Talking to Patients About Gun Safety
Clinicians need practical information on how to begin a conversation with their patients about firearms or respond to a patient's concern. In addition, it's important to know what clinicians are permitted to ask and record in their patient's record and
what advice they can give to patients that comports with federal and state law. Using clinical scenarios, this CME activity addresses all of those topic areas and many more.
The content is available in two formats:
- For the Online CME Course in video format, click
here.
- For those not seeking CME credit for this activity, the video recording is available FREE at the Conference Proceeding Archive page or directly, click
here.
Printable Materials
For your convenience, we've provided two-page fliers with the information above that can be easily downloaded from the website for exhibiting in clear stands in the office, handing to patients, and promoting on bulletin boards in exam rooms:
Why should physicians be prepared to counsel patients about firearm safety? Interviewed at the annual MMS Men’s Health Symposium, Dr. Michael Hirsch explains:
Other Resources
- The American Public Health
Association: Gun Violence Information
- AFFIRM – American Foundation for Firearm Injury Reduction in Medicine
AFFIRM is a non-profit corporation comprised of physician leaders who seek to diminish the human and financial costs of firearm injury in the United States of America. Now a part of Aspen Institute’s Health, Medicine & Society program, AFFIRM
brings together health systems, community stakeholders, and firearms experts and owners from across the country, all committed to reducing firearm suicide, domestic violence, and homicide.
- Goods for Guns
Goods for Guns, established in 2001, is a gun buyback program that
has been a collaborative effort with the Worcester District Attorney, the Worcester Police Department, and the Department of Surgery. The goals of this program are 1) to remove unwanted improperly stored guns from homes; 2) to educate the community
about the increased risk of gun-related injuries in the home and the importance of safe gun storage; and 3) to identify individuals possessing improperly stored guns at home and provide them with safety information and alternatives.
- Massachusetts Laws Pertaining to Firearms
Journal Articles
- “Crossing Lines — A Change in the Leading Cause of Death among U.S. Children”
New England Journal of Medicine Perspective
Lois K. Lee, MD, MPH, Katherine Douglas, MD, and David Hemenway, PhD
- “Reconsidering Risks of Gun Ownership and Suicide in Unprecedented Times”
New England Journal of Medicine Editorial
Chana A. Sacks, MD, MPH, and Stephen J. Bartels, MD
- “Never Just a Shot in the Dark: Pediatric Firearm Advocacy”
Clinical Pediatric Emergency Medicine
Katie A Donnelly, MD, Shilpa J Patel, MD, and Monika K Goyal, MD, MSC
- “What the data says about gun deaths in the U.S."
Pew Research Center
John Gramlich
- “In the Wake of Orlando — Taking Steps against Gun
Violence”
New England Journal of Medicine
Editorial
Chana A. Sacks, MD, Debra Malina, PhD, Stephen Morrissey, PhD, Edward W. Campion, MD, Mary Beth Hamel, MD, MPH, and Jeffrey M. Drazen, MD
- “Firearm Injuries and Violence Prevention — The
Potential Power of a Surgeon General’s Report”
New England Journal of Medicine
Perspective
John Maa, MD, and Ara Darzi, MD
- “Rooting Out Gun Violence”
New England Journal of Medicine Editorial
- “In Memory of Daniel — Reviving Research to Prevent Gun Violence”
New England Journal of Medicine Perspective
Chana A. Sacks, MD
- “Special Issue on the Epidemiology and Prevention of Gun Violence”
Edited by David Hemenway and Daniel W. Webster
This special issue of Preventive Medicine includes editorials and research articles on gun violence.
