Using the Electronic Health Record to Address LGBT Disparities in Healthcare

LGBT people face stigma and related health disparities in health care. In spite of the advancements in LGBT acceptance and policy, many LGBT people remain largely invisible to their providers. Meaningful Use Stage 3 includes the requirement that all certified EHR systems have the capacity to record sexual orientation (SO) and gender identity (GI). HRSA now requires that all FQHCs report SOGI data on their annual Uniform Data Systems (UDS) report. Collecting SOGI data of patients is critical for healthcare organizations to provide a welcoming, inclusive environment and allow healthcare providers to better understand their LGBT patients._x000D_
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Routine SOGI data collection in the EHR can be used to measure and track health outcomes at the individual and population level. The EHR is an important tool for managing quality for populations and developing quality and monitoring reports, like a Transgender Dashboard, that can help reduce health disparities. Experiences and processes of implementing changes within the EHR and workflows will be shared. Training all staff, including non-clinical staff, is key to the successful implementation of SOGI data collection and creating a LGBT inclusive environment in primary care.

• Describe how the customization to an EHR can improve communication, data, and quality management activities including the collection and reporting of patient-level information, clinical outcomes, and better care coordination.
• Understand the impact SOGI data collection will have on key stakeholders (patients, staff, and management).
• Identify methods to actively engage and educate staff on the importance of collecting SOGI data and how to do so, and its impact on health disparities.