Is it legal for Urgent Care to ask you what your Religion is?

[Quixote1818]

I am just curious as I blew my knee out in the San Juan Mountains in Colorado this weekend then drove to Farmington, NM to an Urgent Care and they asked me all kinds of questions from my social security number to my Religion. I was kind of taken back when she asked me my religion then decided to go ahead and say agnostic. She remained nice and I didn't get the idea that they were going to discriminate against me for not being a Christian but I felt obligated to say something because I was afraid if I made a big deal about it and refused to answer perhaps I might have been discriminated against. I also felt a little weird saying I was agnostic because I felt she might be a big time Christian and then would look at me different after she found out I was agnostic. Not that I really care what she thinks but it just seemed awkward at the time.

I am not the type to bring on a lawsuit but I do feel like reporting this to the ACLU. I just don't think it's any of their business asking people what their Religion is. Why would they need to know or care?

Thoughts?

[Stephanie]

1. I think it's in case you're about to die

I don't think it's about discrimination.

[political_invader]

45. Your right I have asked the same question in an emergency room>

that was the answer I was given by the nurse. She said if in a case that is life threatening, for instance if you were catholic and needed a priest.

[Pirate Smile]

2. I always thought it had to do with last rites and that type of thing in

case something went bad.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

3. I don't think it's illegal. They probably ask because of issues

such as the need for blood transfusions and other issues where medicine and religion collide

[Quixote1818]

8. That makes sense. I wonder why no one has asked me that before?

nt

[fudge stripe cookays]

23. Because you haven't screamed,

"Holy crap! Get that needle away from me! I'm Jehovah's Witness!"

:P
FSC

[ultraist]

32. They ask you that when you are in the hospital too

Even if you are in for day surgery. I've filled that same question out before on forms. It has to do with offering counseling or last rites.

[Walt Starr]

4. That's SOP for any emergency medical care organization

In fact, in many states, it's illegal for them to NOT ask the question.

You are free to answer, "none of your damned business." if you so choose and professionals will simply move on to the next question.

[Quixote1818]

12. I see, usually I would go to a regular clinic but this was Sunday

so I ended up at Urgent care because all the clinics were closed. Thats why I have never had that question before at a regular clinic. Thanks

[JerseygirlCT]

5. They're just asking in case you want clergy visits

No discrimination in it. If you say "none", they won't worry about having the proper clergyperson to visit you...

I wouldn't give it a second thought, certainly not something to worry about!

[petepillow]

6. maybe it's just so they know not to give you the ham sandwich

or treat your remains in a manner to which your god would disapprove, what kind of last rites you prefer, etc.

you never know, could easily be a CYA against lawsuit thing. kinda like how some airlines have done away with peanuts because of a potential allergic passenger.

[NVMojo]

7. if it was an urgent care center, I question it. If it was the urgent care

wing of an ER, there is a natural assumption that someone coming in through those doors could be in an urgent situation and may wish clergy of some type to be called and, generally, there is a clergy on call in the community, usually through a ministerial association, to be called in unless you specify.

[valerief]

9. I've always been kind of paranoid about medical care

and religion. You never know who might be a fundie that will perform deliberate malpractice via neglect if you're not on his side. After all, just look at Texas for abortion offenders. Death penalty.

Reason has been relegated to nostalgia.

[ewagner]

10. So they don't

serve you a pork chop if you're Jewish.....

seriously....dietary restrictions, last rights, need of a mininster to console you etc....there are a lot of good reasons..

[havocmom]

15. you forgot possibility of payote

;)

[ewagner]

20. ooohhhhhh yeahhhhhhh

:smoke:

[Heddi]

11. they ask you

in case you have a need for religious services if you're near death, or just want to talk to someone.

It's not required that you answer, and I promise you that the nurses & doctors won't hate you for answering "wrong" or not at all.

In the hospital, people sometimes (especially if facing a terminal illness or just getting a bad diagnosis) want to be comforted by people of their fath. Most hospitals have a non-denominational chaplain on hand, but if you're muslim and want a muslim whatever, they need to contact people to get that person there for you. Same for people who are Hindu or Buddhist or whatever.

They're not trying to discriminate against you, they're just trying to best meet your spiritual needs in the even that you need one for personal comfort or end-of-life instances.

on Edit:

Like others have pointed out above, they also ask this to make sure that if you're Jehovah's Witness, for instance, they know that you probably won't authorize blood donations, and if you're Jewish they'll know not to give you the Pork Chop for lunch or whatever.

