Juntendo University Hospital Takes Initiatives in Consideration of the LGBTQ community

Juntendo University Hospital (Director, Kazuhisa Takahashi) announced in October that it has launched initiatives to create an in-hospital environment that takes into account the diversity of the hospital, such as issuing of rainbow badges to staff members as Allies (showing that they are supporters of the LGBTQ community and other sexual minorities). In the future, a rainbow flag will also be installed at the general reception desk, where staff wearing a rainbow badge will be present.

The percentage of sexual minorities, including LGBTQ individuals, has been reported to be 8.9%. However, it can be said that the environment in the medical field for these patients is still not inclusive enough. In response to this issue, the hospital recruited volunteer staff in May this year and established a working group titled "Working Group for the Consideration and Treatment of Patients, Family, and Staff with SOGI (the sexual orientation and sexual self-identification of all people)" (Working Group Leader/Professor Yuko Takeda).

A total of 10 training sessions with 93 staff members were held from August to October to increase the number of Allies at the hospital. As a part of the activities, rainbow stickers were also displayed in the multi-purpose restroom located in the hospital. Rainbow badges were reportedly given to participants of the training program.

Some examples of the issues faced are that transgender individuals face issues before entering the examination room, such as having differing gender and family information registered, this also extends to presenting their health insurance information at reception and being called in the waiting room. As well as this, many gay and lesbian individuals are also worried that they may not be recognized as partners or family members when hospitalized or urgent treatment is required. This issue has been highlighted anew during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Training sessions will continue in the future, and the hospital says that it will expand its participation to staff in the outpatient and inpatient departments as well.