ARRS is collaborating with the Radiology Health Equity Coalition (RHEC) to curate and disseminate trusted resources and best practices for improving access and utilization of preventive and diagnostic imaging.
Gender-affirming care is a rapidly evolving, highly politicized component of health care, affecting patients of all ages. Over the last decade, transgender and gender-diverse patients have been better recognized as a gender minority, approximated to represent up to 2% of the general population.
A frequently stigmatized group, the health care needs of these populations are often ignored or even condemned, leading to high rates of adverse health outcomes. Therefore, it is critical for physicians and hospital systems alike to be educated in the medical and the psychosocial aspects of gender-affirming care, so to ensure competent and compassionate care that optimizes patient health, autonomy, and wellbeing.
Presented live as a Featured Sunday Session during the 123rd ARRS Annual Meeting, “Improving Care of Gender-Diverse Patients in Radiology Departments” featured expert lectures on basic gender literacy, as well as pertinent clinical, surgical, and imaging aspects of gender-affirming care.
Participants were presented with—and provided continuing access to—a gender diversity toolkit, care of the two course directors for “Improving Care of Gender-Diverse Patients in Radiology Departments” at the ARRS Annual Meeting:
Sarah Menashe, MD
Assistant Professor, Pediatric Radiology
University of Washington School of Medicine
Seattle Children’s Hospital
Jason Wright, MD
University of Washington School of Medicine
Seattle Children’s Hospital
Additionally, all viewers of this #FOAMrad resource from ARRS will enjoy a step-by-step guide and repository of resources enabling individuals and departments to improve their provision of gender-affirming care in both the adult and pediatric settings.
Gender-diverse patients deserve uniform access to culturally competent, affirmative care in an environment that is free from harassment, discrimination, and bias. Apropos, this Featured Sunday Session during the 2023 ARRS Annual Meeting sought to educate medical imagers who want to improve their understanding and delivery of gender-affirming care.
- What Do You Say? Literacy in Sex- and Gender-Affirming Care”—Vaz Zavaletta, MD, PhD
- Overview of Sex- and Gender-Affirming Surgery—Frances Grimstad, MD, MS
- Perioperative Imaging of Sex- and Gender-Diverse Patients—Michelle LaRosa, MD
- Tools for Success: Practical Toolkit for Providing Gender-Affirming Care—Sarah Menashe, MD, and Jason Wright, MD
The opinions expressed on RadTeams are those of the author(s); they do not necessarily reflect the viewpoint or position of the editors, reviewers, or publisher.