Gender Diversity in Electronic Health Records: The Silicon Sword of Damocles

Kelley Winters, Ph.D.
2023 October 06

Panel presentation, 2023 TransPride YOUniting Health & Wellness Conference:

• Nick Eliot, Patient Advocate
• Quinnehtukqut McLamore, University of Missouri at Columbia
• Rebecca Niederlander, GRO Gifted
• Alicyn Simpson, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
• Kelley Winters, International Transgender Health Forum

Slides:

202310transprideehrdDownload

Summary:
Electronic Health Records (EHR) are ubiquitous in U.S. health care and enable personal information to be conveniently accessed through vast networks of associated hospitals, clinics, private practices, contractors, and health plan administrators. Broadly shared medical, mental health, and social data can offer advantages to consumers of the most privileged classes. However, EHR benefits and risks are more complicated for intersectional Transgender and Gender Diverse (TGD) minorities, when dignity, privacy, and personal agency (including personal closet boundaries) have special urgency. EHR risks in TGD health care are greatly amplified, with spreading criminalization of affirming health care in much of the U.S. This panel, from the International Transgender Health Forum, discusses current benefits and concerns regarding TGD representation in the EHR industry, clinical data practice, and U.S. and global medical data standards.

Learning Objectives:

Attendees should gain from this panel discussion:

1. An understanding of ethical issues specific to TGD minorities in EHR systems and practices.
2. Insights for critical examination of EHR systems, vendors, and practices with respect to TGD harm vs benefit.
3. More empowerment to question the status quo and advocate for reform of EHR systems in TGD care settings.

Link:
https://www.transpridepgh.org/2023-hw-conference.html

Copyright © 2023 Kelley Winters; Rebecca Niederlander; Nick Eliot; Quinnehtukqut McLamore; Alicyn Simpson