SEATTLE — Swedish’s LGBTQI+ Program is a health care and advocacy program dedicated to the needs of the LGBTQIA+ community.
“We really focus on what we can do to make it a comprehensive, inclusive, and well-informed environment for our patients, which of course involves medical care, patient education, and patient navigation,” said Dr. Kevin Wang, medical director for Swedish’s LGBTQI+ Program and clinical faculty for Swedish’s Family Medicine – First Hill and OB/GYN residency programs.
The program includes practitioners from various specialties who have undergone LGBTQIA+ competency training. Care navigation for transgender and gender diverse patients is also offered to ensure they receive affirming, competent care.
“We just want to focus on what we can to do make patients feel welcome,” Dr. Wang said. “We know it’s a work in progress, but we’re doing everything we can to make it a good environment for our patients.”
The program was founded in 2020 after a group of providers wrote a letter to leadership about how Swedish could support the LGBTQI+ community better.
“We had meetings, and three to six months later, we got funding from amazing donors and amazing support from our Swedish Foundation,” Dr. Wang said.
Mattie Mooney partners with Swedish as a healthcare navigator and is heavily involved with many advocacy groups. This has allowed Swedish to testify on legislation and have important conversations with elected officials on issues affecting the LGBTQIA+ community.
“I’m really grateful for all of the work Swedish is putting into this,” Dr. Wang said.
Swedish’s affiliation with Providence enables the program to serve more communities across Western Washington.
“What’s really exciting about this merger is the work we’re doing is going to inform and influence the care they provide their LGBTQIA+ members,” Dr. Wang said.
To learn more about the comprehensive care provided by the program, visit the Swedish website.
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