We use cookies to improve your experience on our site. Please accept the Privacy Policy to continue.
 

Press Releases

NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan Announces Expansions of Transgender Health Services and LGBTQ Health Center Hours

Hospital Adds Gender-Affirming Surgeries and Hormone Therapy Clinic

Nov 28, 2016

New York, NY

NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan announced newly expanded health services for transgender patients, including gender-affirming surgeries and increased access to hormone therapy. Metropolitan is one of only a few hospitals in New York City, and the only one within the city’s public health system, offering gender-affirming surgeries.
The LGBTQ Health Center currently provides comprehensive individual and family-based primary care to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer New Yorkers. Transgender patients referred by their primary care physician can now access breast augmentation and implants, or chest masculinization surgery, commonly referred to as “top surgery.” Metropolitan’s interdisciplinary team will work with patients and their health insurers to obtain all the necessary pre-surgical clearances and statements of medical necessity from their physicians.
“We are proud to lead the way in providing equitable health care for all of our patients, regardless of their gender identities,” said Metropolitan CEO Alina Moran. “Transgender and gender-non-conforming people remain extremely vulnerable to experiencing barriers in accessing health care. By expanding our transgender-affirming services, we are renewing our commitment to ensure that all of our patients live their healthiest lives.”
Metropolitan has also expanded access to hormone therapy through a dedicated clinic. Patients can now make an appointment for a consultation with a hormone therapy specialist, regardless of whether they have a primary care physician at Metropolitan. The new clinic will see patients, by appointment, on Tuesdays from 1 to 4 p.m. Patients enrolled in the LGBTQ Health Center can receive hormone therapy as part of the integrated services available through the primary care clinic.
“Our goal is to eliminate any barriers in accessing care for transgender patients,” said Alberto Franco, MD, Attending Physician at Metropolitan. “The addition of this new clinic will help ensure that patients needing hormone therapy will have safe and affordable access in a LGBTQ-friendly clinical setting.”
Complementing the new service offerings are expanded business hours at the LGBTQ Health Center. In addition to its current office hours of Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., hours have been extended to include Wednesdays from 5 to 8 p.m.
The LGBTQ Health Center offers a safe space where lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer patients can access individual and family-based care with respect and honesty. Metropolitan has been recognized as a “Leader in LGBT Healthcare Equality” by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation for actively engaging in protecting LGBT patients and employees from discrimination, ensuring equal visitation for LGBT people, and providing staff training in LGBT patient-centered care.

To make an appointment or receive more information about the LGBTQ Health Center, the new gender-affirming surgeries, or the new hormone therapy clinic at NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan, please contact 212-423-7292 or metlgbt@nychhc.org.