GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Just last year, Corewell Health launched a new patient navigator service that’s been dedicated to the LGBTQIA+ community and has helped hundreds of individuals access equitable care and choose the health care provider that suits their needs.
With only 10 or so health systems across the country offering this type of service it’s hitting several significant milestones and quickly becoming a successful model for other health systems to replicate for their patients.
We wanted to know more about this first year of service, so we connected with Zoey O’Brien, Corewell Health’s LGBTQIA-PLUS Patient Navigator, and Malissa Becksvoort, Director of Primary Care Operations.
Zoey explained what the navigator does for patients.
“My job is to make sure everyone feels safe when seeking care and to improve the health and well-being of the community at large,” they explained. “I connect patients and families with more than 330 safe and affirming providers and care within Corewell Health and the community. I also help provide patients with information about resources such as support and social groups, education, advocacy and more.”
The service has become a model for other health systems to use. Malissa Becksvoort explained that while the initial idea for a LGBTQIA+ patient navigator was from Rush University, Corewell Health has adapted it to meet the needs of their patients.
“We first created role-specific safe and affirming training for providers, leaders, clinical and non-clinical team members,” said Becksvoort. “This training educates on health disparities, safe and affirming language, SOGI data collection, and how we can promote health equity.”
Corewell also created a safe and affirming practice designation, where all providers and team members in a medical practice complete role-based LGBTQIA+ Safe & Affirming training, and then created the option for providers to list themselves as Safe and Affirming on their FindADoc profile after they complete the training.
“These are all things that can easily be replicated,” said Becksvoort. “Good health needs to be inclusive of everyone.”
For more information, visit www.SpectrumHealth.org/LGBTQIA to get started. Or, contact Zoey O’Brien directly at 833.968.0263.
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