How do you guys answer this?

I would answer with a question, as many posts above have, such as:

Do you have any guns in YOUR home?

Why in the world would you ask that?

How is that medically relevant to my case?

Have you ever heard of the term, "violation of boundaries"?

You can answer with a "No", even if it is not true, because this is not a sworn statement. And since you are not signing in ink at the bottom of the pace stating it is true, I don't see how a "no" answer could come back to bite you. It is just an answer that a doctor wrote down.
 
Misinformation & Common Sense

I am a family physician in practice since 1989. There is misinformation on the internet that infers, because of the ACA (Obama Care), doctors are required to ask if there are guns in the home. I am not defending the ACA in general but on this topic there is nothing in the ACA, or any of the rules or regulations related to it (yes, I've read it), that requires physicians to ask or record the response to the question regarding gun ownership in a patient record. Unintentional injuries (i.e. accidents) are the leading cause of death in children over 1 year of age - motor vehicle accidents, poisoning, drowning, and firearm accidents are some of the top 10 causes. Proper vehicle restraints, cabinet locks, securing access to pools, and ensuring firearms are safely secured are all common sense measures and the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Family Physicians encourages physicians to ask questions regarding all these safety issues. I think the question, "Do you have a gun in the house?" is not the best way to handle the situation. When appropriate - i.e. children, mentally impaired, or depressed person in the home - I usually say, I'm sure you've already thought of this but if you have a firearm in the house please make sure it's properly stored or secured.
 
I would make sure I could see all ten of his fingers before answering any questions of any kind. Also important to check for hangnails!
 
g8rb8 said:
I am a family physician in practice since 1989. There is misinformation on the internet that infers, because of the ACA (Obama Care), doctors are required to ask if there are guns in the home. I am not defending the ACA in general but on this topic there is nothing in the ACA, or any of the rules or regulations related to it (yes, I've read it), that requires physicians to ask or record the response to the question regarding gun ownership in a patient record. Unintentional injuries (i.e. accidents) are the leading cause of death in children over 1 year of age - motor vehicle accidents, poisoning, drowning, and firearm accidents are some of the top 10 causes. Proper vehicle restraints, cabinet locks, securing access to pools, and ensuring firearms are safely secured are all common sense measures and the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Family Physicians encourages physicians to ask questions regarding all these safety issues. I think the question, "Do you have a gun in the house?" is not the best way to handle the situation. When appropriate - i.e. children, mentally impaired, or depressed person in the home - I usually say, I'm sure you've already thought of this but if you have a firearm in the house please make sure it's properly stored or secured.
Click to expand...

Well stated!
 
I've never been asked. My Doctors know I'm LE. I typically wear my EDC into their examining rooms. Guess that's a dead giveaway that I keep guns in my home ;) I've never heard of questioning of that sort outside of this Forum, and if I am asked by anyone, my stock answer will be a pleasant "That's really none of your business, and has absolutely nothing to do with my diagnosis or treatment."
 
g8rb8 said:
I am a family physician in practice since 1989. There is misinformation on the internet that infers, because of the ACA (Obama Care), doctors are required to ask if there are guns in the home. I am not defending the ACA in general but on this topic there is nothing in the ACA, or any of the rules or regulations related to it (yes, I've read it), that requires physicians to ask or record the response to the question regarding gun ownership in a patient record. Unintentional injuries (i.e. accidents) are the leading cause of death in children over 1 year of age - motor vehicle accidents, poisoning, drowning, and firearm accidents are some of the top 10 causes. Proper vehicle restraints, cabinet locks, securing access to pools, and ensuring firearms are safely secured are all common sense measures and the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Family Physicians encourages physicians to ask questions regarding all these safety issues. I think the question, "Do you have a gun in the house?" is not the best way to handle the situation. When appropriate - i.e. children, mentally impaired, or depressed person in the home - I usually say, I'm sure you've already thought of this but if you have a firearm in the house please make sure it's properly stored or secured.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the clarification, Doc, and thanks for all the good work you do.
 
