Transgender Patient Services and Support

Transgender Patient Services and Support

Share this page on:
Twitter
Facebook

Overview

This section is designed to familiarize an organization with best practices, from The Joint Commission and other sources, to enhance care for transgender patients, who can face an exceptional degree of discomfort and bias. A large survey by Lambda Legal revealed that 70% of transgender respondents had experienced serious discrimination in healthcare. In a 2011 survey of over 6,000 transgender Americans, 19% of the respondents reported being refused healthcare due to their transgender or gender-nonconforming status, with an additional 28% having postponed necessary healthcare when sick or injured, and 33% having delayed or not sought preventative care because of experiences of healthcare discrimination based on their transgender status.

To receive credit in the HEI:

This subsection of the Patient Services and Support Criteria includes 5 of the 18 scored best practices.

Scored best practices include:

  • Facility has a written policy (or policies) that specifically outline at least three different procedures aimed at eliminating bias and insensitivity, and ensuring appropriate, welcoming interactions with transgender patients
  • Facility offers certain transgender-specific clinical services
  • Facility has an externally promoted multidisciplinary gender clinic for either adults and/or youth (distinct from a general LGBTQ+ clinic)
  • Facility has a program or position to provide patient navigation/advocacy services specifically to transgender patients (distinct from a general LGBTQ+ navigation program)
  • Facility provides all gender restrooms in public areas for patients and visitors and/or has clearly posted signage indicating a policy that allows individuals to use the restroom that aligns with their gender identity

HEI Scored Questions

Serving Transgender Patients