This program presents clinical, educational, and policy perspectives in promoting inclusive and affirming care for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) community, with a focus on serious illness care.

LGBTQ+ individuals experience discrimination in health care. Providers and institutions may be uncomfortable with, and often don’t ask patients about, sexual orientation and gender identity. LGBTQ+ patients fear being open about their identities, not receiving equal, competent or safe treatment, and having their family of choice and surrogates disrespected or ignored. Guiding principles for providing inclusive and affirming care, inclusive of minority stress, resiliency and robustness, lived experiences, and intersectionality are explored, emphasizing care to trans and gender diverse communities.

Speakers will present findings from their study of 290 seriously ill patients and partners on their experiences of discrimination with healthcare providers. Finally, we will walk participants through what LGBTQ+-inclusive hospice and palliative care looks like, using both personal and professional experiences as a springboard for discussion.