Mental Health Evaluation for Gender Confirmation Surgery

The requests for medically necessary surgical interventions for transgender individuals have steadily increased over the past several years. So too has the recognition of the diverse nature of this population. The surgeon relies heavily on the mental health provider to assess the readiness and eligibility of the patient to undergo surgery, which the mental health provider documents in a referral letter to the surgeon. The mental health provider explores the individual's preparedness for surgery, expectations, and surgical goals and communicates with the surgeon and other providers to promote positive outcomes and inform multidisciplinary care.