Paola Frederick A
Division of Medical Ethics and Humanities, Department of Internal Medicine, University of South Florida College of Medicine, Tampa, FL 33612-4799, USA.
South Med J. 2003 Jul;96(7):647-51. doi: 10.1097/01.SMJ.0000051904.58110.C3.
Physicians who offer firearms counseling may increase their legal liability, depending on the attitudes of their medical malpractice insurance carriers.
A survey was mailed to the 100 largest medical malpractice insurers. Requested data included their experience with claims involving allegations of negligent firearm counseling by physicians, their opinion regarding whether firearm counseling by physicians would be covered under their medical malpractice policies, and their prediction of how their insurance group or company would handle such claims.
Fourteen surveys were returned. No respondents reported having dealt with a case involving an allegation of negligent firearm counseling by a physician. Eight respondents (57%) thought that such counseling would not be covered under their medical malpractice policy, whereas six respondents (43%) said that it would.
A majority of responding insurers thought that physician firearm counseling would not be covered under their medical malpractice policies. Physicians wishing to counsel their patients about the risks and benefits of owning and using firearms are advised to seek assurance of medical malpractice insurance coverage from their insurers or the annexation of a rider to their current policies.
提供枪支咨询服务的医生可能会增加其法律责任，这取决于其医疗事故保险承保人的态度。
向100家最大的医疗事故保险公司邮寄了一份调查问卷。所需数据包括他们处理涉及医生因疏忽进行枪支咨询指控的索赔经验、他们对医生进行枪支咨询是否会在其医疗事故保险政策范围内的看法，以及他们对其保险集团或公司将如何处理此类索赔的预测。
共收到14份回复。没有受访者报告处理过涉及医生因疏忽进行枪支咨询指控的案件。8名受访者（57%）认为此类咨询不在其医疗事故保险政策范围内，而6名受访者（43%）表示会涵盖。
大多数回复的保险公司认为医生进行枪支咨询不在其医疗事故保险政策范围内。建议希望就拥有和使用枪支的风险和益处向患者提供咨询的医生，从其保险公司寻求医疗事故保险覆盖的保证，或在其现有保单中附加一份附加条款。