Ranger514 - you're welcome. To those poster generally stating it's nobody's business you are all correct. It's rarely relevant to even bring up the topic and it's extremely rare it's your doctor business if you have a gun in your house. In 25 years I've only had one instance in which I had serious concerns with a very mentally unstable patient with access to guns (he brought it up) which needed to be addressed. By law I am basically required to report any situation in which, in my judgment, someone is eminently at risk of seriously harming themselves or others (i.e. suicide or homicide). To those of you who state your doctor has never asked they probably did not ask because their judgment was that there was no need to ask.
 
One of my doctors has her CCW and shoots. She knows I shoot too (It is kind of hard to deny that I have guns when I asked her how soon after surgery can I go shooting, lol). As up to this posting none of my doctors (and it seems like I get more of them every day, sigh) has asked about guns in the home. I also agree, it is none of their business. Every member in my house has his or her own gun/guns and we all know how to use them safely. The girls have had gun safety drummed into them from day one. This was important because we were competing at the time. When the eldest was able to move the slide on the 1911, it got locked up. She is now 24 and the youngest is 18. Both love and respect guns.
 
Couple of funny ones....

I've been going to the same GP Physician for about 30 years. Other than a couple of hospital stays, he's never seen me without a sidearm.... Every time he finds one (usually lung and cardiac checks), he asks why. I just tell him about my Law Enforcement (rent-a-cop) sideline. He's Indian, and seems to share the British view, but he's never said anything.

I've been on Disability since forever, or so it seems. (Not any more - I hit 65 and just switched to Social Security.) During a periodic review six or seven years ago, the State sent me to their Physician and Psychiatrist.

No signs on the Physician's office, so I just wore the Commander. Didn't expect to disrobe or anything like that. At some point, though, she (female D.O.) asked me to take off my pants. She wanted to measure my legs for some reason. So, what to do with the gun? I just stuck it under the pillow on the exam table. No response from her at all....

The shrink was even funnier. He asked me if I had guns. I told him yes. Then he asked how many. I hesitated (I was counting them, and trying to decided how to look at that), and he started to sound like he was going to look for the exit :D.... That's when I reminded him of my LE experience, and that I'd been into it since the late 60's. "You just tend to collect these things." He calmed down. (If you'd seen the people in the guy's waiting room, you'd understand why I was carrying, and probably wouldn't have wanted to go in there without something :D.)

Overall, though, it's really none of their business. It seems like ZeroCare violates HIPAA all over the place, too....

Regards,
 
Slightly off topic, but my doctor was trying to push the flu shot, which I said no toon two visits. I then asked him if he'd had it, which he was kinda caught off guard, and answered "Not this year".
 
Irn-Bru:

I'm never going to push anybody to get a flu shot, but if you're older, and don't have any known allergies to the shot itself, it's still a pretty good idea....

In my case, I'm mostly at home, and rarely get exposed to anything, but the wife works in a nursing home, and would otherwise (she gets the shot) bring everything home without a few precautions. Since I can't talk her into changing clothes in the laundry room when she gets home, I just have to play it safe.

Now, if you have allergies, or are say between 20 and 40, you might want to talk to the guy about Tamiflu (TM), but you probably can skip it safely. However, if you or your spouse/SO have kids, or work someplace that's full of kids, it still may be a good idea.

There are still a lot of parents who give their kids Pez and call 'em vitamins....

I'm 67, and probably have had the flu over 60 times. I don't really want it again. (I'm probably immune to more than half of those, but that's another story.)

That said, it's expensive! Or at least that's what my insurance folks want me to think - about $100 for the shot and the drugs. Medicare picked up most of it for me. The wife got a pneumonia shot this year - something like $200, of which her insurance is only covering about half. Having had pneumonia, I'm glad to get the shot every few years. I lucked out - not much of an illness, but it's a bit risky.

Funny, though, that your doc didn't bother yet.... It's been a little iffy about what strains are around this year, so he may have just decided to wait until the smoke clears, but....

Several years ago there was a major shortage of vaccine materials. My middle sister's an MD in El Paso (she may have been working in Temple TX at the time) brought a tiny vial of it home for us - mom, who was close to 90 at the time, and my wife and I. Mom got her shot, and my wife got one. Then it was my turn. My wife, who's a diabetic, and was then used to Insulin via needles, couldn't fill the syringe - there was practically nothing in the vial. I was able to. Then she didn't want to give me the shot.... She was sticking the same needles into herself a couple times a day, but didn't want to hurt me :D.... She finally did - I didn't feel a thing....

