LGBTQIA+ Patient and Colleague Awareness

UPMC is committed to ensuring that all people we serve are treated with dignity and respect and that we provide access to affordable, high-quality care that meets their health and health-related needs. Through focus groups, input from direct care teams, research literature, there are noted barriers to care for the LGBTQIA+ community which include perceived discrimination and not feeling welcome in a clinical setting. 

This course aims to address these barriers by improving knowledge of terminology, comfort with using best practices for patient experience including clinical documentation, skill in communicating respect and dignity, understanding of the importance between language and traumatization. It does not focus on provider’s clinical competency. 

The 3 CME modules were co-developed with the Fenway Institute, an interdisciplinary center for research, training, education and policy development focusing on national and international health issues, especially related to LGBTQIA+ communities. Providers that complete the course series are eligible for the UPMC Health Plan LGBTQIA+ Affirming Provider Designation will be contacted once this course series is completed.

Target Audience

UPMC clinical staff who need to be able to recall strategies to communicate and interact with LGBTQIA+ patients, customers, members, residents, and co-workers to provide them with the best possible experience in a health care or workplace setting, this includes Physicians, Nurses, Nurse Practitioners, Physician Assistants, Psychologists, Dentists, and clinical staff.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this activity, participants should be able to:

  • Define words related to sexual orientation, gender expression, sex characteristics and gender identity.
  • Recognize that lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and ace-spectrum individuals make up a significant portion of the population. You have patients, customers, health plan members, residents, co-workers, family, and/or friends who are members of the LGBTQIA+ community.
  • Explore the challenges LGBTQIA+ individuals face when seeking health care.
  • Examine health issues which LGBTQIA+ patients may experience more often than other patient populations.
  • Recall strategies to communicate and interact with LGBTQIA+ patients, customers, members, residents, and co-workers to provide them with the best possible experience in a health care or workplace setting.
Course summary
Available credit: 
  • 1.00 AAPA Category I CME
  • 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
    The University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
  • 1.00 ANCC
    UPMC Provider Unit is accredited as a provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation
  • 1.00 APA
  • 1.00 Attendance
Course opens: 
01/08/2025
Course expires: 
02/23/2028
Part of: 
LGBTQIA+ Affirming Provider Designation Attestation Training

COURSE DIRECTOR:

Amanda Renee Gabarda, EdD, MPH, NBC-HWC - Senior Director, Clinical Training & Education at UPMC Health Plan

PLANNING COMMITTEE MEMBERS:

  • Kristen L. Eckstrand, MD, PhD - Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh
  • Joy Gero, PsyD - Director, Population Health & Improvement, UPMC Health Plan
  • Dean Paradis, MSN, RN, CCM​ - Manager of Clinical Training and Quality Assurance at UPMC Health Plan
  • Sean Simon, DMD - Director of the Center for Continuing Dental Education and Assistant Professor, University of Pittsburgh

Disclosure Information: No relationships with industry relevant to the content of this educational activity have been disclosed.​

All presenters disclosure of relevant financial relationships with any entity producing, marketing, re-selling, or distributing health care goods or services, used on, or consumed by, patients is listed above.  No other planners, members of the planning committee, speakers, presenters, authors, content reviewers and/or anyone else in a position to control the content of this education activity have relevant financial relationships to disclose.

In support of improving patient care, the University of Pittsburgh is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.​

Physician (CME)
The University of Pittsburgh designates this enduring material activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit[s]™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Nursing (CNE)
The maximum number of hours awarded for this Continuing Nursing Education activity is 1.0 contact hours.

Physician Assistant (AAPA)
The University of Pittsburgh has been authorized by the American Academy of PAs (AAPA) to award AAPA Category 1 CME credit for activities planned in accordance with AAPA CME Criteria. This activity is designated for 1.0 AAPA Category 1 CME credits. PAs should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation.  

Psychologists (APA)
As a Jointly Accredited Organization, University of Pittsburgh is approved to offer psychology continuing education by the American Psychological Association. University of Pittsburgh maintains responsibility for this course. Psychologists completing this course receive 1.0 continuing education credits.

*Dentists (ADA CERP) 
The University of Pittsburgh is an ADA CERP Recognized Provider.

ADA CERP is a service of the American Dental Association to assist dental professionals in identifying quality providers of continuing dental education. ADA CERP does not approve or endorse individual courses or instructors, nor does it imply acceptance of credit hours by boards of dentistry.

The University of Pittsburgh designates this activity for the number of continuing education credits listed with each course summary.

*Dental credits and certificates will be emailed to the learners using the email they registered with, four weeks after the completion date.

Other health care professionals will receive a certificate of attendance confirming the number of contact hours commensurate with the extent of participation in this activity.

Available Credit

  • 1.00 AAPA Category I CME
  • 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
    The University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
  • 1.00 ANCC
    UPMC Provider Unit is accredited as a provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation
  • 1.00 APA
  • 1.00 Attendance
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Released: Wed, 01/08/2025 - 1:00pm   Expires: Wed, 02/23/2028 - 12:00pm