Do You Keep A Firearm In Your Home?

Last summer, a young Florida mother got upset when her child's pediatrician asked if there was a firearm in the home.  When she refused to answer on the grounds that it had nothing to do with her child's health, the pediatrician fired them from his practice.  In retrospect, I think that this disagreement should obviously have been handled differently.

Instead, the Florida legislature proposed a state law that would prohibit physicians and other health care providers from asking patients whether they own or keep a firearm in the home.  Furthermore, the law would forbid a physician from refusing to treat a patient who refused to answer the question.  Finally, the law would prohibit a physician or health care provider from making note of the answer in the medical record.  The legislature proposed that physicians & health care providers be charged with a 3rd degree felony and fined as much as $5M for violating these provisions.

An amended & toned down version of this bill (reducing the fine for a 1st offense down to $10K) was passed earlier this summer to the consternation of physicians nationwide.  Can you imagine the next (il)logical step?  Physicians could then be restricted from asking about sexual orientation, sexual activity, alcohol consumption, drug use, etc.  After all, firearms are linked with death (and as such, are a public health issue).  In order to be your family physician, we need to know all about you.  But we also need your trust in our professionalism that we will not divulge anything you tell us to anyone else under pain of death (well, maybe not that far)!

Thank goodness for common sense and freedom of speech.  Yesterday, a federal judge declared the law unconstitutional.  We can now freely ask you anything that might impact your health.  Of course, you can always feel comfortable refusing to answer on any grounds that you choose.  Just know that I may not be able to make the best recommendation for you if I don't know all about you.  But no, I won't kick you out of my practice if you don't feel comfortable answering a question.  However, I do reserve the right to attempt to gain your trust as I help you obtain & maintain optimal health.

One last interesting tidbit.  Guess who supported the American Academy of Pediatrics in filing to overturn the law?  Family physicians via the Florida chapter of the American Academy of Family Physicians.  In fact, a family physician was the lead plaintiff.  And who stayed silent?  The Florida Medical Association.