to hot button issues like Newtown and trying to help where they really can't.
There are exceptions, of course - like someone is showing signs of mental instability and violence and you have the let them go home. Might be a good idea to ask then. That doesn't provide reason enough to put it as a standard question on a form.
Honestly, the likeliest outcome of answering "yes" to this question is that the doctor hands you an NRA pamphlet on proper firearms storage. wave
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Joined Aug 2010
L12: God
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J03
07-22-2013 at 02:53 PM.
07-22-2013 at 02:53 PM.
1. Get concealed carry permit
2. Carry gun to doc appt
3. Pull up shirt when asked question
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Joined Apr 2004
Mr llama llama
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The Llama
07-22-2013 at 03:38 PM.
07-22-2013 at 03:38 PM.
Quote from gunnerusa :
Honestly, the likeliest outcome of answering "yes" to this question is that the doctor hands you an NRA pamphlet on proper firearms storage. wave
If you enjoy answering questions from relative strangers about things they don't have any business asking, that's your prerogative and have fun doing it. But don't redirect your point that it's about safety. It's not about safety.

Car crashes kill more people annually than handguns by far. I don't hear doctors asking if you speed. Or if you drive at all for that matter. Or if there's a car in your home.

Quote from J03 :
1. Get concealed carry permit
2. Carry gun to doc appt
3. Pull up shirt when asked question
4. Dr says, that's nice but we asked if you have one in your home.
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Last edited by The Llama July 22, 2013 at 03:40 PM.
Joined Oct 2004
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scooch
07-22-2013 at 04:09 PM.
07-22-2013 at 04:09 PM.
refusing to answer the question equates to a YES imo.
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Scarydevil Monastery
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veritablequandary
07-22-2013 at 04:24 PM.
07-22-2013 at 04:24 PM.
I'd be more worried about the doctor asking your kids, without Momma present, tbh.

If it comes up again ask if the doc has any sex toys in his house. "None of my business you say? Hmm, interesting, considering people with sex toys are more likely to be child abusers!"

Okay in all seriousness my gut reaction was that this is a gross invasion of privacy so I did a little reading.

Apparently Florida went through all of this about two years back. Here's an editorial supporting [time.com] a federal judge's decision [tampabay.com] to allow pediatricians to ask. You can read some opinions from doctors who supported the decision here [talkingpointsmemo.com].

I'll reserve judgement for now and keep my opinion to myself for now since (a) I don't have kids - so any doctor asking ME this question is going to have to explain himself and what prompted the inquiry; and (b) I'm not sure I've made up my mind about this yet.
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Joined Jan 2004
Here's to the future
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Iaaaiws
07-22-2013 at 04:31 PM.
07-22-2013 at 04:31 PM.
Quote from gunnerusa :
Honestly, the likeliest outcome of answering "yes" to this question is that the doctor hands you an NRA pamphlet on proper firearms storage. wave
If it is that innocent and they just offer safety information or a few words of reminder of the dangers then why do they do it in a way that they have a permanent record of your answer on file?
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Joined Jul 2005
Older than dirt
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VorlonFrog
07-22-2013 at 04:41 PM.
07-22-2013 at 04:41 PM.
Q: Are there any handguns in your home?
A: Right now, no. I'm here in your office.
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Joined Jan 2004
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Iaaaiws
07-22-2013 at 04:49 PM.
07-22-2013 at 04:49 PM.
The best response would be to thank them for any help or care they have given in the past but that you are no longer comfortable with putting your health care in their hands and will be seeking a new doctor.

If enough people handled it in this manner maybe they would get the message to keep their noses out of what isn't their business.
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veritablequandary
07-22-2013 at 04:52 PM.
07-22-2013 at 04:52 PM.
Quote from Iaaaiws :
The best response would be to thank them for any help or care they have given in the past but that you are no longer comfortable with putting your health care in their hands and will be seeking a new doctor.

If enough people handled it in this manner maybe they would get the message to keep their noses out of what isn't their business.
Easier said than done if your insurance requires you to pick out a PCP. And in certain areas you might only have one or two choices. I know a couple of people who can only pick between two docs if they want to avoid paying ridiculous out-of-pocket fees for going out of network.
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Here's to the future
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Iaaaiws
07-22-2013 at 05:00 PM.
07-22-2013 at 05:00 PM.
Quote from veritablequandary :
Easier said than done if your insurance requires you to pick out a PCP. And in certain areas you might only have one or two choices. I know a couple of people who can only pick between two docs if they want to avoid paying ridiculous out-of-pocket fees for going out of network.
I suppose that could be a problem. I live in an extremely rural area though and I have plenty to pick from here.
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veritablequandary
07-22-2013 at 05:01 PM.
07-22-2013 at 05:01 PM.
Quote from Iaaaiws :
I suppose that could be a problem. I live in an extremely rural area though and I have plenty to pick from here.
Or, if you have a PPO like Kaiser, and they share info and you can only go to their docs - what's the point of switching?
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Joined Jan 2004
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Iaaaiws
07-22-2013 at 05:03 PM.
07-22-2013 at 05:03 PM.
Quote from veritablequandary :
Or, if you have a PPO like Kaiser, and they share info and you can only go to their docs - what's the point of switching?
I would do it just for the principal of the thing. At the very least I would make a huge point that they have lost my trust in their professionalism.
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Joined Jul 2005
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veritablequandary
07-22-2013 at 05:16 PM.
07-22-2013 at 05:16 PM.
Quote from Iaaaiws :
I would do it just for the principal of the thing. At the very least I would make a huge point that they have lost my trust in their professionalism.
I think I wouldn't mind if they asked ONCE, and accepted my refusal to answer, and moved on. I think I saw somewhere a guy posting that his doctor's office also asked whether he wore a bicycle helmet when riding. I can understand the point of the question, I just can't abide the persistence if I decline to reply.
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