Hospital Decision-Making Policies
The GLBT community is providing care for friends and loved ones at a higher rate than the general population. A 2006 MetLife study, entitled "Out and Aging: The MetLife Study of Lesbian and Gay Baby Boomers," found that one in four GLBT respondents reported having provided care to an adult friend or loved one within the last six months compared to only one in five of the general U.S. population. At the same time, due to a lack of relationship recognition for same-sex couples, the GLBT community is faced with barriers in the healthcare industry that can make the circumstances of care giving even more stressful.
Healthcare agencies can ensure that their decision-making policies are inclusive of the GLBT community by:
- recognizing advance healthcare directives in allowing GLBT domestic partners decision-making authority for their hospitalized partner,
- implementing a written policy that allows same-sex parents the same rights as opposite-sex parents for medical decision-making for minor children.
GLBT Cultural Competence Training
In addition to implementing policies as described above, the hospital should conduct regular training on these issues in the hospital setting, making sure that all professional and non-professional staff understand that same-sex domestic partners and same-sex adoptive parents are to be treated in the same manner as all other next-of-kin.
