You go to the doctor, and you expect to answer questions about your medical history. What you don't expect to hear them ask is are there guns in your home?
President Obama says doctors could be on the front lines of curbing gun violence.
You're visiting your doctor because you have flu symptoms. After checking your vital signs, your doctor turns to you and asks, "by the way, how many guns do you have in your home?"
President Obama says doctors and other health care providers need to be able to ask about guns in their patients' homes and safe storage of those guns.
Already, talk of the executive order has raised significant controversy, raising serious concerns about privacy.
"To ask someone's daughter or son hey does your family have guns when you have no cause to suspect, hey this family could be in trouble," commented Brenton Onowen. “You're breaking down our rights as citizens to have our own privacy.”
"If they are showing signs that they could harm someone or themselves I think that would be a valid question,” believes Gloria Slusser.
The executive order does not give doctors any new rights to report credible threats of violence and does not create new requirements for them to monitor patients prone to gun violence. In fact we found out that a Medicare program now in its third year requires doctors to ask elderly patients about guns in their homes.
“At least in the past year they included asking about guns,” stated Dr. Nandini. “Do you have a gun in the home?"
Dr. Nandini says it's a requirement to ensure the safety of the older population, but says she has asked younger patients in the past.
“If it’s related to an incident of violence or whatever was prudent to them, but I'm not required to at this moment,” Dr. Nandini stated.
The president says doctors play a vital role in protecting their patients and communities.
"Most people think it only happens to psychiatrist but we as primary care physicians are in the front line,” Dr. Nandini told us. “i'm obligated as a doctor to help them, even if it means breaking patient confidentiality because what good is patient confidentiality when the patients dead.”
The White House has yet to publish the full details and scope of the president's orders, including the one relating to doctors and guns.
President Obama says doctors could be on the front lines of curbing gun violence.
You're visiting your doctor because you have flu symptoms. After checking your vital signs, your doctor turns to you and asks, "by the way, how many guns do you have in your home?"
President Obama says doctors and other health care providers need to be able to ask about guns in their patients' homes and safe storage of those guns.
Already, talk of the executive order has raised significant controversy, raising serious concerns about privacy.
"To ask someone's daughter or son hey does your family have guns when you have no cause to suspect, hey this family could be in trouble," commented Brenton Onowen. “You're breaking down our rights as citizens to have our own privacy.”
"If they are showing signs that they could harm someone or themselves I think that would be a valid question,” believes Gloria Slusser.
The executive order does not give doctors any new rights to report credible threats of violence and does not create new requirements for them to monitor patients prone to gun violence. In fact we found out that a Medicare program now in its third year requires doctors to ask elderly patients about guns in their homes.
“At least in the past year they included asking about guns,” stated Dr. Nandini. “Do you have a gun in the home?"
Dr. Nandini says it's a requirement to ensure the safety of the older population, but says she has asked younger patients in the past.
“If it’s related to an incident of violence or whatever was prudent to them, but I'm not required to at this moment,” Dr. Nandini stated.
The president says doctors play a vital role in protecting their patients and communities.
"Most people think it only happens to psychiatrist but we as primary care physicians are in the front line,” Dr. Nandini told us. “i'm obligated as a doctor to help them, even if it means breaking patient confidentiality because what good is patient confidentiality when the patients dead.”
The White House has yet to publish the full details and scope of the president's orders, including the one relating to doctors and guns.