Precision EM: Individualizing Care
Mike Gisondi, MD led development of a course to train providers around the country in inclusive care for LGBTQ+ patients.
Teaching LGBTQ+ Health Care
LGBTQ+ health has historically focused on HIV and AIDS prevention and education, often misrepresenting or ignoring other health needs of this patient population. The interactive online course, "Teaching LGBTQ+ Health," addresses this systemic gap by educating health professionals on how to care for LGBTQ+ individuals in ways that are sensitive to their health needs.
Co-led by Michael Gisondi, MD, vice-chair of education for Stanford Department of Emergency Medicine; Timothy Keyes, a Stanford medical student; Shana Zucker, an internal medicine resident at University of Miami; and Delia Bumgardner, instructional designer for Stanford EdTech, the course is designed for physicians, nurses, pharmacists, social workers, and advanced health providers, but has also proven successful with broader lay audiences.
For the LGBTQ+ population, patient access to health care and the quality of care received are impacted by language choice, discrimination, mental health concerns, social and behavioral determinants, and other unique factors.
Through animated and interactive case studies of bisexual, gay, and non-binary gender patients, learners explore the best approaches to physical exams and health assessments for the LGBTQ+ population, how to make clinical settings more welcoming, and how to use appropriate LGBTQ+ health vocabulary. The curriculum is evidence-based and reviewed by members of the Medical Student Pride Alliance and Stanford LGBTQ-Meds.
Open to all, the course debuted in spring 2021 and has already as garnered more than 1,800 participants nationwide.