In 2011, the IOM released the report The Health of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender People: Building a Foundation for Better Understanding, the first comprehensive compilation of what is known about the health of each of these groups at different stages of life. One of the recommendations in this report was that information on patients’ sexual orientation and gender identity should be collected in electronic health records, just as information on race and ethnicity is routinely collected. These data are essential because demographics provide the foundation for understanding any population’s status and needs.
As the