Ask the Expert: IU Health BMH working to provide best care to LGBTQ+ patients – The Star Press
Pride Month 2021 has come to an end, but the work to advance equity in healthcare for members of the LGBTQ+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer/Questioning) community is ongoing. I wanted to take a few moments to talk to you about why this vital work is necessary and what we are doing about it.
What unique healthcare challenges do individuals who identify as LGBTQ+ face?
Healthcare disparities identified in the LGBTQ+ community include (but are not limited to) higher rates of smoking, lower rates of mammography and pap smear screening, and higher rates of depression and anxiety. On average, transgender and gender diverse individuals experience healthcare disparity at an even higher rate than those who identify as lesbian, gay or bisexual. The healthcare needs of each person who identifies as LGBTQ+ are unique to that individual, and disparities may be increased or reduced based on other facets of the individual’s identity, such as socioeconomic status, race, and ethnicity.
However, one of the greatest obstacles LGBTQ+ people face across the country is disrespectful or uncivil treatment from healthcare providers. Fear of mistreatment from medical professionals can cause LGBTQ+ individuals to be hesitant to seek out healthcare when they need it, which may result in long-term or serious health concerns. Every patient is worthy to receive respectful, culturally competent care and have access to leading-edge medicine. In order for LGBTQ+ individuals to receive the whole-person care they deserve, we must acknowledge and address these healthcare challenges.
What steps has IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital taken?
We have been designated as an LGBTQ Healthcare Equality Leader from the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation for nine consecutive years, and it is one of only four hospitals in Indiana to achieve this status. Participating in the HRC Foundation’s Healthcare Equality Index has helped us identify both our strengths and our opportunities in the care we provide to our LGBTQ+ patients, customers and team members. Over the past nine years, we have expanded our educational opportunities for our healthcare providers and the Muncie community, broadened our transgender-inclusive medical benefits for our team members, advocated for a comprehensive bias-crime bill in Indiana, and worked to improve our relationship with the LGBTQ+ community in Delaware County and beyond.
Our IU Health Promise is to provide The Best Care, Designed for You, and in order to do so, we must provide a safe environment for all people to seek medical treatment. Having inclusive policies and procedures in place is significant, but it is more important that we hold ourselves accountable and make continuous improvements to our care and services.
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What can you do to help?
We cannot create a healthier community if we do not also create a safe and welcoming community, and that takes all of us. Many of the healthcare disparities that LGBTQ+ people face directly correlate to the minority stress they endure on a daily basis. Minority stress is a chronically high level of stress faced by members of marginalized minority groups due to prejudice and stigma. Having even one supportive person in their lives greatly reduces the traumatic impact of minority stress, and you can be that person. Educate yourself to improve your own cultural competency and learn how to be a better ally. Advocate for equal protections for LGBTQ+ people under the law. If someone comes out to you, love them for exactly who they are, not despite who they are. Together we can create a healthier, more vibrant community for all of us.
For additional LGBTQ+ resources, check out IU Health’s LGBTQ Health website (iuhealth.org/find-medical-services/lgbt-health), Muncie OUTreach (muncieoutreach.org), or the Human Rights Campaign (Human Rights Campaign – HRC).
Rachel Thompson is the senior organizational development consultant for the East Central Region of IU Health and also serves as the board president of Muncie OUTreach, East Central Indiana’s only LGBTQ youth group.