An unusual poll - but I like it.

[Charles L. Cotton]

Here's a poll on whether a state law (Virginia, not Texas) should be passed prohibiting doctors from asking if people have guns in their homes.

Chas.

http://home.hamptonroads.com/stories/st ... 54&tref=po

[nitrogen]

I've read this on another forum. Maybe i'm being niave, but why the heck does a doctor need to know if i've got a gun or not? More importantly, why do we need to ban this?

Why is this even an issue?

If my doctor starts asking annoying questions, I don't even bother telling him to shut up, I go to another doctor.

I've never been asked about guns by any doctor i've ever gone to.

[jbirds1210]

"yes Doc....I use it to shoot the little black helicopters out of the sky"

You are a helicopter pilot aren't you??

[Tom]

Here's a poll on whether a state law (Virginia, not Texas) should be passed prohibiting doctors from asking if people have guns in their homes.

Chas.

http://home.hamptonroads.com/stories/st ... 54&tref=po

Just spoke with my daughter, who is a Pediatrician in VA, about this issue. She says that their practice has a written survey form that parents fill out regarding their home environment and it does have a gun storage question on it. She also said that she never asks, nor even mentions guns, when she talks to parents as she feels it is none of her business.
She offered that she could better serve the parents by asking about swimming pools, walkers, bathtubs, etc. but that too she feels is getting too intrusive.
When I mentioned that the bill is rolling along and that their form may have to change her only comment was, "cool".
And while she isn't my "shooter" daughter she does have a small semiauto and we do fit in range sessions whenever I visit them. I usually get all three of the girls together and we spend a few hours at a range in Raleigh, NC where I can rent an entire indoor shooting range for just us.
Nothing like a little bonding.

Kind Regards,

Tom

[Rich]

Interesting…As you know, some health care professionals in this state (Texas) also ask patients about gun possession, ownership, gun safety, storage, etc. Do I need to here this from a health care professional? No! To me this is intrusive and unnecessary questions from medical professionals. Now with that said, I do think some people really have no idea about proper storage of firearms, especially with children in the house.

[jimlongley]

I have already fired one doctor that asked me about guns.

When she asked me, something on the order of "Do you have guns in your house and do you store them properly?" I asked her what her qualifications were to judge whether I had them stored properly, and how much training she had had. While she tried to dance her way around that one, I interrupted and asked her why she would even bother to ask such a question, and when she started to spout the same old worn out and disproven propoganda about firearms in the home killing so many people.

I got up, told her she was fired and what I thought of her propoganda, and walked out the door. Never paid the bill either. (Of course it was only a $15.00 co-pay, but the principle is the same.)

I now take a form letter with me, stating the reasons why I object to such a question and asking for their signature acknowledging that they have no expertise in the subject and that they will be responsible, etc, etc . . .

I had a doctor for a while that I shot IDPA with, which was very cool, but his little clinic collapsed and he went back to CA.

I also shoot with another GP MD who would take me and my wife as a patient, except that he lives just to damn far away.

[Crossfire]

OK, I just have to share this story. Last Friday, I had LASIK surgery. (So far not the best experience of my life, but I hope it will get better soon. ) Another story for another time...

Anyway, during the pre-op exam, my opthomolagist asked why I waited so long to do this, and I said I had to schedule it on a week when I didn't have a class to teach on Saturday. His immediate response was "You don't teach one of those handgun classes, do you?" I was a little hesitant to reply - after all, he is an EYE doctor, and I figured I was gonna be in for a lecture of some sort. But, I decided to be brave and said "Yeah, I'm a CHL instructor, AND an NRA instructor, AND I sometimes shoot a little competition too." Guess I got a little bit defensive!

His response to that? "When is your next class and where can I sign up?" Now that's my kind of doctor!

[MoJo]

At my last checkup I was telling my doctor about numbness in my right hand and how it would hurt sometimes when I shot a heavy recoiling handgun. His eyes lit up and he said "What do you shoot?" I told him and we talked guns a bit. He told me of carrying a 1911 in his bag when he made house calls in the Philippines.

One of our regulars in our IDPA club is an ER doctor who isn't a bit shy about discussing where to shoot the BG from a physicians viewpoint.

These are my kind of doctors

[Kalrog]

I have already fired one doctor that asked me about guns.

I haven't had one ask, but I would fire them as well. My understanding is that it is mainly pediatricians who ask this question, but none of the pediatricians that my kids have seen have asked.

I would probably have to ask their qualifications as well and ask them if they felt it was a boundary violation as I do...

[Kalrog]

Perhaps I should clarify a little bit... I have no problem with a doctor asking about shooting as part of a logical process. For instance - hearing problems. Or wrist problems. Or even that notch taken out of the forehead that looks like an imprint from a hammer...

Just when the question of ownership and storage comes out of the blue that I have a problem with it. Neither of those can cause any injuries.

[txinvestigator]

Its absurd to even be considering such a law. If ANYONE asks you a question about ANYTHING you don't want to answer, tell them it is none of their business.

I certainly don't want the government telling private businesses what they can and cannot ask customers.

[KBCraig]

I believe this has become an issue because of pediatricians questioning kids out of earshot of parents, and without parental consent. (Don't forget, pediatricians treat "kids" up to their early 20s, not just toddlers and pre-teens.)

Kevin

[stevie_d_64]

I refuse to inform anyone, in that capacity, regardless of the reason, with extreme prejudice...

If my health plan (if I ever get the chance to participate in one again) requires their doctors to inquire in anyway shape or form, I will omit an answer to questions like that...

And if they deny treatment because I will not answer that question, or raise any cost to me because of that omission...

hehehe, Ohhhhhhhh, the humanity...

See, I just don't see this happening (getting this bad) in states like Texas...I'm just surprised that its happening in Virginia of all places...

I won't even go so far to say to anyone, that its none of their [expletive deleted] business...That goes unsaid...

[Charles L. Cotton]

I believe this has become an issue because of pediatricians questioning kids out of earshot of parents, and without parental consent. (Don't forget, pediatricians treat "kids" up to their early 20s, not just toddlers and pre-teens.)

Kevin

This is exactly how this got started. I heard something was brewing over a year ago when the American Academy of Pediatrics was really starting to push inquiries into gun ownership. These inquiries were not limited to adults (i.e. parents), but included interviews with children being seen in doctors' offices, hospitals and even schools. It has been alleged that some schools are having students answer "health" questionnaires that include gun questions, at the Academy's suggestion/request.

This will be interesting legislation to follow.

Chas.

[txinvestigator]

If it is done at school, then that is government intrusion, and I would support that law. But not for private businesses.