I'm a nursing student and when I worked triage at the ER, we asked people their religious affiliation because of those reasons and other cultural considerations that come into play during health-care issues. For example, many muslim women do not make medical decisions on their own, and decisions are deffered to the husband, father, or eldest son. So if I know a woman is Muslim, i can then ask her if she is the one to make decisions regarding her health or if I have to consult her husband. I don't agree with that (asking the husband), but you have to be conscious of those types of things in order to be culturally and religiouslly sensitive to your patients.

Also, many religions have certain "customs" regarding death, so if you were to die, and are Orthodox Jew, you can't be cremated and any amuptated body parts are to be burried with your body. If you're Native American, the tradition is that when you die, they open the windows of your hospital room to 'free your soul'

It's just consideration for issues that differ from religion to religion.

[calico1]

13. If you are out cold and are a Jehovah's

Witness then they need to know so as not to give you a transfusion. Also, dietary guidelines as already mentioned. This is why they ask.

[MojoXN]

14. Is it legal? Yes. Is denying you care based on your response legal?

No. If you were treated in a discriminatory manner, DO report this to the ACLU. That's what they're there for. On the other hand, if being asked about you faith made you uncomfortable, just let it go. Most likely they ask so that if you die, they know what type of burial/afterlife rituals to follow.

MojoXN

[ZombieNixon]

16. How is Farmington?

That's my hometown. I just moved away. Believe me, 65% of Farmington is a Freeper Hell. They're generally personally nice people, but chances are the attendant was quite taken aback to hear you were an agnostic. Anything non-Christian is wildly out of the norm for most Farmingtonians. The section of College Boulevard between 30th Street and Piñon Hills is completely occupied by schools or churches.

It's always interesting to hear Farmington mentioned, I like to keep an ear out.

[likesmountains 52]

26. I live in southern Colorado...not too far from Farmington...I was down

there 2 weeks ago to do a little shopping and there seemed to be a lot fewer Bush/Cheney bumper stickers than I remembered...
But, Farmington is still a mass of strip malls and gas well supply companies. When Cheney was there before the elections I drove down to attend a protest...the traffic driving by was surprisingly supportive. Even a few Halliburton trucks driving past gave us the thumbs up!

[ZombieNixon]

28. When Cheney was there?!

OK, Cheney spoke at my high school! I was there at the protest!

[likesmountains 52]

40. It was before the election... the protest I was at was in front of the

Gateway Center (?) on Main Ave? Was that where you were?

[ZombieNixon]

41. No. I was on the corner opposite my school.

The Gateway Museum's the usual place to hold demonstrations of all kinds. I do not recall if there was one at the Museum as well that day. Was Cheney there twice? I don't remember. I do know that when ** was there, my mother went to the protest at Gateway, while I was being threatened by the Secret Service at the Bush rally. After that, I ran into some friends protesting on the corner of 20th and Sullivan, which was the nearest non-cordoned off major intersection to the park where Bush was, and as a result, most people exiting ShitForBrains' speech got to witness our signs. After a while, we got hungry and went to my ex-girlfriend's house for lunch. Teenagers need food!

[LiberalinNC]

17. I've been in and out of hospital all my life, and they have always

asked me what my religion was/is. Sometimes it's because of treatments (blood transfusions, etc.) but mainly it's because they have clergy visit patients, they like to know so that you will be visited by one, IF you wish.

I honestly don't think it's worth reporting to the ACLU.

[WilmywoodNCparalegal]

18. What about replying with

"my beliefs do not impose any restriction on treatment, burial, etc."?

I find it strange they would ask that for a blown knee.

I had a few outpatient surgeries here in NYC in the last 2 years and no one ever brought up religion, except for my last surgery, which occurred at St. Vincent's (a Catholic hospital), where it was indicated that their religious convictions required the staff to take all measures to preserve life.

Even the couple of times I went to an ER room, I was never asked my religion.

[bobbieinok]

19. my impression -- if you stay in the hospital, then the local ministe

ministers/churches know who might appreciate a visit

(I was in the hospital in Newfoundland, was visited by a minister out of the blue, and then learned that it was b/c of how I had answered that question)

[Wizard777]

21. Sure! They need to know who to contact and what to do. You know,

in case one of their doctors "accidently" kill you.

[Lost-in-FL]

22. It has to do with blood transfusions and other cultural matters...

There are some Christians who are not allowed to receive blood transfusions or any blood products for medical treatment. Also, some religions would not permit patients from being removed off life support, etc. You'll be suprise about the diverse religious cultures and how things that might be so simple could turn into a really huge deal to the point of law suits. That is why they ask people about their religions so they can act accordingly

[nvliberal]

31. Jehovah's Witnesses and Christian Scientists

come immediately to mind.

