Improving Health Care Experiences for Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Patients

The WSMA strongly support the rights of transgender and gender nonconforming patients, and recommend that all Washington state health care facilities that provide direct patient care adopt gender-affirming practices, including but not limited to the following:

• Ensure appropriate documentation of a patient’s preferred name and pronouns as part of new patient registration processes;
• Establish and publicize protocol for documenting a change in a patient’s gender;
• Provide a write-in option for sex and gender on all forms and avoid binary identifiers;
• Offer gender sensitivity training by an expert trainer for all medical providers, administrators, and support staff;
• Develop guidelines for providing appropriate preventative health care screenings for all patients regardless of gender identity and according to their physical needs;
• Ensure the availability of gender-neutral bathrooms; and
• Develop a patient referral plan when one’s health care facility is unable to provide gender-affirming services, including hormone replacement therapy, gender-affirming surgical procedures, and routine preventative health screenings.

(Res C-24, A-19)

The WSMA supports the adoption of the Informed Consent for Access to Transgender Health Care model or other best practice models for the provision of gender-affirming care in adults and emancipated minors. (Res C-10, A-22)

Return to the WSMA Policy Compendium index

Abbreviations for House of Delegates report origination:

EC – Executive Committee; BT – Board of Trustees; CPA – Council on Professional Affairs; JC – Judicial Council; CHS – Community and Health Services