OutCare Health Partners with La Roche-Posay

OutCare Health and La Roche-Posay have entered an exclusive partnership to create a training program to help improve LGBTQ+ cultural competency in provider practices and patient interactions. The OutCare training program educates dermatologists on how to communicate with LGBTQ+ patients and care for them with increased sensitivity and cultural competence.
 
Eliminating Barriers to Care
 
LGBTQ+ people are members of every community and make up at least 5.6% of the total general population of the United States. Unfortunately, the LGBTQ+ community continues to experience barriers to care due to stigma and discrimination, financial insecurity, lack of healthcare insurance, and higher rates of physical and mental health conditions as well as suicidality. These issues disproportionately affect LGBTQ+ subgroups, particularly transgender women of color.
 
“We know, unfortunately, that these populations are the ones who have the most struggle — those with lower incomes and lower rates of healthcare insurance,” says president and founder of OutCare Health, Dr. Dustin Nowaskie. “These are the populations that are most affected and burdened by things like stigma and discrimination at the societal level, at the political level, and at the healthcare level.”
 
Studies have documented a critical lack of cultural competency among providers across the country that contributes to stigmatization and discrimination against LGBTQ+ individuals. When patients are uncomfortable or do not feel safe talking to providers, they are less likely to seek healthcare, which can exacerbate pre-existing conditions or allow new or developing issues to take hold.
 
Training Medical Staff Across the Country
 
Currently, OutCare has an extensive network of LGBTQ+ public viewership, initiatives, resources, and culturally competent providers. By joining forces with La Roche-Posay, OutCare will be able to work on training medical staff at dermatology and oncology practices across the country and increase the number of OutList providers ready to provide experienced, culturally competent care to the growing LGBTQ+ population.
 
“I’m excited about this partnership between OutCare and La Roche-Posay. It is important to create an open dialogue between patients and physicians and make sure physicians understand the needs of all their patients. Education is key and as an advocate for patients this is step in the right direction to breakdown barriers that prevent our LGBTQIA+ patients from receiving amazing medical care that everyone deserves,” says Dr. Anthony Rossi, attending dermatologist and dermatologic surgeon.
 
Since 2015, OutCare Health has trained providers and students, medical and administrative staff, and community members across the country through its cultural competency workshop that provides knowledge on how to communicate with and care for LGBTQ+ patients with increased sensitivity and by addressing practice gaps, identifying current needs, and supplementing providers with up-to-date education. OutCare has trained thousands of individuals and has shown to improve provider cultural competency by at least 35%.
 
This partnership proves that the need for LGBTQ+ cultural competent care in all lines of practice of healthcare is not only necessary, it’s the future. As part of their commitment to diversity and inclusion, La RochePosay will be supporting OutCare and its LGBTQ+ initiatives.