Couple years before that, I was taking mom to her doctor's for some reason or other, and she asked me if I'd had my flu shot yet. I told her that I was going to set up an appointment for my guy RSN. Didn't think much of it until mom's exam was over, and they asked me to come into the room. Help her off the table or some such, I thought. Chrissy stuck the needle into my arm.... The good news - he didn't charge me :D....

Regards,
 
If a person is seeing a doc for a non-stress or depression issue, then I don't see why it would or should come up in conversation. But, I will agree that if a person sees a doc about depression and the doc sees it is more that just a temporary 2-3 day bout of the blues, then yes he has the obligation to ask about guns.

Let's look back at the main reason why our 2A rights have been attacked so badly the past 5-10 years. It has typically been someone with mental issues that were not addressed properly. IF, and I wish this were true, IF Sandy Hook and 4-5 other events had never happened, then every Walmart in America would have 30,000 rounds of .22 on the shelf and the politicians in several states could be worrying about the economy instead of magazine/gun bans.
 
gordon21 said:
If a person is seeing a doc for a non-stress or depression issue, then I don't see why it would or should come up in conversation. But, I will agree that if a person sees a doc about depression and the doc sees it is more that just a temporary 2-3 day bout of the blues, then yes he has the obligation to ask about guns.

Let's look back at the main reason why our 2A rights have been attacked so badly the past 5-10 years. It has typically been someone with mental issues that were not addressed properly. IF, and I wish this were true, IF Sandy Hook and 4-5 other events had never happened, then every Walmart in America would have 30,000 rounds of .22 on the shelf and the politicians in several states could be worrying about the economy instead of magazine/gun bans.
Click to expand...
If this were only true!! Some of the miscreants that have committed the crimes were seen to have a problem either by Medical/family and nothing/minimal was done. Unless I state I am going to kill the Pink Pony", what can you legally do? Very little. We need to be vigilant and armed. Be Safe,
Politicians that fear you and your guns will always try to remove them, the tragedies provide talking points for the talking heads. If all crime stopped tomorrow, we would be told that it was due to the "laws" and therefore all firearms should be confiscated to prevent any future crime!! It is not about guns it is about "CONTROL" Be Safe,
 
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I am a Uniformed Federal LEO and often times go to the Doctor's Office on my way home from work. Off-duty I carry something concealed; so the question is usually moot.

There usually isn't an issue but at one office the doctor asked me not to bring my firearm into the office - they had an issue with a patient who drew a pistol and held the office hostage until the situation was resolved. We compromised on this - in uniform I would retain my gun - off-duty I would lock it in the car.

When asked the question by a new doctor I ask them why do they need to ask me this question. No one has given me a legitimate reason why I need to answer the question but as soon as they ask me what I do for work it is a forgone conclusion.
 
I've been on both sides of this one

Healthcare workers are required to ask Many personal ?'s that people find intruding / not relevant or outright stupid, gun ownership is just one of many. Whether you know/understand the reason for the ? may not be obvious TO YOU, but there is generally a reason at some level why they are asked. If there are ANY real or suspected instances of mental health/ suicide/ drugs/ abuse etc, a gun in the house could put the Pt/ family/ caregivers at risk. I also asked "do you have any dogs or other pets I need to worry about, before coming into your home? does that seem Illogical? I once went to a pt's house that had a huge bees nest above the front door, when asked about it they said "yeah that's why we always use the side door". "I"M Glad I'm not allergic to bee stings, you didn't think I should know about that?"I would always give my standard spiel of I need to ask you many required ?'s, You may answer OR NOT, as you please. Let me explain some of the potential consequences for not answering or lying: care may be denied, insurance may refuse to pay, liability issues should something happen, etc. The people that have to ask the ?'s almost never have any say in what ?'s have to be asked. Many people would never lie to their auto mechanic/ mailman/ the guy that mows their lawn, but don't think twice about lying to someone dealing with their healthcare. It's the world we now live in, DON'T SHOOT THE MESSENGER.
 
