TexasCHLforum.com

Jacob Staff wrote: . . .

Some 82 percent of those surveyed agree or strongly agree that pediatricians' firearm safety counseling will help reduce death or injury.

Among those surveyed, 84 percent agree or strongly agree that pediatricians should, during routine intake screening, question parents about firearm ownership and storage.

Ninety-five percent of the physicians surveyed agree or strongly agree that pediatricians should advise parents who own firearms to unload their guns and lock them away.

Some 66 percent of those surveyed agree or strongly agree that pediatricians should advise parents who own handguns to remove them from their homes.

Thus the questionnaire. If these guys are not trained in what they are doing, then they should be treated as such, and I have absolutely no respect for them.

Zero_G wrote:I must say the attitude of this thread is annoying me. The main thrust of what people are advocating here is (figuratively) shooting the messenger.

. . .

Giving your doc a document to sign on the liability of the advice they're handing out on a specific subject is downright insulting and may well get you fired from that practice. Having a civil discussion of 'hey doc, I don't agree with the info you have here. I happen to know a lot about this subject, let me show you some other sources' will go a lot farther in getting your point across. Otherwise you may well be selling them that gun owners are jerks. Education, not confrontation. Golden rule - how would you prefer to be treated?

Keith (yes, I'm a doc)

While I agree that education works just fine under some circumstances, I can attest that it did not work with the doctor that I fired. She suscribed to the "I'm the DOCTOR and I'm right." school of physicians and would not even participate in civil discussion, so I fired her, I just wish I had had the form to give her at the time.

If particular doctors are not willing to do more than take the "expert advice" of colleagues or organizations on important issues like this, and present themselves as experts in the process, they deserve little respect, and their advice is even beyond insulting.

My strategy for use of the forms would include trying to engage the doctor in a discussion about his or her attitude to see if there was some chance of rehabilitation, and if I sensed that there was none, the form would be produced.

wrt45 wrote:I have in my files a form to be signed by a physician who gives out such advice. The general idea is that if the physician is going to give out such advice, they need to sign that they are trained and knowledgeable in the area of "expertise."

When I get back to my office, in a day or two, I'll see if I can't post the form.

That is, assuming I remember...........

I have the same form, unfortunately my scanner broke a couple of weeks ago and I cannot replace it yet.

The one I have is from Joe Horn at: http://www.2ampd.net/Articles/Horn/risk ... physic.htm
but the form is no longer posted there.

Edited to add: Found it here: http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a3b449ace75c9.htm


It starts:

FIREARMS SAFETY COUNSELING REPRESENTATION
PHYSICIAN/COUNSELOR QUALIFICATIONS AND LIABILITY

PART ONE: QULIFICATIONS
I affirm that I am certified to offer (name of patient/client)_________, herinafter referred to as "the patient", qualified advice about firearms safety in the home, having received:

And then it goes on with spaces for specific training courses, dates, accreditations, certificates, and licenses.

The there is a section to fill out that includes a statement that the person represents that they have reviewed the available literature and that they are also ready to discuss all other safety issues including: electricity; drains; disposals; compactors; garage doors; pools; lawn mowers; etc. and cedrtifying that the person has sufficient data and expertise to provide expert and clinically sound advice to patients regarding firearms in the home.

OR

That the person is engaging in such counseling without certification, etc.

Then

PART TWO: LIABILITY

I have determineds, from a review of my medical malpractice insurance, that if I engage in an activity for which I am not certified, such as Firearms Safety Counseling, the carrier (check one) ___ will ___will not cover lawsuits resulting from neglect, lack of qualification, etc.

Insurance carrier information


And then more warranting that if someone following his advice is injured or killed as a result of said advice that he or his insurance will cover all actual and punitive damages, etc.

and then spaces for signatures. And then a note that if the physician refuses to sign a copy must be placed in the chart or medical record.


I fired my one doctor for her anti-gun attitude, and told her why, but that was before I had the forms.