Penn Medicine appoints new Medical Director for LGBTQ Health

Penn Medicine has appointed Kevin Kline, assistant professor of Family Medicine and Community Health at the Perelman School of Medicine, as its first medical director for LGBTQ Health.

As director, Kline will work to standardize guidelines for the quality of LGBTQ patient care and expand LGBTQ affirming services at Penn. According to Penn Medicine, he will also increase consultation pathways for LGBTQ health clinical services, allowing patients to obtain referrals from specialists more easily. 

“Throughout his career, Kevin has remained steadfast in his commitment to serving the LGBTQ+ community and other marginalized groups who historically have faced barriers to accessing health care,” Judd Flesch, co-director of the Penn Medicine Program for LGBTQ Health, said. 

Kline also plans to improve education opportunities, such as programs on gender affirming care for Penn’s medical students and faculty. He wants to implement care guidelines across all specialties, not just ones pertaining to sexual orientation and gender identity.

At a national level, there are few standardized guidelines for healthcare professionals who address the needs of LGBTQ populations, such as gender affirming surgical care and sexual health. As a result, treatment can be lower quality and administered at a slower pace, according to Penn Medicine.

“Moving forward, one of our priorities is to identify areas across LGBTQ+ and gender affirming care where the development of standardized care guidelines can increase provider knowledge and cultural humility, improve the overall quality and efficiency of care, and serve as a model for providers across the medical landscape — not just here at Penn,” Kline said.

The Program for LGBTQ Health at Penn, established 10 years ago, aims to increase access and quality of care for LGBTQ individuals in the health system. Penn Medicine has been designated a leader in LGBT healthcare equality by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation.