LGBTIQA+ allyship advances patient safety

16 May 2024

On 17 May every year, we acknowledge IDAHOBIT, which stands for International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexphobia and Transphobia. The occasion celebrates the progress we have made while also raising awareness for the discrimination, violence, and challenges that LGBTIQA+ people, also known as the rainbow community, still face today in many aspects of society.

This year’s IDAHOBIT theme is ‘No one left behind: equality, freedom and justice for all’ – a call for unity: only through solidarity for each other will we create a world without injustice, where no one is left behind. The world has just celebrated the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights – a document that is much more than a cornerstone of international law: it is a guide to navigate a deeply divided world, a set of values that everyone can live by, and ultimately a force for good. And yet, we know that ‘All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights’ represents a promise not yet fulfilled – for LGBTIQA+ people across the world, and for everyone experiencing the negative impact on their lives of diverse layers of inequalities.

In the lead-up to IDAHOBIT on 17 May, we spoke to members of our Imaging department about their recent initiatives addressing some of the challenges that LGBTIQA+ people, face in our healthcare system.

The patient experience

As part of Imaging practice and prior to administering ionising radiation, all patients of child-bearing age must be screened for pregnancy, to ensure that measures are applied to protect the foetus.

Kristy explains, “In cases where a transgender or non-binary patient has internal reproductive organs, it’s crucial to screen for pregnancy.

“Radiation Safety and Monash Health Imaging revised our patient information and procedures using gender-neutral language and imagery wherever possible. We’ve also collaborated with our LGBTIQA+ subcommittee and consumer advisors to create a Gender Diverse Welcome Poster, enhancing patient safety in Imaging for the LGBTIQA+ community.”

Kristy emphasised the significance of the new initiatives: “The poster is designed to foster a welcoming and inclusive environment. It explains to patients the importance of sharing sensitive information with our service, ensuring we can offer personalised and safe care in the imaging setting.” She added, “Creating a more inclusive and welcoming environment benefits the patients from all communities and our employees. Regardless of personal beliefs or opinions, it’s crucial that we address the needs of transgender, gender-diverse, and non-binary patients effectively.”

Health information systems

Jason McKenzie, Imaging’s Information Systems Manager, also spoke about changes supported by the LGBTIQA+ subcommittee. Adding a new pronouns data field on information systems means preferred pronouns are recorded, helping inform and empower clinicians and technicians to provide personalised care and improve the patient experience.

“The challenge has been how to capture data with arriving patients. The decision was to allow people to volunteer the information rather than ask since most of our information capture is verbal. We’re sensitive about having those conversations in a public space. We don’t want to ‘out’ people or make people feel uncomfortable.

“We need the dichotomy of sex and gender that is clear and accurate to help with diagnostic accuracy and respect to our patients that requires leadership organisations like ours and government to make this change happen.”

Work is in progress to include a range of pronouns, improve the display of sex and gender and standardise gender information across information systems and medical records. These considerations are also part of the Standardisation of Procedure Code work by The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists (RANZCR).

Published research

Led by Mohamed Badawy, our Chief Physicist and Radiation Safety Officer, a collaborative effort involving colleagues from our Imaging Program and Gender Clinic, supported by the Monash Health Library with the literature review, has resulted in the recent publication of a paper titled ‘Gender-inclusive practice in pregnancy determination for transgender, gender-diverse, and non-binary patients in medical imaging.’ Kristy highlighted the motivation behind the paper, stating, “To advance, we needed to deeply understand the complex needs and vulnerabilities faced by transgender, gender-diverse, and non-binary patients.”

The paper identifies gaps and necessary workflow adjustments in health services to better cater to these patients. Based on the findings, the Imaging team is now considering piloting recommendations and initiatives derived from the study. Kristy notes, “The key takeaway from our paper is that the safety of the foetus is paramount. Therefore, it’s crucial to create a safe and welcoming atmosphere that encourages patients to share pertinent information.”

You can read the paper in full for free with the Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Oncology:

Mohamed Khaldoun Badawy, Prisha Dadoo, Kristy Grossmann, Riki Lane & David Colon-Cabrera. (2023). Gender‐inclusive practice in pregnancy determination for transgender, gender diverse and non‐binary patients in medical imaging. Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Oncology. https://doi.org/10.1111/1754-9485.13551

Thank you to our Imaging team for sharing their experiences. Improving safety and acceptance in a healthcare setting ensures that we can provide accurate information about patients and get the best medical care possible for them. Learn more about how you can stand up against LGBTIQA+ discrimination this IDAHOBIT and beyond.

You learn more about IDAHOBIT and LGBTIQA+ inclusion from:

Our Gender Equality Action Plan and Equity and Inclusion Strategy provide more information about equity and inclusion at Monash Health.