title: Finding the perfect doctor: identifying lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender-competent physicians.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We assessed the existence of procedures and policies for identifying lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT)-competent physicians at US academic faculty practices, and sought to identify physician training programs that enhance LGBT competency.
  
  
  METHODS
  We invited all 138 Liaison Committee on Medical Education-accredited US academic faculty practices to participate in a survey in 2012. We systematically assessed their procedures and policies to identify LGBT-competent physicians and their LGBT-competency training. We also assessed geographic region, funding source, and an LGBT health center in the same state. We performed univariate, bivariate, and multivariate logistic regression analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The response rate was 50%. Few participants had existing procedures (9%) or policies (4%) to identify LGBT-competent physicians. Procedures included online directories with self-identified LGBT-competent physicians available to the public. Sixteen percent of participants reported having comprehensive LGBT-competency training, and 52% reported having no training. Of note, 80% of participants indicated interest to do more to address these issues.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There exist both need and interest for US academic faculty practices to develop procedures, policies, and programs that improve access to LGBT-competent physicians and to train physicians to become LGBT-competent.
authors.affiliation: At the time of the study, Joshua Khalili was a medical student at the David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles. Lucinda B. Leung was a resident in the Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine. Allison L. Diamant was with the Division of General Internal Medicine and Health Services Research, Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine.
authors.forename: Joshua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Khalili
authors.forename: Lucinda B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Leung
authors.forename: Allison L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Diamant
mesh_terms: D001727:Bisexuality; D002983:Clinical Competence; D005260:Female; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D054625:Healthcare Disparities; D018452:Homosexuality, Female; D018451:Homosexuality, Male; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D010820:Physicians / Q000592:standards*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D063106:Transgender Persons; D014481:United States