KENT COUNTY, Mich. — Finding a new primary care provider can be challenging, especially for members of the LGBTQIA+ community.
"We struggle to find affirming care, and why it's more nuanced is that we need that person to see us as a human being first," explained Ollie Robinson, Health Care Coordinator for the Grand Rapids Pride Center. "It's intimidating because when you think of the political climate that we're in that impacts how people think of and view, you know, people within the 2s LGBTQ plus community."
Robinson lives in Muskegon County and often travels to Grand Rapids for gender-affirming care. He notes that the demand for affirming providers is increasing, while the number of available doctors has not kept pace with this demand.
“We have a pretty short list of places that we refer clients out to because doctors are overloaded with these clients,” Robinson explained. “And then to find a doctor that's accepting new patients is, it can be a real challenge.”
However, patients are encouraged not to lose hope.
Dr. Christopher Palazzo is one of 500 Corewell Health providers trained to deliver safe and affirming care, which includes gender-affirming services.
"A lot of fear comes from starting a relationship with a new provider. You know, you have to share intimate details with this person,” Dr. Palazzo told FOX 17 News. "Being able to trust that this doctor is going to care for me, for me, and wants to know me for me, relieves a lot of that anxiety."
“It can mean anything from saying someone's correct pronouns or using the name that they've chosen as the name, not misgendering people if they do share that information with you,” he said.
Regular check-ups with a primary care provider are crucial for maintaining good health, and Dr. Palazzo believes that this type of care can even save lives.
“We know that this is life-saving care for a lot of people. We know that 40% of transgender patients report suicidality or suicide attempts in their lifetime, and that's a staggering statistic,” he said.
Finding the right doctor is accessible, according to Dr. Palazzo.
“If you're looking for something very specific, you can obviously use our LGBTQ Patient Navigator, which you can find through our website as well, and they can link you with someone that is going to be a fit for you,” he said.
For those unsure of where to start, reaching out to the Grand Rapids Pride Center is an option.
To find a doctor through Corewell Health, click here.
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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