visit to Doctor

[oldiegoldie]

What kind of answer will you give a doctor when he asks if you have a gun in the house? Had this happen several years ago with a new [to me] doctor. He visibly frowned when I told him "yes". Got to know him well over the past two years and he has never brought it up again. He has moved and now am looking for a new doctor. I live in the wild West and everybody has guns in the house and it isn't unusual to see open carry. What is my best response?

 

[Culina]

Question: do you have any guns in the house?

My answer: Plenty!

 

[ContinentalOp]

The Doctor: Do you have any guns in the house?

Me: Why, yes. Yes, I do.

*BAM!*

 

[model70hunter]

If ever asked I would pack up and leave. Tell them don't try to bill me, that money is earmarked for a a real sawbones.

After my last bunch of fun last September when I came down with pneumonia, type 2 diabetes, swollen prostate, and a couple of lesser things all at the same time I had a Cava Vena Filter run down thru my veins, heart and into the lower abdomen to filter blood clots they found in my rt leg.

After getting out of the hospital my 1st question to my new family Dr was, how soon can I go Dove hunting. He said when you leave today, He seems like a city Dude, I asked him where he was from, no accent on his part. HE said Texas. He did med school here, liked the KC area and stayed. HE said his Dad before retirement did tons of hunting and fishing. Now that he's older it is only fishing.

At least he understands folks do own guns to hunt.

 

[Krogen]

No need to answer; provide a statement. Tell the doc his question is irrelevant to the healthcare you are paying him to provide and leave it at that. I doubt most docs would press the issue beyond that. If they do, tell them you've already addressed the question, will not provide an answer and would like to end the appointment since the doc is not respecting your privacy.

 

[fat tom]

My doc doesn't need to ask me. He has even bought a couple from me.
f.t.

 

[cgt4570]

My answer would probably be some expletives followed by none of your business, stick to your job I'm paying you for or I'll find someone else to provide my services. Wow!?!

 

[S&W SS Revolvers]

No need to answer; provide a statement. Tell the doc his question is irrelevant to the healthcare you are paying him to provide and leave it at that. I doubt most docs would press the issue beyond that. If they do, tell them you've already addressed the question, will not provide an answer and would like to end the appointment since the doc is not respecting your privacy.

I LOVE your answer! It's none of their business. Kaiser Permanente asked my step daughter that many,many years ago. Curious of her response she said "I don't know". Good girl...she did know BTW.

 

[S&W SS Revolvers]

I have pondered this question before. My response; "Do you"? End of conversation as far as I am concerned. "Now can we get on with this cuz I am a busy man..."

In 55 years it's never come up yet. It will.

 

[wx7b]

Walk out, say you are no longer my doctor.

 

[STCM(SW)]

I've also pondered how I will answer this question as my doctor is retiring in June.
They brought in three new doctor's to replace him, should be interesting.

 

[Redcoat3340]

I was asked by the clerk when updating some forms from my long-time Doc. I simply said, "No," and moved on to the next question. It's none of their business; I wasn't going to get into an argument with the 20 yr. old clerk (who could care less); and figured it wasn't a battle I could win. She just asks what's on the form and to fight that fight I'd have to up against the whole hospital administration. And they're not about to change. So I let it go. (And my BP was just fine when she checked.)

 

[mcmaniac]

When the doc asks if there is a gun in the house, I wonder what he'd say if you told him no, you have it with you for self protection.
Really, what's the point of that question? Not anybody's business in a doctors office, and who would that information be relayed to?

 

[BC38]

Simple.

"That has nothing to do with my health or why I am here to see you today. Next question..."

 

[redfox302]

I remembered it was the nurse who did the survey or form while I was there for annual check up. But never did the Doc popped the question. I answered, "No".

 

[Engineer1911]

My response, "That question has nothing to do with my health care or my medical issues. No, I do not own a gun."


'I don't own a gun' is a true response, there are "several" in the house.

 

[TTSH]

Since I am hideously old and have so dang many health issues to discuss with him that we never even finish addressing them all in a typical visit, there is no time at all leftover to talk politics, hobbies, the weather or much of anything else.

But the Doc knows I own guns and shoot them regularly. We talked about it once in the context of my left ear tinnitus problem. Wasn't an issue with him at all.

 

[Watchdog]

What kind of answer will you give a doctor when he asks if you have a gun in the house?

This subject's come up with some regularity on this forum for at least five years now. Folks should have their answer down pat by now.

You can read some thoughts on this here. And here. Or (yawn) here.

I think most of the threads about this end up getting locked, usually because members get carried away talking about the smart alecky answers they'd give, or they drag politics into the discussion, or use derogatory terms to describe doctors. They talk about the invasion of their privacy or their rights being questioned and so on and blah blah blah.

It's no big deal. The simplest thing to do is just answer "no" to the question and be done with it. Case closed.

 

[BigBlueSix]

I regard that question with suspicion as the same form attempts to ascertain your overall mental health in two or three questions. Those lines of questioning intersect dangerously. They pop the recreational drugs and how much you drink on those forms, too. You're a subpoena away from being mincemeat in court.

 

[ankona]

Find another MD. My physician is a gun guy. We usually compare recent purchases and I assisted his nurse purchase her first carry weapon.