“I Don’t Want to Spend the Rest of my Life Only Going to a Gender Wellness Clinic”: Healthcare Experiences of Patients of a Comprehensive Transgender Clinic

Background Transgender individuals are less likely to have had a primary care visit in the last year than cisgender individuals. While the importance of multidisciplinary clinics for transgender care has been established, little is known about the healthcare experiences of transgender patients with these clinics. Objective To describe how patients experience transgender clinics and how these experiences compare to those experiences in other settings. Participants Twenty-one adult patients of a gender health program. Design and Approach Semi-structured interviews of transgender patients. The interviews focused on two domains: healthcare experiences and relationships with healthcare providers. Key Results Overall, transgender patients expressed a need for healthcare services, particularly for primary care, that are partially met by the comprehensive care clinic model. Limitations in access included the lack of willing providers, where the patients live, and long wait times for appointments. Participants recounted a range of experiences, both positive and negative, with providers outside of the transgender clinic, but only positive experiences to share about providers from the transgender clinic. Conclusion Outside specialty transgender settings, many patients had negative experiences with providers who were unwilling or unable to provide care. This study speaks to the need for primary care providers who can and will treat transgender patients, as well as the need for healthcare spaces that feel safe to transgender patents.