Wednesday, February 02, 2011

Boundary Questions

Dr., there's a fly in my Thermos
  Fla., pediatrician Chris Okonkwo, MD, asked the 26-year-old mother of a 4-month-old patient if she owned a gun, and she refused to answer. For that reason, the physician gave her 30 days to find a new pediatrician. [Physicians, gun owners tangle over Florida "don't ask" gun bill]
A fly in yourThermos
That incident led to Florida HB 155 that would impose fines and/or jail time on physicians who ask about the presence of firearms in the homes of patients.  Good.  Dr.Okonkwo is guilty of  what's being called "boundary questioning,"  a.k.a. using his leverage as the family physician to insinuate himself into something that's none of his G.D. business.  It means Floridians, at least, recognize a creeping menace when they see one.  Evergreen State gun owners  have also been alarmed about questionnaires in doctors’ offices that inquire about guns in the home.

10 comments:

DougM said...

No sh*t!
A few years ago, I ran across the AMA-form's is-there-a-gun-in-the-house question. I circled it, wrote NYFB (the long version) on it, handed it to the doctor, and walked out. You wanna be in the anti-gun AMA, doc? Find another patient.
*pant*pant*pant*
Now, I make sure to have an empty holster in my waistband when a doc asks me to drop trou'.

munch said...

Years by GP did that to me. I was too intimidated to challenge it. Later I read a good response. More households in America have guns than backyard swimming pools. Yet every year more children die due to accidential drowning than accidental shooting. Why arn't you asking me about my having a pool at home?

Anonymous said...

The AMA is about to find themselves in violation of the laws of many states and it appears that FL may be among the vanguard.

"Legislators have filed three separate bills, one that would restrict local governments from regulating firearms, another to stop doctors from even asking patients about them and a third to grant licensed gun owners the right to wear firearms outside their clothing — including on college campuses." Ref: Looser gun laws, including open carry, in Florida's legislative hopper

I approve this message to the anti-Second Amendment twits. -- Skyhawker, doug

Anonymous said...

Notice they don't ask about any of the other possible dangers to children like knives, bathtubs, buckets of water, stoves, boiling water, swimming pools, animals, farm equipment, lawn mowers, cars, alcoholic or drug-using relatives, trees, etc., all things that have injured, maimed and killed. Only guns.

Tell 'em medical mistakes cause 98,000 deaths a year, three times the TOTAL gun-related deaths, and to STFU.

AWM

Anonymous said...

I just did a cursory number crunch. Some estimates put Medical malpractice deaths at 100,000 per year. Firearm deaths seemed the be just under 30,000 with over half of those suicide. I admit it was a 3 minute google search but it seems I have more to fear from the AMA than my weapons.
Tim

Merrily said...

I have never been asked that by any kind of doc here in OK.
No, we don't have an ocean view, but feel free to dig yourself a pond. And own a gun.

BobG said...

If a doctor asked me that, it sure as hell wouldn't take me 30 days to find a new doctor; I'd be looking for a new one within the hour.

Anonymous said...

"Why do you ask, Doc -- ya think that's what's causing the pain in my back?"

e~C

Kristophr said...

The proper term is a medical ethics "Boundary Violation".

The correct response is to file a medical ethics complaint with the state's medical board.

Anonymous said...

I wear mine into my doctor's office. He carries and so do I. At my last exam, he had a Sig in .40 cal, his intern was carrying some kind of 9 mil., and I had my usual Wilson KZ-45...

Pity the the fool that tries for drugs in that office!

Howard in Texas

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