www.Ups tatePhys i c i ansSC . com | www.Hea l thL i nksUps tate. com | 41 “There’s a lot of fear, a lot of mistrust of health care providers,” said Chase Glenn. The lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and gender and sexuality expressions beyond the cis-gender, heterosexual norm community has struggled to find health care sensitive to their needs and experiences. Many LGBTQ patients are hesitant to share their gender and sexuality experiences, reducing the proficiency of health care providers to address the whole patient. “A lot of folks are just looking for any sign that this might be a safe place for them to share this information,” said Glenn. With dedicated administrative positions and focused efforts, South Carolina health care is making strides to understand and address the experiences of the LGBTQ community. Glenn is the first person to be in the role of director of LGBTQ+ Health Services and Enterprise Resources at the Medical University of South Carolina. He is an advocate for the LGBTQ community in patient services, in employee engagement and within the university curriculum and among students. He noted that health professionals need to be aware of the specific challenges LGBTQ people experience to provide pertinent care. “There's a scarcity of competent health care providers – people who have received the education and the training to understand the unique needs and experiences of the community and provide the care that they need,” said Glenn. CREATING A SAFE PLACE IN HEALTH CARE FOR LGBTQ PATIENTS By Molly Sherman
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