LGBTQ Health

As a member of the LGBTQ community, you deserve unbiased, high-quality treatment from a primary care physician who respects you. When you choose OU Health in Oklahoma City and Tulsa for your medical needs, you receive individualized service from a major healthcare system that values your right to comprehensive treatment with sensitivity and equity.

Whether you seek a new primary care doctor or have specific healthcare concerns, OU Health primary care physicians invest in your well-being and stand ready to serve you and your family.

Medical Excellence for All People

Designated an LGBTQ Healthcare Equality Top Performer by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation (HRC), OU Health and its primary care physicians offer you a commitment to patient-centered, welcoming healthcare, free from discrimination and close to home. Because OU Health houses one of only 14 AIDS Education and Training Centers in the United States, you and your loved ones, as well as LGBTQ residents across Oklahoma and Texas, can rely on skilled care from highly trained healthcare providers.

Access to Health Equality Coordinator

At OU Health, you’ll gain access to a Health Equality Coordinator who helps you navigate and coordinate services as a lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender person seeking gender-affirming care. Learn more about the OU Health commitment to fair and respectful treatment. Call 405-271-6488 or email the Health Equality Coordinator at OU Health.

Individualized Care for Your Best Life

Your healthcare needs vary throughout your lifetime. OU Health welcomes you, wherever you are in your healthcare journey. Your physician offers expertise in all aspects of health, from common conditions to those specific to the LGBTQ community. Your doctor also connects you to the entire network of skilled OU Health specialists ready to provide expert treatment designed to address your specific situation.

Personalized Preventive Care

An important part of maintaining your health, preventive care at OU Health may include immunizations, vaccines, regular screenings and regular checkups. You and your doctor will work together to address your health concerns and develop a personalized healthcare profile designed to meet your specific needs and help keep you well.

Treatment for Infectious Diseases

As an LGBTQ person, you may be at greater risk for certain infectious diseases. Your OU Health primary care physician and the OU Health Department of Infectious Disease provide expertise in many conditions common among the LGBTQ community, including:

To reduce the risk of contracting HIV, STIs and certain types of hepatitis, always practice safe sex by using condoms and dental dams. And if you’re sexually active, get tested at least annually for HIV and STIs.

Ask your OU Health provider about receiving vaccines for human papilloma virus (HPV) and hepatitis A and B and getting screened for hepatitis A, B and C. If you have hepatitis C, your discussion may include information about new, effective treatments with fewer side effects.

To address any concerns about HIV/AIDS, your OU Health primary care physician provides options for HIV prevention and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), which prevents HIV infection if you are exposed to the virus. When you take it every day, PrEP greatly reduces the risk of HIV infection.

Heart Health for LGBTQ People

Your heart health is integral to your overall well-being, particularly if you smoke or use certain hormones. Your OU Health primary care provider coordinates heart, pulmonary and vascular services with the experts who practice as part of the OU Health Cardiovascular Institute. These specialists provide medical and surgical care for all heart and vascular conditions. To schedule an appointment, call (405) 271-7001.

Cancer Care for Diverse Individuals

Among the LGBTQ community, certain cancers, such as breast or anal cancers, may be more common. The risks increase if you live with HIV/AIDS. Your OU Health primary care physician understands these risks and works with you to maintain your health now and for your future.

Your primary care doctor also helps you reduce your risk for developing gynecological problems by managing and facilitating your care with an expert OU Health gynecologist. For top-quality breast health services, including screening mammograms, take advantage of the OU Health Breast Health Network, Oklahoma’s largest and most comprehensive group of breast radiologists and specialists.

Mental Health and Addiction

If you experience depression, anxiety, heavy drinking, tobacco use or drug use, your OU Health primary care physician connects you with mental health services equipped to diagnose and treat your situation. For the program that best meets your needs, call (405) 271-5251.

Smoking Cessation Program at TSET

The Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline, a free service available 24/7, gives you tools and support to quit tobacco your own way. Call the helpline at (800) 784-8669 or go to okhelpline.com to find out more about your options.

Caring for Relationships and Families

Everyone experiences challenges in relationships and in raising children. Whether you want to start a family or you need to sort out interpersonal connections, your OU Health primary care doctor links you to the extensive OU Health network of healthcare professionals. You gain access to fertility specialists offering services such as sperm insemination, egg donations, and fertility preservation via sperm and egg freezing services, as well as mental health providers who help you navigate the ups and downs typical of all families and interpersonal relationships.

Adolescent Medicine

As an adolescent resident of Oklahoma and surrounding states, you can take advantage of the Adolescent Medicine Roy G. Biv Program at OU Health to address your concerns about gender identity and sexual orientation. Our interdisciplinary team of healthcare professionals serves the mental health, nutritional and medical needs of all LGBTQ youth, including those moving toward gender affirmation.

Invested in Equity

While you receive care at OU Health, you’re protected by our Patient Bill of Rights (pdf), a policy that ensures you will not be discriminated against based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

In addition, your domestic partner’s and children’s rights to visitation are guarded by an inclusive visitation policy. They also can have access to your medical record.

  • If you have same-sex parents and/or other diverse families, they are included in your electronic medical record.
  • Your partner can retain relationship status as next of kin in the electronic medical record and rights as a medical decision-maker.