GLMA and Amino Health Collaborate to Enhance and Expand LGBTQ+ Affirming Care Access through the LGBTQ+ Healthcare Directory
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JANUARY 4, 2023
Contact: Eli Duffy
Communications & Development Manager
eduffy@glma.org
WASHINGTON D.C. — Today, GLMA: Health Professionals Advancing LGBTQ+ Equality announced a new partnership with
Amino Health, the leading digital healthcare navigation company. This collaboration gives health plan members using the Amino platform access to the LGBTQ+ Healthcare Directory, the fastest growing database of providers who are knowledgeable and sensitive to the unique health needs of LGBTQ+ people.
Launched in collaboration with the Tegan and Sara Foundation in 2022, the
LGBTQ+ Healthcare Directory has experienced remarkable growth. In its first year of operation alone, the Directory engaged over 60,000 users and connected over 2,700 providers to patients across all 50 states. In recognition of its success, the Directory won FastCompany's
Innovative Design Award in the Social Justice category in 2023.
The partnership with Amino will allow GLMA to focus on key enhancements to the Directory including improved connections and functionality for both patients and providers. In an era marked by increasing challenges to LGBTQ+ access to care, this partnership will help more people obtain the essential services they need and deserve.
Discrimination in healthcare settings continues to be a major concern for the LGBTQ+ community. According to a 2022
KFF survey, over one-third of LGBTQ+ individuals reported at least one negative experience with a provider, compared to fewer than one in five for non-LGBTQ+ survey participants.
Access to care is of particular importance for the trans and gender diverse community. A Center for American Progress
analysis of 2019 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data showed that 54 percent of transgender adults report having had poor physical health at least one day in the past month compared with 36 percent of cisgender adults.
“Our primary goal in creating the new LGBTQ+ Healthcare Directory was to cater to the unique needs of our community, improving their access to high-quality health care, said Alex Sheldon, MA, GLMA Executive Director. “By partnering with Amino Health, not only can we extend the reach of the Directory to a new audience, but also invest in technological updates to facilitate seamless use. Our vision remains clear: to ensure that the LGBTQ+ community can find and receive the health care they deserve.”
“There’s nothing more important in healthcare today than access to appropriate care,” said John Asalone, Amino Health CEO. “But time and again, we’ve heard from innovative employers and other customers that the status quo fails to connect patients with the providers they need. This partnership with GLMA allows us to better serve the LGBTQ+ community. We’re excited to contribute to the LGBTQ+ Healthcare Directory as a growing resource for all.”
Providers interested in joining the Directory can set up a profile in minutes. Visit the LGBTQ+ Healthcare Directory
signup page to learn more.
About GLMA: Health Professionals Advancing LGBTQ+ Equality
GLMA is a national organization committed to ensuring health equity for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) communities and equality for LGBTQ+ health professionals in their work and learning environments. To achieve this mission, GLMA utilizes the scientific expertise of its diverse multidisciplinary membership to inform and drive advocacy, education, and research.
About Amino Health
Amino Health is the leading digital healthcare guidance solution. The only guidance platform that can handle the complexity of modern benefits programs, Amino makes it easy for members to navigate tiered networks, point solutions, incentive programs, and more. With a proprietary database of more than 25 billion claims, Amino replaces member confusion with confidence, ultimately driving cost savings, improved engagement with point solutions, and better health outcomes.