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YOU GOT AN INJECTION WITHOUT YOUR KNOWLEGE OR CONSENT?

I find it very hard to believe ANYONE could be as stupid as to do that to you. "NORMALY" a consent form has to be signed by the person getting the shot PRIOR to it being given.
 
If you have purchased a firearm from a dealer then they already know if you have a firearm in the home. I am retired law enforcement and of course I have firearms.
 
You see all these medication commercials on TV and most of them mention suicide and it made me think, if this medication might make you kill yourself, will it make you think of killing others.:(
 
I've never been asked. Not sure if the kids' pediatrician has ever asked because my wife always takes them and I never asked her.

The libs in the health care profession across the spectrum have made a long term effort to make legal firearms ownership into all kinds of health problems, regardless of how far they have had to stretch the truth (18-19 year old gangstas being classified as "children," etc), or just flat make it up. Of course, some of the same "experts" are trying to show that other things we consider hideous to have our children subjected to are not actually harmful at all. An then there's the past efforts to demonize eggs and the current quest to blame everything on red meat.

If you can get away with it, select your medical professionals as you would any other pro or anti-gun business.
 
There are gun-friendly states, and not.
There are gun-friendly Doctors, and not.
There are those of us who fight the good fight head on, and those of us who fight it behind the scenes.

Whatever AO you are in, and whatever path you choose, choose it wisely, for yourself and those that are deemed associates of yours. What one of us does affects us all.
 
TOTALY ABSURD

And only your opinion.Not to mention being on thin ice close to this becoming a POLITICAL DISCUSSION. I was a health care Professional & a conservative/independent, and doubt I was the only one. Do you have any facts or do you just make it up as you go along?
 
About 20 years ago the topic came up with my urologists. I told him I had a Ruger P-85 9mm, but I was not happy with it. He told me I should try a Beretta 92-FS because he loved his. :)
 
My Dr.'s Dad was a Dr. also and my family went to him before he retired. Our Dads used to talk about their hunting & fishing trips, hunting dogs, etc., and so have my Dr. and I. He's more of a waterfowl hunter, and I'm more of an upland game hunter. The question has never come up in a professional manner and I doubt it will. But if it does, in the end I'm sure we'll have an acceptable personal vs. professional answer.
 
"are there any guns in the house?"

a. Plenty
b. Sure, probably too many
c. why, are you looking to buy one?
d. of course, what about you?
e. how did you know?
d. more than I need, less than I want
f. picking up another one as soon as we are done here.

Or I guess I could just lie and say no.
 
The only doctor to ask me was my optometrist. It came up because I was having trouble focusing on things at about arms length with the prescription I had at the time. Even though I never mentioned guns she asked, "do you shoot and are you having trouble seeing your sights?" So, it was a valid question in that context. Of course, less than a year later I did start having trouble seeing the small sights on my old J-frames...
 
I'm one if the lucky ones, my doc is a shooter and has a massive collection! He's usually dragging in one or another when I come in fir a visit so I can show him how to take it apart!:) His PC-A was a stick in the mud at first but eventually he came round too.
So no I never been asked, if I were I say no, and ask what's this got to do with my examination. Also I wondering what happened to doctor/patient confidentiality?
Dale
 
First of all, I don't go to doctors. I subscribe to the Rafe Hollister view on health care. (Rafe was the moonshiner on the Andy Griffith Show). He said "When I was born I had my Momma, when I die I'll have the undertaker. I don't see any reason to mess things up in between".:cool:

I do go with Missus Fan to doctors though. If I am ever asked that question I'm not gonna lie. I remember when I was a kid this is what my Dad said to say if somebody asks if he has any guns; "Just an old shotgun he hunts with". I'm going to slightly change that. I'll say "I have an old single-shot shotgun I hunt with. Keep it in my safe."
Both of those statements are absolutely true.
I just left out a bunch of other information.:D
Jim
 
I've never been asked and would be surprised if one of my docs asked me. My guess is that I'd tell him I have a firearm and then ask him why he wanted to know. If the question concerned safety, I'd tell him I realize firearms are dangerous and that I take reasonable precautions against accidents.

I can see where something like that could be important if either my wife or I developed some mental problem, such as Alzheimer's disease.
 
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