Collecting SO/GI Data: Lessons Learned and Next Steps for Using the Data to Support LGBT Patients

The UDS 2016 requirement to report sexual orientation and gender identity (SO/GI) data inspired health centers to collect this information from patients for the first time. In order to implement systems to collect this demographic data, many health centers learned that they needed to educate patients on the "why" of sharing this personal information; engage staff in understanding why care teams need to understand a patient's sexual orientation and gender identity; educate the healthcare organization about what factors may impact a lesbian, gay, bisexual, and/or transgender patient's quality of care and experience of care; and use quality improvement methods to develop systems incorporating workforce skills and responsibilities and HIT fields and forms to collect, report, and begin to use SO/GI data to improve patient care. In this two-hour session, experts from the field will share promising practices for collecting SO/GI data and then lead a discussion about outstanding challenges and next steps for use of SO/GI data.

• - Summarize how to incorporate SO/GI data collection into your EHR to improve communication, quality care, and data and quality management activities.
• - Describe the impact SO/GI data collection and development of related decision support will have on key stakeholders (patients, staff, and management).
• - Identify methods to actively engage and educate staff on the importance of collecting SO/GI data, how to do so, the data’s impact on health disparities, and how SO/GI can be used to direct education and clinical practice.