Safe, Quality, Welcoming Medical care
Tips for Finding an LGBTQ+ Welcoming Primary Care Provider
Even though finding a safe and affirming medical provider is super important for our health, that doesn’t mean it’s always easy to do. We’ve assembled some tips for finding a provider that fits your needs.
One of the best ways to find a doctor or medical provider who is familiar with LGBTQ+ health needs is to ask around.
Try Asking:
- Your LGBTQ+ friends which doctors they’ve seen and who they would recommend.
- LGBTQ+ local organizations if they have any resources for finding providers in your area.
- Your local Planned Parenthood if they know other doctors in the area who are knowledgeable in LGBTQ+ specific health needs.
- Social Media Groups. If you are new to an area you can try joining affinity groups on Facebook and asking for recommendations there.
When in doubt, research potential clinics or hospitals by Googling key terms like “gender clinic near me” or “LGBTQ+ health care near me”. Some hospitals and insurance companies make it easy and list qualified providers as LGBTQ+ specialists.
PRO TIP: If the hospital system or your insurance doesn’t list providers as LGBTQ+ friendly, providers who specialize in HIV/AIDS also tend to be more familiar with LGBTQ+ community members and our unique needs.
National Provider Directories:
The unpleasant truth is that many providers have long waiting lists. That’s why it’s especially important to start looking for a doctor or medical provider before you start feeling unwell. Preventative care might take a bit of work, but it’s way less stressful in the long term.
Looking for a Cancer Specialist?
We asked more than 2,000 LGBTQ+ folks living with cancer how they found their LGBTQ+ friendly cancer provider; here’s what they said:
- Start with who your friends and local LGBTQ centers recommend.
- Get referred by your primary care doctor. Many LGBTQ+ friendly doctors have networks of other LGBTQ+ friendly providers in your area.
- Go with a hospital system you know and trust.
- Research online.
Lastly you can check out our database of LGBTQ+ friendly cancer treatment facilities.
Interview Potential Candidates
Remember, no matter how confident a doctor is, they work for you! You get to decide whether or not they are a good fit for your needs. One way to interview potential doctors or facilities is to call the front desk staff before you go in or ask the doctor a series of questions during your first visit.
Here are some questions to ask:
- Does your office have gender neutral restrooms?
- Does your office require employees (front desk staff and medical providers) to be trained in LGBTQ+ cultural humility? If so, how frequently?
- I identify as [insert identity here], have you taken care of patients like me? Would I be your first?
- Have you been trained on my community’s unique health needs? If not, do you have access to a professional network that can provide you with the resources?
Would you be open to receiving additional training? - Will you feel comfortable talking to me about sex and other intimate parts of my life without judgement?
- Do you have LGBTQ+ employees?
- Do you forms have a place to list pronouns, gender identity and sexual orientation, and legal name if different from name used.
Does Your Provider Need a Little Help?
Even though finding a safe and affirming medical provider is super important for our health, that doesn’t mean it’s always easy to do. We’ve assembled some tips for finding a provider that fits your needs.
- Standards of Care (especially for transgender community members)
- Welcoming Spaces Training
- Best and Promising Practices
- Ask if they are willing to work with you and invest in doing some research to make sure they understand what might be specific risk factors, ways to communicate effectively.
Trust yourself
It’s important you feel safe and comfortable with a provider. Don’t settle for one who is “good enough”. You are deserving of safe, affirming medical care.
