Health Center reforms transgender policies

As Ethan Jackson sat in the waiting room of the IU Health Center, he panicked.

About what name he should write on forms and whether he would be treated differently because of what he put down. About what name would be called when the medical professional was ready for him.

Jackson, a junior at IU, is a transgender student — one of many who have experienced problems with the IU Health Center. An Indiana Daily Student story printed Oct. 3, 2013, reported Jackson’s struggles with the University’s protocol for name use. 

Recently, the Health Center has begun to reform its policies regarding transgender patients.

As a freshman living in a dorm, Jackson said he had problems on his floor that drove him to seek counseling with Counseling and Psychological Services.

But before he could even speak to a therapist, he said he was met with ignorance and what he called accidental harm caused by pronoun misuse by the Health Center’s receptionist.

“The person who I scheduled with wouldn’t guarantee that my therapist would use my preferred name over my legal name,” Jackson said. “She didn’t know what was going on with pronouns and kept using female pronouns even after I tried explaining.”

This conversation initially caused Jackson pain even though upon visiting the Health Center, he said his therapist handled his gender identity appropriately.

For the past two or three years, Doug Bauder, director of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Student Support Services at IU, has been aware of the Health Center’s mistreatment of students who identify as transgender.

He said he suspects transgender students have been aware of the problem too, but have been too hurt or scared to address it.

“I bet there have been people who’ve known about this for much longer, but were just coming into the know by students making demands and making it clear what the problem is,” Bauder said.

The medical professional Jackson saw during his second visit used his legal name and the wrong pronouns because it’s what the medical records listed, Jackson said.
“Trans people suffer lots of anxiety going to places where bodies and identities are gawked at,” Jackson said. “I like the option of not having to out myself if I don’t need to.”
Now, the Health Center and GBLTSSS are teaming up to create a secure form for patients so preferred names and gender status can be accessible to all employees, administrative or medical.

IU Health Center Director Pete Grogg said a news media report prompted action.

“Our vendors took too long to help us with preferred names, so we began working with the GLBT office and their transgender committee to find discreet ways of capturing preferred names and gender statuses for our employees to use,” Grogg said.

The secure web form will let students enter their preferred name and gender status along with their legal names.

When Health Center staff access patient medical records, they will be alerted of preferred names, enabling the staff to use proper names and pronouns.

The entire staff also underwent training during winter break to inform workers of correct terminology, about transgender people and how to be aware of health-related issues transgender patients might run into, Grogg said.

Jackson attended the training and said he became hopeful after hearing positive comments and questions.

Grogg said etiquette education will continue to ensure the best visit for patients.

“It’s almost like a cultural shift to get employees and staff aware of these issues,” Grogg said. “It’s going to be an ongoing program for us because we want to continually strive to do a good job.”

He said he hopes this can make the Health Center a more welcoming and safe environment for all students, no matter how small of a minority they might be.

“As a health care facility, we should be the last place anyone should feel uncomfortable coming to,” Grogg said.

With the new form in place, Jackson said he feels more secure visiting the Health Center.

He said he knows of at least one visit he will have to make to the Health Center this semester, and he looks forward to seeing how the training and new system will affect his experience.

“If anyone asked me about the Health Center, I’d tell them a positive experience,” Jackson said. “I’d let them know how far they’ve come.”

Follow reporter Suzanne Grossman on Twitter @suzannepaige6.