DES MOINES, Iowa, Oct. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Six years ago, the
wheels of change started spinning in my home when my ninth grader
said he identified as transgender. As his father, the most
important thing for me to do was be there for him and show my
support. As a physician, I wanted to know everything I could to
help, so I could answer any questions he'd have during his
transition journey. But everywhere I looked, no one had answers —
not my colleagues at the clinic nor my insurance company. I felt
helpless. It's my job to have the answers, but I quickly
found the resources weren't there.
My frustration inspired me to do something. In 2017, I launched
a clinic dedicated to LGBTQ care at my UnityPoint Health practice
in Cedar Falls, Iowa. I wanted to
design a place where my son, and others like him, felt welcomed and
had access to personalized care. Statistics show one in four
transgender people had a very negative experience with health care
in the past year. One in five were refused health care simply for
being transgender. I wanted my son, and the entire LGBTQ community,
to have a different experience.
I soon realized the Herculean effort it would take to start a
new clinic movement. However, every time I anticipated a hurdle, I
joyfully discovered solutions, support and engagement. The pieces
started to fall into place, from finding physicians and nurses, to
identifying pharmacists and administrative support. There was
willingness from everyone with whom I connected to create a safer
and more welcoming experience for LGBTQ patients.
A key principle at our clinic is personalization. Evidence shows
using someone's preferred name or specified pronouns can be one of
the most affirming moments of the health care experience. That's
why the entire clinic team goes through special training to learn
terminology, understand concepts and identify available resources
in order to appreciate the unique challenges for the LGBTQ
community and their incredible resiliency.
The work has been fulfilling for everyone who walks through the
clinics' doors. At the end of the day, my team shares "joy bombs,"
or positive stories of the impact we made. Specifically, our
patients tell us how their outlook on wellness changed when someone
in health care affirmed their most-authentic self. Our caregivers
regularly report feeling reconnected with their reason for going
into health care. The inaugural clinic has been active for
one-and-a-half years, and we were pleased to launch a second LGBTQ
clinic in Des Moines, Iowa in
April 2019.
I know there are naysayers out there — people who've responded
negatively to our effort, and that's OK. While important to our
health care mission, I understand opening these clinics are also a
way to stand up and speak out about the injustices experienced by
the LGBTQ community. I'm proud of to be part of an organization,
like UnityPoint Health, that's emphasizing the importance of
diversity and inclusivity in health care.
My hope is the principles and practices we are nurturing in the
LGBTQ clinic become the de facto way of providing care. In other
words, although we are focusing on the LGBTQ experience, the
principles are universally applicable. If we can replicate the
amazing experience provided for patients, families and caregivers
across all sites of care, hopefully, there will eventually no
longer be a need for an LGBTQ clinic. It will simply be embedded
into how we show up for each other at every location, every day. By
creating an internal culture and standard practices at the LGBTQ
clinics, I've learned a good experience doesn't happen by accident
– it happens by design.
October 11, 2019 is National
Coming Out Day and here's my challenge to everyone out there – be
open to those moments when you recognize something that doesn't
seem right, or as positive as it could be. Then, take the time to
do something about it. I started this journey for my son, Ben. He's
my inspiration. What's yours?
Author: Kyle Christiason, MD,
Medical Director, UnityPoint Accountable Care and Family Medicine
Physician
About UnityPoint Health
UnityPoint Health is one of the nation's most integrated health
systems. Through relationships with more than 280 physician
clinics, 32 hospitals in metropolitan and rural
communities and home care services throughout its 9 regions,
UnityPoint Health provides care throughout Iowa, western Illinois and southern Wisconsin. UnityPoint Health entities employ
more than 32,000 team members working toward innovative
advancements to become the Midwest's premier health system known
for redesigning the health care experience. For more information
visit unitypoint.org.
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SOURCE UnityPoint Health