Northwell Health querying patients about guns

According to Newsday:

“Starting later this month, Northwell staff at two Long Island hospitals and a third on Staten Island will add a question to their routine screening of emergency room patients: Do you have a gun in your house? The question is part of a new screening program designed to analyze patients’ risk for firearm injury. The program will be funded under a $1.4 million grant from the National Institutes of Health that Northwell received to study gun violence prevention …”

Fuck that.

“… As part of the Northwell study, clinicians in the three hospitals’ emergency departments will ask patients specific questions about having firearms in their homes and determine their risk of injury. Each response is scored and embedded into the patient’s electronic health record, which will help guide discussions and establish next steps for care. Motivational interviews, education and other resources will also be available …”

By that they mean re-education propaganda from gun control outfits. There is absolutely no medical reason to ask for this information, let alone include it in patient files.

“… Northwell’s NIH grant comes as gun violence remains the leading cause of premature death in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention …”

Bullshit. Heart disease is far an away the most common cause of death and much of that can be prevented. Suicide is #10 on the CDC list and not all of that is with a firearm.

“… [Dr. Chethan Sathya] added that the grant will “fully support We Ask Everyone. Firearm Safety is a Health Issue and allow us to expand upon the limited clinical studies that have primarily focused on outpatient settings or used targeted vs. universal screening, which can exclude at-risk patients.” …”

That’s part of a lobbying agenda and not at all health related.