3 ways to support LGBTQIA+ patient care

June 22, 2023

Categories: health plans, health systems, healthcare organizations, associations

Tags: Motivate people to make better health decisions

Pride Month is a powerful reminder for all healthcare providers to reflect on their commitment to providing patient-centered care. This involves inclusive and affirming care for LGBTQIA+ patients that form approximately 7.1% of the US population, a percentage that increases to 20.8% for Gen Z (Gallup poll). By implementing specific strategies and fostering a culture of inclusivity, you can create a safe and supportive environment where LGBTQIA+ patients feel comfortable seeking care without fear of judgment or stigma.

Here are three ways to support LGBTQIA+ patient care at your practice.

1. Create a safe space

Nearly 1 in 6 LGBTQIA+ patients have reported experiencing discrimination in a healthcare setting, while 1 in 5 report avoiding seeking medical care due to fear of discrimination (The Harvard Gazette). While there is no one-size-fits-all formula for creating a safe space, there are many steps that can be taken to ensure that LGBTQIA+ patients feel safe in your practice. According to Renee Watson, RN, MSN, clinical team manager for WebMD Ignite, some starting points are:

Establishing visual cues that your office is a safe space. This could include brochures, posters, and educational materials that discuss gender, sexual orientation, and other relevant topics.
Meeting the standards of practice in caring for LGBTQIA+ patients. Consult the “Community Standards of Practice for the Provision of Quality Health Care Services to LGBT Clients,” a set of recommendations created by the GLBT Health Access Project, part of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.
Creating a welcoming environment. Work with your staff to discuss how best to address patients respectfully to make them feel safe. For example, maintaining good eye contact, smiling, not looking rushed, and looking away from the screen when addressing the patient can all work towards making the patient feel at ease.
Organizing training sessions using internal and external resources to help your staff become well-versed in LGBTQIA+ patient care. These training sessions could be conducted by diversity officers or other resources that you already have within your organization. You could also leverage the resources within the local community by getting guest speakers from LGBTQIA+ community to come and share their healthcare experiences with your staff.

2. Develop processes in your practice that support understanding your patient population

A big part of creating an inclusive practice is having tangible processes that support LGBTQIA+ care. While it is important that you work with your staff to develop processes that are suitable for your practice, some potential modifications include using respectful pronouns in your appointment and portal reminders, and conducting pre-visit chart reviews for all new patients to ensure that your staff is well-versed in the patient’s history.

Additionally, Watson recommends ensuring your intake forms and electronic medical record (EMR) workflows are built to reflect diverse populations. Besides showing respect for the populations you serve, regulatory bodies like The Joint Commission are looking for how your practice supports diversity.

For example, do you have questions on your intake forms to allow a patient to choose how they identify? Watson suggests including questions about current gender identity, sex assigned at birth, and pronouns. The University of Colorado’s Medical campus has a great resource called Intake Form Best Practices for LGBTQ Patients that you can reference.

3. Use inclusive language

Several studies have suggested a positive correlation between using inclusive language and patient care outcomes. For example, a study by JAMA Internal Medicine, a peer-reviewed medical journal published by the American Medical Association, showed that gender-affirming language was associated with “60% lower odds of moderate or severe depression and 73% lower odds of suicidality over a 12-month follow-up.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has published a list of preferred terms that should be used for select population groups and communities.

In addition, WebMD Ignite has specific content guidelines on incorporating inclusivity in language and imagery in our patient education. Watson reiterates that “one of our guiding principles is that when health content is inclusive, it’s more accurate and effective.”

"It's not merely polite or protective of a patient's feelings to make them feel seen, heard, and included in managing their health,” said Sara Green, senior director of Content Strategy and Development at WebMD Ignite. “We know representation matters in healthcare, and we see real improvement in health outcomes across populations when content and care providers treat every patient with equal importance and understanding."

The need to provide inclusive and affirming care is clear. LGBTQIA+ patients are more likely to report a lack of cultural competence, poor quality of care, and unfair treatment by healthcare providers (cigna), preventing these patients from entrusting their healthcare providers with sensitive information about their physical and mental health.

During Pride Month, and all year long, we can all demonstrate that respectful LGBTQIA+ care IS good patient care. Using these three strategies can serve as a starting point in supporting LGBTQIA+ care at your practice.

Resources for providers: