November 11, 2024
A free, LGBTQ inclusive clinic in south central Indiana has been opened by medical school students.

A free, LGBTQ inclusive clinic in south central Indiana has been opened by medical school students.

A free, LGBTQ inclusive clinic in south central Indiana has been opened by medical school students: According to fourth-year chair Marissa Vander Missen, the Gender various and Queer Clinic (GDQC) seeks to address “unmet needs” for healthcare in south central Indiana and give medical school students practical experience in caring for various communities.

In addition to early instruction for our medical students to take in a population in an excellent teaching environment, we also aim to establish an LGBTQ+-competent care home, Vander Missen stated. With the goal of hosting a Saturday clinic more frequently in the future,

What is LGBTQ+-competent care?

The clinic will focus on “LGBTQ+-competent” treatment, which the students say is distinct from “LGBTQ+ friendly” care, although it is open to everyone in the neighborhood, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.

According to Vander Missen, “providers can call themselves LGBTQ-friendly, but LGBTQ competency typically requires some level of training.”

LGBTQ+-competent treatment, according to Vander Missen, requires knowledge of demographic-specific risk factors and mental health issues, safe-sex practices, and professional training in working with gender-diverse people.

“We’ve received training on HIV, safer sex, STI prevention, PrEP and PEP, and domestic violence and its individual impacts on the LGBTQ+ community,” Vander Missen stated. “That is what sets us apart, and we can’t wait to implement it.”

According to a 2015 UCLA study that was published in the American Journal of Public Health, out of 60 academic faculty practices nationwide, just 16 percent received “comprehensive LGBTQ+ training,” and 52 percent lacked it.

Compared to non-LGBTQ+ people, LGBTQ+ people are probably in worse health and are less likely to visit a doctor on a regular basis. According to a 2023 study that was published in The International Journal of Aging and Human Development,

The medical school’s study indicates a “great need” for LGBTQ+-competent care in south central Indiana, according to Emma Mazurek, the clinic’s third-year chair. Mazurek hopes the clinic can help improve health outcomes for local residents.

“Our goal is to help close that gap and serve as a link between the healthcare system and a marginalized community,” Mazurek stated.

What kinds of services will the clinic offer?

Primary care, mental health services, and STI testing will be provided by the GDQC when it opens. According to Mazurek, the clinic also intends to provide hormone replacement treatment (HRT), a regulated drug that requires authorization, in the upcoming years.

According to Mazurek, “at this time, we are more of a bridge into the traditional health care system, where they can receive gender-affirming care.” “But having HRT on site would be our growth goal in the next two, three, or four years.”

Clinic provides free services to uninsured

The GDQC will provide care to community residents who are not affiliated with IU, with a focus on underinsured or uninsured individuals. The clinic is able to offer uninsured patients free services thanks to funds from the medical school,

The GDQC’s first-year chair, Suki Sasic, emphasized that anyone who does not identify as LGBTQ+ is welcome to use the student-run clinic.

“Our goal is to serve as a primary clinic for everyone,” stated Sasic. “We’re here to provide care for anyone who is uninsured or underinsured, but we’re looking to fill a specific niche in healthcare.”

In addition to helping people who are uninsured or unfamiliar with the healthcare system get the care they require, Vander Missen expressed her hope that the clinic will be able to satisfy the requirements of Bloomington’s homeless population.

“We will assist people who are not accustomed to interacting with the health system in obtaining insurance that they qualify for,” Vander Missen stated. “While we share the same objectives for your care, we will also help you transition to the traditional healthcare system.

A crucial element of the free clinic, according to Sasic, is “harm reduction,” a phrase that comes from lowering risk among drug users but is commonly used to refer to public and sexual health.

“We hope to have a lot of safe sex supplies and Naloxone on hand, so even if someone doesn’t have an urgent problem, they can come here if they’re engaging in risky behaviors,” Sasic stated. “We want to be a place where they can come and get resources without feeling judged.”

Clinic access limited by agreement with IU Health

There will be some restrictions on the clinic. According to an agreement between the clinic and the IU Health office hosting it, individuals who are covered by IU Health or on health plans accepted by IU Health will not be eligible. Additionally, it would initially be unable to fill its own prescriptions;

Nevertheless, the clinic’s chairs are certain that the GDQC will close critical healthcare gaps in the neighborhood.Mazurek stated, “We’re starting out slowly and seeing what the community needs.”On October 19, the Gender Diverse and Queer Clinic opened at Dr. Dishman-Kessler’s office at 1302 S. Rogers St.

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