Transgender, Nonbinary, and Intersex
Healthcare Best Practices Program
In 2020, The Welcome Project PA, a community-based nonprofit, launched a Healthcare Best Practices Program for Transgender, Non-Binary, & Intersex Patients. The initiative began with an online survey to collect information about LGBT+ healthcare experiences and what LGBT+ patients want doctors to know. WPPA then formed a LGBT+ cohort made up of transgender and nonbinary individuals in order to create training materials and to meet with doctors, nurses, and medical students to develop best practices in healthcare settings. The cohort engaged in candid conversations with doctors, and shared what needs to change and what aspects of their medical care are fragmented.
The primary healthcare partner is Jefferson Health/Abington Hospital, with the leadership of Doctor John Russell and Dr. Jimmy Ruiz. The education partner is Drexel University College of Medicine.
The goals for this program: decrease the health disparities that transgender, non-binary, and intersex patients face; lessen the fragmentation of health services for LGBT+ patients and the lack of knowledge across health care systems; encourage other doctors, medical campuses, and health care systems to implement a similar program for LGBT+ patients and the doctors who care for them.
Objectives: create & distribute an online LGBT+ health care survey for non-binary, trans, and intersex individuals [completed early 2021]; utilize the survey results to inform the work of the LGBT+ cohort; create medical professionals cohort that meets with the LGBT+ cohort; create a panel training program to be piloted at Abington Hospital/Jefferson Health; create materials for medical settings, related to LGBT+ care and best practices; create an online reviewing system/database of doctors and other medical professionals who are competent in LGBT+ patient care; perform outreach to other health care systems and providers to offer the training; develop video trainings that can be shared widely.
Key Funders: UU Fund for a Just Society, Temple Jeanes Campus, Independence Public Media Foundation, and Healthspark.
See Me, Hear Me, Know Me: The Welcome Project PA is a documentary film highlighting the stories and experiences of transgender and nonbinary individuals in healthcare settings. This film also includes a training video created by members of WPPA’s LGBT+ cohort.
The information you provide will remain completely anonymous and will be used to help train healthcare professionals to provide care more competently to Trans, Non-binary, and Intersex individuals! The survey involves 10 questions and will take about 10-15 minutes to complete. Not all questions are required, but everything you’re able to share will be extremely beneficial in helping us to train more affirming and competent healthcare providers!
Thank you so much for taking the time to help us with this initiative!
