Online medical training program launched by Mautner Project
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The Mautner Project, The National Lesbian Health Organization has created an online training center for medical professionals to educate them on the "unique health concerns of lesbian patients." The curriculum, which has been approved by the Centers for Disease Control, specifically addresess the delivery of medical care of "women who partner with women."
The program is one of the partnerships Matuner has launched with the CDC, a relationship which began in 1997.
Here is the press release issued by Mautner on the project:
WASHINGTON – The Mautner Project, The National Lesbian Health Organization, has launched the first-ever national online training curriculum that specifically addresses the unique health concerns of lesbian patients for medical and health care professionals. The “Removing the Barriers” (RTB) online course is an introduction to the key concepts of providing culturally competent, quality care to women who partner with women (WPW). The online training allows the providers to take it at their convenience while receiving 2 hours continuing education credit.
“The culture of the medical system in the United States has historically been Caucasian, male-dominated, heterosexual, pathology-driven, and science-based,” said April Nelson, the Mautner Project’s National Training Director. “Many lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) patients fear bias when they go to a health care provider’s office which creates a barrier to optimal health care. In some cases patients may provide incomplete medical information which can result in poor health outcomes, and in many cases, they may not access care at all.”
The Mautner Project has conducted on-site “Removing the Barriers” trainings for over 4,000 health care professionals across the country. The trainings have been attended by health care providers from all 50 states and Canada. To date, trainings have taken place in hospitals; clinics; professional schools including medicine, nursing and social work; professional conferences and at 53 breast and cervical cancer early detections programs (BCCEDP). In addition to the launch of the new online course, trainings are currently being initiated at eldercare facilities and fertility clinics.
“Competent healthcare delivery depends on a healthcare professional’s ability to look beyond the obvious aspects of a patient’s physical appearance and to be sensitive to cultural factors that may influence a patient’s attitudes and behaviors,” said William E. Gannon Jr., MD, Mautner Project Board Member and Medical Advisor. “Cultural awareness is especially important to lesbian patients who face barriers because of their sexual orientation. Many lesbians fear bias based on previous personal experiences with physicians or on the experiences of their friends or loved ones.”
The accredited online RTB training is an overview of the more intensive trainings that the Mautner Project has been conducting for over 10 years. Along with the online version, the experiential on-site RTB trainings will continue in various workshop formats ranging from 2 hours to a full day.
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ABOUT THE MAUTNER PROJECT, THE NATIONAL LESBIAN HEALTH ORGANIZATION
The Mautner Project is the national lesbian health organization. The Mautner Project’s mission is to improve the health and wellness of lesbians and women who partner with women through advocacy, education, direct services, and research. To obtain information, or learn more about the Mautner Project’s “Removing the Barriers” training visit www.mautnerproject.org.
The Mautner Project, The National Lesbian Health Organization has created an online training center for medical professionals to educate them on the "unique health concerns of lesbian patients." The curriculum, which has been approved by the Centers for Disease Control, specifically addresess the delivery of medical care of "women who partner with women."