October 11th, 2012 marks the 23rd anniversary of National Coming Out Day, observed annually to celebrate coming out and to raise awareness of the LGBT community and LGBT civil rights movement.
LGBT HEALTH DISPARITIES: In the past two decades LGBT, people have made incredible progress towards securing equal rights in marriage equality and in protections under law against discrimination. but LGBT persons continue to experience worse health outcomes than their heterosexual counterparts and research indicates that many LGBT persons are at higher risk for illness and disease, often due to avoiding or delaying screening and treatment for fear of anti-gay discrimination or stigma from health care providers.
PROGRESS: Recent progress is being made in turning LGBT health disparities into LGBT health equity as more policymakers and government agencies come out for LGBT health. At the federal level, the Health and Human Services Administration is addressing LGBT health needs and concerns. The Institute of Medicine released a groundbreaking, comprehensive report last year on LGBT health needs and recommendations and the Joint Commission of guidelines for LGBT health, the LGBT Field Guide, which will be used to enable healthcare institutions to incorporate standards, policies and practices for LGBT competent care.
WHAT WE AT CONTIUUM ARE DOING: Continuum Health Partners has come out for LGBT health through undertaking a groundbreaking initiative to enhance and improve health care delivery to LGBT patients and consumers. The first step in this process was to work with CHP’s Diversity Council LGBT Committees at Beth Israel Medical Center and at St. Lukes/Roosevelt to amend and create Continuum policies to insure that LGBT patients are treated fairly, without discrimination or prejudice and competently throughout the Continuum system; and to create access to education, tools and resources for improving services to LGBT patients for all our employees –administrators, providers, educators and staff. To date based on these efforts, Continuum has the distinction of being one of only two recipients in New York State of the Human Rights Campaign’s Health Equality Index 100% Rating Score, awarded to medical services institutions that can support their commitment to quality care for LGBT patients through implementation of policies and guidelines for LGBT competent care.
Continuum has broken new ground in the establishment of the first LGBT Health Services program within a comprehensive medical center in the country. Housed within Beth Israel Medical Center, LGBT Health Services is offering provider and staff training in LGBT health issues and topics; is engaged in outreach and health education to the LGBT organizations and communities of the greater NY metropolitan area; is participating in education and advocacy for LGBT health equity with local and national health policymakers, researchers and educators; and is working with LGBT patients and consumers who need information, referral and patient navigation services.
For more information on our services and activities please contact:
Barbara E. Warren, PsyD, Director, LGBT Health Services, Beth Israel Medical Center
Office: Phillips Ambulatory Care Center, 10 Union Square East, Suite 2K-03, NYC 10003
Phone: 212-844-6389 Cell: 917-971-0689 Bwarren@chpnet.org
This is a brilliant idea and it will insure institutional-wide quality care for LGBT patients. I believe the BIMC Health Services Program will become the prototype for other hospitals that realize they need improved LGBT competency. This is a milestone for both Beth Israel and NYC’s underserved LGBT population.