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American Medical Association Backs Ending Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell

11/10/09-by Bridgette P. LaVictoire
“Today, the American Medical Association took a principled stance against a law that clearly has a negative impact on military healthcare, military medical providers, and our troops.” With those words, Alexander Nicholson, founder and executive director of Servicemembers United, summed up the decision of the AMA to call for the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.

In a nearly unanimous decision, the AMA called for the repeal of DADT. There was little opposition from the governing medical organization. At the heart of the issue for the AMA is the effect of DADT on patient-provider care. Apparently, DADT makes is much harder for soldiers to be open with their doctors, and they are often forced to keep information secret in order to avoid falling victim to the law which would mean dismissal of them should they be discovered to be gay or lesbian.

Servicemembers United has documented cases of soldiers being unwilling to seek treatment for potentially life threatening conditions due to a perception that there is no patient-provider confidentiality in the military. Many have sought treatment for complex conditions such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder outside the military.

“The provider-patient relationship is sacrosanct in the practice of medicine and in the provision of healthcare. Virtually all physicians can agree that nothing should impede open and honest communication between a patient and his or her doctor. In this way, ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” threatens the lives and safety of our troops, and it often puts military health professionals in a moral and ethical dilemma,” stated ,” said Dr. Alan M. Steinman, a retired Coast Guard Rear Admiral and a member of the Servicemembers United Policy Council.

The AMA resolution means that it is now the official policy of the AMA to push for the repeal of DADT.

There has long been doubt that gay and lesbian servicemembers being open about their sexuality would harm unit cohesion, the most common excuse given; however, it appears that DADT does have a negative impact upon the soldiers, and that could have an effect on unit survival.