I just got my dream job helping run a trans healthcare program, and I’m looking for input from the community on on what would make you feel more comfortable or engaged with your medical provider. We provide everything from HRT to surgery to non-trans medical care. My goal is to have the happiest, healthiest patients in the country!
Just having literally any trans people actually working there would make me a lot more comfortable, and is not something I’ve ever experienced before.
I’m really hoping me being a trans woman and the first point of contact will make patients feel safe and be more willing to be honest.
This is interesting because my partner currently works for a company that offers transgender care as one of their services and have recently received feedback that patients would like to see “visibly trans” people on the staff. There are transgender people working for the company, but I suppose they’re not “visibly trans” enough. Could you possibly elaborate on what you mean? It would be very helpful, thanks!
It’s not that I expect any trans staff there to out themselves on my behalf or anything, it’s just VERY OBVIOUS none of them are trans. There are things you just don’t have to explain to a fellow trans person, you know? The staff at my doctor’s office need like toddler level handholding when I’m trying to explain the most basic shit. Even an extraordinarily well-informed cis person just does not have the life experience necessary to fully grasp what it’s like, and that is reflected in the quality of service.
TLDR, I don’t need individual confirmation of the cis status of each staff member, because an office with any trans staff (at least any who’s opinion is taken into consideration) would not behave like this
Probably not something you can affect, but my biggest issue with trans care is just access to it through insurance. Free clinics and out of pocket payments make it doable, but around me, the offices specializing in trans care don’t cover insurances except the few largest.
I just love a clean, efficient, clinical experience. I’m sure this is idiosyncratic, but I spent a long time in direct care work taking clients to doctors. Some places are a mess. Nurses gotta find things. Nurses gotta figure things out. A good doctor’s office has places for things and things in their places. Procedures are known and followed. The Planned Parenthood where I get my hrt can be downright crispy. Once it’s my turn, I can be out of there in 10-15 minutes. It would be faster if they didn’t check in on me in general and offer me any and all other services they can provide or connect me with. If they’d stop being so damn supportive, we could do that shit in five minutes. And it fills me with trust. I’m a well informed and prepared patient, so we’re almost always on the same page. Quick chat>skillful disensanguination>gone. It’s beautiful. It’s almost a bummer to go to six month appointment intervals because it’s always such a wholesome and satisfying experience. So yeah, for me personally, give me a well oiled machine and I’ll be happy.
Follow international medical guidelines (i.e. WPATHv8) as a baseline, actually listen to trans people, and be willing to deviate based on patient need.
Have the trans community involved in governance in a non-tokenestic way, e.g. seats on the board.
Have trans people working there and listen to patients. I had to demand my doctor raise me to 6mg from 4mg HRT, on 4MG I had male stuff that would go away and return (assuming my levels would dip and male stuff would return) on 6MG I am much more stable but I wish my doctor would of listened and stopped telling me my labs were fine.
