Child physical includes gun questions?

[waxthis]

Greetings,

Last week my wife brought our 10 year old daughter in for a sports physical at our primary care giver here in Windsor. As usual, the doctor asked the normal questions one would expect during a run of the mill physical. However, one of the questions asked was whether or not there were any guns in the home and if so, were they locked up. My wife told me about this that evening so I made decided to call the office the next day to find if this was a clinic directive, or a doctor’s personal interest. After a 10 minute conversation, I was told that the question asked was one of many that came on a questionnaire sheet provide by the medical malpractice company that covers the clinic, these questions are provide to the doctors to use during office visits, they may ask any or all questions on the list. The receptionist had no idea if questions answered by the patients were sent back to the insurance company or not. Just curious if any of you have had this happen to you, or one of your children and what you were told…..I told my family in the future to decline any questions that have nothing to do with the reason for the visit……Thoughts??????

[Irving]

I thought this kind of crap was shot down already? I wouldn't answer any crap like that.

[Batteriesnare]

Wait, wouldn't that be considered potential discrimination? I thought that was illegal....

[Graves]

Pretty intrusive IMO.

[sniper7]

pretty shitty coming from a doctor. I wonder if they try to use the info for psych eval stuff?
I never remember having anything like that when I went in for sports physicals. They always asked the drug questions and alcohol, but no gun related questions.
I bet they might report it if they think there might be a psychological question. I don't trust anyone with my info any more...I always question them why they need it before answering.

[Bailey Guns]

Doesn't happen just to kids.

When I changed clinics/doctors a few years I saw the new doc for the first time for a physical. He had recently moved to the Conifer area from some big city...don't recall where.

In the early stages of the exam he was asking me a lot of lifestyle-type questions...routine stuff. The same "do you have guns around the house" question came up. I told him I was a former police officer, owned a gun store, taught concealed carry classes and carried a gun with me most everywhere I went...and had several around the house. It seemed like he just absentmindedly marked down my response. Then he told me to take off my jacket and shirt so he could listen to my heart, lungs, etc...

I did as I was told revealing my Kimber in the IWB holster. He looked at the gun, looked at me, looked at the gun, looked at me...this went on for several seconds. Then he said, "You just told me you carried a gun everywhere you went. I didn't know that meant here." I told him I thought the definition of "everywhere" included the Dr's office. I also asked him if he was bothered by it. He was honest and said he really wasn't bothered so much as, "...I'm just surprised. No, shocked!" I told him I would leave if he preferred and if that would make him more comfortable. He said he'd be fine and we finished the physical.

Later on he took my CCW class along with another doc from the office. He'd found out how many off his patients carried/owned guns and started asking his nurses and other staff about guns and if they owned them. He told me he decided to educate himself. I thought that was pretty stand-up stuff.

[GhostRider]

never have the kids been asked that but they have been told the standard answer to any weapons question is "you need to ask my mom and dad about that, I don't know" and that means even their buddies asking. The fewer people that know just what you have the better. For the record, I would have been pissed if a Dr. ask my kids that.

[Batteriesnare]

Later on he took my CCW class along with another doc from the office. He'd found out how many off his patients carried/owned guns and started asking his nurses and other staff about guns and if they owned them. He told me he decided to educate himself. I thought that was pretty stand-up stuff.

+1 for the Doc, that was very mature of him, don't see that much these days.

[Zundfolge]

As far as I'm concerned, asking about firearms in a medical exam is a gross breech of medical ethics. Might as well ask me what political party I belong to or what church I attend. Asking a child this question is doubly wrong.

If ever asked I intend to give the doctor a brief lecture on medical ethics and then leave his office.

[MuzzleFlash]

Google American Academy of Pediatrics with the word "guns". Your blood will boil. They are the ones pushing gun ownership as a disease. If your pediatrician is a member, I'd suggest you educate them and if they are unrepentant, fire them. FWIW, the AMA is just about as bad.