The leadership behind Plume knew that a virtual access point would be critical for providing safe and affirming care to trans patients. Kirkley says telehealth isn’t just a convenient or nice-to-have option, but a preferred choice for many trans patients.

However, she points out that insurance can still be a barrier to care for many, as some states refuse to cover trans-related care through Medicare and Medicaid. Many private insurance companies provide coverage, but Kirkley says there’s room for improvement.

“Even if you have the best insurance in the world, if you don’t have a provider located near you that you can access, you can’t use that insurance,” she says. “We always say that coverage doesn’t equal access and it doesn’t equal care. You really have to align those three.”

Best Practices for Providing Virtual Care to LGBTQ Patients

Healthcare organizations or providers looking to expand, add or improve care options for LGBTQ patients should first talk to members of the community to understand their healthcare experiences and needs, according to Kirkley.

“It’s also important to understand, of course, that no one person is representative of all people’s experiences. It’s good to get as many voices around the table as possible,” she says.

One aspect of affirming care that shouldn’t be overlooked is the language used within patient-facing forms and technology. Kirkley emphasizes the importance of using a patient’s preferred gender identity and pronouns throughout a platform and in all forms, as well as the patient’s preferred name.

“Ensuring that the technology you’re building has that capability is super important. If we’re giving patients forms or they’re logging in to something regularly and they have to use what we call their dead name, or a name that is not their chosen name, or see a gender marker that doesn’t reflect who they are, that’s incredibly nonaffirming,” she says, adding that the experience can lead to negative mental health outcomes. “Many people who aren’t trans don’t think about that, but it’s important to get that right.”

WATCH: Discover how to get the most out of virtual care technology.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services also suggests that healthcare organizations encourage clinicians and staff to take LGBTQ health education training as part of their telehealth workflow. To improve the telehealth experience for LGBTQ patients, the organization suggests that providers ensure the patient has privacy and feels safe to speak openly at the start of a telehealth appointment; assure the patient that the information discussed during the appointment is confidential; confirm the patient’s preferred pronouns and preferred name; and help the patient find local physicians that can provide affirming care if an in-person visit is needed.

In addition, Kirkley emphasizes the importance of moving beyond the typical disease-based model of care, which focuses on using standard treatments across all patient populations, “often without acknowledging the people who are attached to those medical conditions and what else might be going on in their lives.”

Instead, healthcare providers should consider how they can provide care to a specific community. Doing so will validate those patients’ experiences and can lead to better health outcomes, says Kirkley.