I am sure there are a number of other religious faiths which have medical beliefs along those lines.

[DanCa]

24. For a knee surgery your kidding me and no i think it should be illegal.

I think the first instinct of a doctor worth his grain in salt is to treat a patients wound first. Good gravy what's next red and blue drinking fountains?

[hunter]

25. My grandma used to make stuff up just to see what happened.

If she reeled in the local Rabbi, or Catholic Priest, or Plain Baptist Preacher, she always had a very good time.

She's buried in a plain wooden box with a Star of David on it because that's what she wanted. (If she was secretly Jewish, she never told anyone.)

[DanCa]

27. when filling out employement forms and they ask

who do you contact in case of emergency I say "Doctor." I mean if I am bleeding to death what's good's my momma going to do?

[hunter]

29. Obviously you don't know the women in my family...

:evilgrin:

[FreedomAngel82]

30. I don't get it either

:shrug: It's not needed to know to help you with a medical purpose. What, are they going to offer faith healing too?

[LeftyMom]

33. I got asked that question at a Catholic hospital

I was unconcious and needed a chest x ray, so when there was a pentacle floating over my chest area (it was under my shirt on a nylon cord, so only the symbol itself showed on my x ray,) I'm sure they wanted to make sure I wasn't some foretold creature out of the Revalation of Saint Paul or something. Being nuns, it probably never occured to them to check under my shirt while I was knocked out, so the next moring some very timid nun (I think she got the short straw or bigger meaner nuns played keepaway with her wimple or something) came in to ask me what religion I was, whether I had any necklaces on (she looked about ready to feint as she asked that question) and whether I was requesting any visits from the hospital chaplin (she seemed relieved when I said no.)

When I realized what that was all about I almost died laughing.

[unless]

36. Oh, dear God...Goddess...Whatever.

You poor thing. That poor thing. :)

[LeftyMom]

37. No need to pity me

I still had a little morphine in my system at the time. They could've summoned the Pope, the Spanish Inquisition and my childhood catechism teacher and I wouldn't have minded.

[TimeChaser]

43. Hah!

I really wish I hadn't had water in my mouth while I was reading that. :spray:

[slackmaster]

34. I think you're making too much of this

Why wouldn't it be legal for them to ask?

I am not the type to bring on a lawsuit but I do feel like reporting this to the ACLU. I just don't think it's any of their business asking people what their Religion is. Why would they need to know or care?

You chose to answer. You had the option of not answering.

[expatriate]

35. This is common for hospitals and emergency centers

because of the possibility that someone will be in critical condition, may wish the last rites in whatever faith they follow, etc. Or they may wish to counsel with a minister, rabbi, etc.

In medical facilities I've worked for, the question was asked, but it was entirely up to the patient to answer. Many people just said "none", and that was that.

It also gives medical practitioners some insight as to the way to handle the patient. If the person is a Jehovah's Witness, there are medical procedures they will probably refuse. Hasidic Jewish women sometimes prefer a female doctor. Some Muslim women do too. Jains may refuse treatments that required the death of an animal.

The social background of a patient is very important in making a proper diagnosis and outlining a plan for treatment that the patient is comfortable with. The question, as far as I have ever known, is not asked to screen people or to deny them services.

Of course, there is the possibility of getting a doctor who won't perform a procedure like an abortion because of his own beliefs, in which case, the patient or patient's family should immediately demand another doctor.

[OneBlueSky]

38. here's how Woody Guthrie answered that question . . .

when being admitted to the hospital, the clerk taking his information asked Woody a lot of standard questions, one of which was "Religion?" . . .

to which Woody responded "All" . . .

"Oh, Mr. Guthrie," said the clerk, somewhat taken aback. "I can't put 'All' on the form!"

"Then just put 'None'" said Woody . . .

[IndyJones]

39. Never thought about it, but I've always seen that question on those

forms. You can just leave it blank.

[proud patriot]

42. I reply "other"

[Horse with no Name]

44. It is asked so that you can treat the patient in a holistic manner

Respecting his beliefs...requesting pastoral services, etc.
Especially important...if a person suddenly is incapacitated and takes an unexpected turn for the worse, if they are Catholic, the nurses will call for a priest to administer last rites, even if the family can't be contacted.
For instance...if you enter Catholic in the computer, then food services is automatically tagged not to serve you meat on Friday...if you are Muslim...no beef, etc.
You can always put down N/A if it offends you, but is just done to treat the entire patient...not just the body.

[Fescue4u]

46. Legal unless you are asking them for a job