LGBTQ+ Health

Washington University Physicians are committed to providing excellent, patient-centered care to LGBTQ+ patients in a respectful environment. LGBTQ+ patients have unique health needs. Sharing information about your sexual orientation and gender identity with your care team helps us provide a more personalized health care experience, specifically tailored to your needs.

Sexual orientation, gender identity and your care

• Some conditions are more or less common in LGBTQ+ patients than in other groups. Recommendations for health care screenings, vaccinations, medications and other services can be different based on your gender identity and sexual behavior.
• Across the country, health care providers are more frequently asking about sexual orientation and gender identity with the goal of providing better care to LGBTQ+ patients. Learn more at doaskdotell.org.
• The information that you share with your provider is confidential and protected in the same ways as other medical information.     

Health care services 

While all of our clinics are welcoming and inclusive, a number of our services provide care that may be specifically of interest to LGBTQ+ patients:

• Washington University Transgender Center
• Differences of Sex Development Clinic
• PrEP (Pre-exposure prophylaxis) 
• HIV Testing and Care
• Washington University Fertility and Reproductive Medicine Center
• Contraceptive Choice Center      
• The SPOT (Medical and social services for ages 13-24)

LGBTQ+ patient rights

Our policies are committed to ensuring your rights to health and health care. Barnes-Jewish Hospital and St. Louis Children’s Hospital policies support patients rights to care and visitation without discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. For more information about patient rights and our non-discrimination policies go to:

• Barnes-Jewish Hospital Patient Rights and Responsibilities
• St. Louis Children’s Hospital Patient Rights and Responsibilities  
• Washington University Non-Discrimination Statement      

Barnes-Jewish Hospital and St. Louis Children’s Hospital participate in the Healthcare Equality Index. We are proud of our strong performance over multiple years and we are committed using this index as a tool to continue to improve health care for LGBTQ+ patients.  Visit the Healthcare Equality Index website for more information about our performance.

LGBTQ+ patient resources

We strive to empower all of our patients with the knowledge to maximize their health.

Preparing for your appointment

• Ten Things Lesbians Should Discuss with Their Healthcare Provider
• Ten Things Gay Men Should Discuss with Their Healthcare Provider
• Ten Things Bisexuals Should Discuss with Their Healthcare Provider
• Ten Things Transgender Persons Should Discuss with Their Healthcare Provider
  (Health Professionals Advancing LGBTQ Equality, GLMA)

Local resources

• TransParent
• PROMO Health Resources
• Metro Trans Umbrella Group
• Missouri DHSS PrEP Information and Provider Directory
• Please PrEP Me
• Planned Parenthood 
• Doorways
• St. Louis Effort for AIDS (Vivent Health)
• Growing American Youth
• PrideSTL
• Rustin’s Place
• Youth In Need
• The Trevor Project
• Bernard Becker Medical Library LGBTQ Healthcare Resources Guide

National resources

• UCSF Center of Excellence for Transgender Health
• National LGBT Cancer Project
• National LGBT Health Education Center
• GLMA Health Professionals Advancing LGBT Equality
• Human Rights Campaign
• SAGE Advocacy and Services for LGBT Elders
• CDC LGBT Health
• Healthy People 2020 LGBT Health

Research information    

There are many things that we don’t know about health and LGBTQ+ patients. Research is one of the best ways to understand and improve the health of LGBTQ+ people. The NIH has made it one of their goals to dedicate more resources to LGBTQ+ health issues and disparities. Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine (WUSM) are committed to participating in this effort. Many groups at WUSM are doing research to develop a better understanding of a variety of conditions and how they affect LGBTQ+ people.

Some current research groups working on topics that relate to LGBTQ+ health:

• Infectious Diseases Clinical Research
• Differences in Sex Development 

Providers