Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Data Collection Update: U.S. Government Takes Steps to Promote Sexual...

Area of Science:

• Health Informatics
• Public Health
• Health Equity

Background:

• Collecting sexual orientation and gender identity (SO/GI) data in healthcare is vital for understanding and reducing LGBT health disparities.
• Federal initiatives in 2014 supported SO/GI data collection within electronic health records (EHRs) as part of meaningful use criteria.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the importance of collecting SO/GI data in EHRs for addressing LGBT health disparities.
• To outline key federal government steps and recommendations supporting SO/GI data collection in clinical settings.

Main Methods:

• Review of federal initiatives and recommendations from health IT policy committees and advocacy groups.
• Analysis of proposed criteria for Certified EHR Technology (CEHRT) and coding standards (SNOMED).

Main Results:

• Proposed 2015 Edition CEHRT Criteria suggest SNOMED codes for SO/GI data collection by 2017.
• Recommendations were made for CEHRT to capture SO/GI data, with public comment periods in fall 2014.
• Final Stage 3 Meaningful Use Guidelines were anticipated in summer 2015.

Conclusions:

• Effective and accurate SO/GI data collection requires developing new codes and ensuring EHR functionality.
• Training clinical staff on LGBT health disparities and data management is critical for patient care and privacy.
• Educating LGBT communities on the importance of sharing SO/GI data is essential for improving health outcomes.