Providing equitable care for members of the LGBTQ+ community will be the topic of the 14th annual Dorothy Hussain Distinguished Lectureship hosted by The University of Toledo College of Nursing.
Dr. Emily Zaragoza, a board-certified family medicine and integrative medicine specialist who holds clinical faculty positions at the University of Arizona College of Medicine and the University of Washington College of Medicine, will be the keynote speaker.
Dr. Emily Zaragoza, who earned her medical degree at the former Medical College of Ohio, will discuss topics including proper terms and definitions, preventative care, gender-affirming treatments and cardiovascular health through the lens of four LGBTQ+ patients she’s treated in her own practice.
The free, public lecture, “Sensitive Equitable Care for LGBTQ+ Populations,” will be held Tuesday, Oct. 5, from 4 to 6 p.m. in Collier Building Room 1000 with a virtual simulcast available on Webex.
Advanced registration is required for both the in-person event and the virtual presentation through the College of Nursing website.
Zaragoza, a native Ohioan who earned her medical degree at the former Medical College of Ohio, will discuss topics including proper terms and definitions, preventative care, gender-affirming treatments and cardiovascular health through the lens of four LGBTQ+ patients she’s treated in her own practice.
It is well-documented in the medical literature that many members of the LGBTQ+ community do not seek care over concerns of bias.
Clinicians, Zaragoza said, can address this in part by recognizing and addressing their own biases, even if they are unintentional — such as assuming a women’s spouse is a man or only giving a patient the option of identifying themselves as male or female.
“There is a bias to medical care in almost everything we do that makes this population feel unwelcomed,” she said. “Clinicians need to reflect on their own bias, their own language and interactions with this population. I hope my talk helps give clinicians tools to make this population feel comfortable and allows them to receive medical care.”
In addition to her academic appointments, Zaragoza serves as medical director of The Health Clinic in Seattle, Wash., for Premise Health.
Other panelists include:
• Jami Taylor, UToledo professor of political science and director of the Master of Public Administration Program;
• Rob Salem, clinical professor and associate dean for diversity and inclusion in the UToledo College of Law; and
• Beth Sander Thompson, an advanced practice registered nurse specializing in obstetrics and gynecology.
Dr. Linda Lewandowski, dean of the College of Nursing, interim executive director for University Campus Health Services, and vice provost for Health Affairs for Interprofessional and Community Partnerships, will serve as the moderator.
The lecture is named after the late Dorothy Gladys Hussain, whose professional career spanned 32 years as a staff nurse and critical care nurse at the former Medical College of Ohio Hospital. She was known for patient advocacy and championing patients’ rights.
