“Suicide is often an impulsive act,” said Dr. Sacks, which means preventing access to firearms for patients at risk can be a matter of life and death. “There is potential for intervention there … what can be more clearly medical than suicide prevention?”
For her, that means eliminating the partisan component and equipping providers with the best evidence-based research available and with best practices. Reliable studies show that having guns at home increases the danger to families, said Dr. Hemenway, and places with fewer guns and stronger gun laws are correlated with fewer gun fatalities.7,8
“In accordance with guidelines and the best evidence out there, we should be screening patients who might be at risk for gun violence,” he said. “In some cases, interventions can be as simple and straightforward as informing patients where to get gun locks and talking to them about how to store firearms safely.”
At Massachusetts General Hospital, Dr. Sacks helped found the Gun Violence Prevention Coalition, an interdisciplinary group of physicians, nurses, physical therapists, and others committed to raising awareness and preparing providers to address gun violence. She believes strongly that physicians can act locally to help address the issue.