Well, I got the "Any guns in home?" question.

[GOST]

Browcs you're a New Yorker? I knew there was something wrong with you.

[GOST]

If you guys think that question was intrusive you should have heard the stuff I asked my wife when we met.

[Soisauss]

Intrusive questions like that make the uber-sarcastic New Yorker in me come out and want to ask things like, "I'll answer that doc, but first answer this for me: how many times have you been sued for medical malpractice? Do you drink alcohol? How often? Why am I asking you this? Because I don't want my child to be seen by someone who may have had a drink or two during lunch today. Oh, by the way, is your marriage stable? Why are you offended by that question doc, after all would you want to have your child attended to by someone possibly distracted with marital strife? Still want to ask me whether I own guns?"

....in other words doc, I'll mind my business if you mind yours.

I think we have a detective here :p

And yes, I would hate to be on the opposite side of the interrogation table.

Glad I live in indiana.

[TAZ]

I'm not sure that this is a regional thing instead of a new AMA push thing. My SIL is a pediatrician and the get the push at conferences and such. She just laughs and doesn't bother unless she thinks there is a medical reason for the question.

My pediatrician didn't ask. When my son was born I was going through a case of ammo a week and reloading so when they started running blood work on him during his regular check ups I had them tack on a Lead test to be sure I wasn't exposing him to anything problematic. Didn't really tell them why nor did they ask. They could think I lived in a classic home or something I guess.

My plan is similar to the above in that I would ask a lot of questions about the Docs formal training in personal security and threat evaluation along with how much his malpractice insurance would cover or does he have a separate rider on his policy for offering professional advice without any formal training to back it up. And then I'd find a different doctor.

You could always bald face lie to them.

[Hmac]

You guys are taking this way too seriously. The doctor works for you. Just decline to answer. If you don't like the question, don't answer it. If you find it rude, fire the doctor. If you're rude to him/her, they won't hesitate to fire you as a patient...you certainly have the same option.

[GOST]

If you get fired as the patient do you still have to pay?

[Hmac]

If you get fired as the patient do you still have to pay?

You only pay for services rendered. If you get a bill for the visit where you got fired, just refuse to pay it.

[GOST]

You only pay for services rendered. If you get a bill for the visit where you got fired, just refuse to pay it.

I've tried this with the wife, it doesn't work.

[UWone77]

This is one of many reasons my wife didn't go into Primary Care. Her stint in the ER sealed the deal with too many rude patients to simple questions. Although I agree that this question is unnecessary, I'd like to think if my doctor asked me, I would politely decline to answer as I've developed a relationship with my family doctor over the past 20 years. I would treat him with the same respect as he shows me. Obviously, if your doctor is a dick about the question and responds to your answer in a snarky way, I'd fire him as Hmac mentioned.

As for the firearms questions, that's an AMA thing, which is one of the big reasons my wife isn't an AMA member, another they like to spam Doctors to join, reminds me of the the dozens of mailings you get once you cancel your subscription to a crap magazine.

[Hmac]

As for the firearms questions, that's an AMA thing, which is one of the big reasons my wife isn't an AMA member, another they like to spam Doctors to join, reminds me of the the dozens of mailings you get once you cancel your subscription to a crap magazine.

Actually, only about 15% of practicing physicians are members of the AMA. It's a pretty out-of-touch organization that retains its power as a lobbying organization from sheer momentum. I don't know any doctors that are members of the AMA, and I know a lot of doctors. As to dozens of mailings seeking me as a member...I actually get more desperate junk mail from the NRA than I get from the AMA and I am a member of the NRA.

Anyway, it's not really the AMA, it's the specialty organizations. Virtually all of them have a position on guns and the vast majority are opposed. Some take a more active stance than others, and some have gone so far as to recommend that their members ask these guns-in-the-home questions of their patients on the basis of gun violence as a public health issue. Like infant car seats, smoking, or bicycle helmets. As with any such organization, the leadership may or may not represent the majority of the members. The National Association of Chiefs of Police is anti-gun too.

As fun as it is to fantasize about telling these "nosey" doctors off, they're just trying to do their job as they see it. A person might not agree with their doctor's stance on a lot of political issues. If that's a problem and intrudes on your relationship then it's a reason to find another doctor. Trust me, if you respond rudely, he/she won't meekly just "learn a lesson" from your witticisms...they won't engage you in some kind of political debate...they'll just fire you as a patient and move on to the next of the 50-60 patients out in the waiting room that are waiting to see him/her. Life is short. The lines are long. Who needs the aggravation?

[TAZ]

You're correct. Life is short and we shouldn't spend much if it around people we don't like or think are idiots.

But it's still fun to screw with them before you take your business elsewhere.

The truth of the matter is that most people will just put up with the invasive, useless, non medically relevant (in most cases) questions and move on with life. This is why they continue to do it; cause no one pushes back. As with everyone out there they have to protect their bottom line. Letting them know they have lost a paying customer and will probably need to pick up a number of ObamaCare/Medicare/welfare rats to make the same profit will give them a clue.

Just as there are plenty of patients out there doesn't mean we need to take it in the shorts. There are plenty of good doctors out there to choose from still. May not be the case in a few years, but while they are out there find them and use them. Leave the dipshits who can't understand the difference between politics and medicine to deal with their own kind.

[Hmac]

Letting them know they have lost a paying customer and will probably need to pick up a number of ObamaCare/Medicare/welfare rats to make the same profit will give them a clue.

Heh. Nice fantasy, but it doesn't work that way. Marcus Welby is dead. The VAST majority of primary care doctors are salaried these days - private practice is pretty much done. Your departure won't cause even a ripple in their thought process. They'll collect the same paycheck and punch out at 5 PM, same as always.

Just as there are plenty of patients out there doesn't mean we need to take it in the shorts. There are plenty of good doctors out there to choose from still. May not be the case in a few years, but while they are out there find them and use them. Leave the dipshits who can't understand the difference between politics and medicine to deal with their own kind.

Yeah...I think you're pretty fuzzy on the way it works. But for the time being I agree with your basic premise...if you CAN find a regular doctor, you should find one that you're comfortable with, by whatever criteria you feel is important. You will be happier and I guarantee that your doctor will appreciate it, both the old one that you fired and the new one. Win, win, win. Who says the free market doesn't work?

[browcs]

Browcs you're a New Yorker? I knew there was something wrong with you.

Brother if you only knew.....

[browcs]

I think we have a detective here :p

And yes, I would hate to be on the opposite side of the interrogation table.

Glad I live in indiana.

Don't worry, my jurisdiction extends to IN

[Soisauss]

Don't worry, my jurisdiction extends to IN