Tahoe LGBTQ+ patients travel far for specialty care
Most surveyed residents who sought care elsewhere said they were looking for services unavailable locally.
LGBTQ+ residents around Lake Tahoe often leave the region for specialized medical care, with many traveling hours over mountain roads. In a Tribune survey of 15 people, more than 60% said they had gone beyond Tahoe-Truckee for healthcare. Among that group, 70% said specialty services were the reason, including hormone care, voice training and sexual-health testing.
Anthony Wolf, a South Lake Tahoe resident, makes a 188-mile round trip to Planned Parenthood in Roseville for hormone prescriptions and related bloodwork. The trip takes nearly four hours. Barton Hospital does not have an endocrinologist, while Tahoe Forest Health System offers endocrinology and has become an option for some transgender residents, despite the drive from South Lake Tahoe.
Transportation and expense add to the burden. Mountain routes and limited transit can make a personal vehicle essential, while half of respondents who received care outside the area cited cost as a factor. Wolf said bloodwork at Barton cost $400; their Roseville visit and drive cost about one-quarter as much. Telehealth and specialist training for rural providers may expand options, but the article notes that remote care does not work for everyone. The median round-trip travel time for LGBTQ+-responsive care among respondents was at least four hours.
- Barton’s chief medical officer is Dr. Kandra Yee.
- Only 26% of respondents kept their care in Tahoe-Truckee.
- TFHS is designated a critical access hospital.
- Project ECHO connects rural providers with specialist education.
Summarized from the reporting above. Read it for the full story.
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