At GHS, we are committed to providing comprehensive and compassionate care for all patients regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. In 2015, the GHS LGBT Patient Care Collaborative was established. This collaborative consists of physicians and other health care providers from various clinical specialties who are committed to providing safe and affirming health care that is responsive to the needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender patients and their families.
The LGBT Patient Care Collaborative involves two components:
The LGBT patient centered medical home resides in the Center for Family Medicine and is designed to be a place for members of the LGBT community to receive compassionate and culturally responsive primary care that is tailored to their individual needs.
The collaborative, led by Dr. Molly Benedum in Family Medicine and the GHS Diversity Department, has three priority areas: provider clinical education, staff sensitivity training, and the development of a supportive clinical environment.
According to the National Transgender Discrimination Survey, transgender people report a lack of provider knowledge on transgender care and negative experiences with healthcare. Fifty percent of survey respondents reported having to teach their medical providers about transgender care.
Providers in GHS’ LGBT Patient Care Collaborative have received specialized training on various clinical considerations associated with transgender health care. In addition, transgender individuals seeking Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) can receive this therapy in the primary care setting within GHS’ LGBT patient-centered medical home.
Every patient has the right to competent, considerate and respectful care in a safe setting that fosters the patient’s comfort and dignity and is free from all forms of abuse and harassment. It is the policy of the Greenville Health System not to engage in discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, age, sex, physical, mental or other disability, medical condition, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, ancestry, marital status, citizenship, status as a veteran, or other non-medically relevant factors.
Since 2012, GHS has been named a National Leader in Healthcare Equality by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC). The Healthcare Equality Index (HEI) is the national Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) benchmarking tool that evaluates healthcare facilities’ policies and practices related to the equity and inclusion of their LGBT patients, visitors and employees.
The following list includes members of our LGBT patient care collaborative. While some are currently accepting new patients, some of them are not. Please call 455-DOCS to get the most up to date information on which of our providers below are accepting new patients. We are always working to expand this list to serve the needs of our growing LGBT patient community.
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Benjie B. Mills, MD
Pediatric & Adolescent Gynecology
Fertility Center of the Carolinas
(864) 455-1600
Bryce Nelson, MD, Ph.D.
Pediatric Endocrinology
(864) 454-5100
David Forstein, DO
Reproductive Endocrinology
Fertility Center of the Carolinas
(864) 455-1600
David Moore, MD
Psychiatrist
Brownell Center
(864) 455-8988
Doug McCormick, MSN, APRN-BC
Nurse Practitioner
Center for Integrative Oncology & Survivorship
(864) 455-8731
Elaine Apperson, MD
Pediatric Endocrinology
(864) 454-5100
James A. Amrhein, MD
Pediatric Endocrinology
Pediatric Endocrinology
(864) 454-5100
Joel Amidon, MD
Resident
Center for Family Medicine
(864) 455-7800
Kristina Kania, Ph.D.
Staff Psychologist
Department of Pediatric Psychology
(864) 454-5115
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Lance Feldman, MD
Child Psychiatry
(864) 430-9616
Melisa Homes, MD
Pediatric & Adolescent Gynecology
Fertility Center of the Carolinas
(864) 455-1600
Molly Benedum, MD
Chair, LGBT Patient Care Collaborative
Family Medicine
Center for Family Medicine
(864) 455-7800
Priscilla Escalona Villasmil, M.D.
GHS Internal Medicine- Laurens
(864) 833-4545
Sandra Ellen Hardee, MD
Family Medicine
Heart Life Cardiac Rehabilitation
(864) 455-4755
Sandra L. Weber, MD
Endocrinology
Endocrinology Specialists & Thyroid Center
(864) 455-9031
Smith Heavner, BSN, RN, PCCN
Nursing – Emergency Department
864-508-0502
Steven Ma, MD
Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics
Pediatrics
(864) 454-5115
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The following GHS clinical specialists are trained and prepared to work with pediatric LGBT patients. We use a team approach to meet the unique and specific needs of our LGBT pediatric patients. While some are currently accepting new patients, some of them are not. Please call 455-DOCS to get the most up to date information on which of our providers below are accepting new patients. We are always working to expand this list to serve the needs of our growing LGBT patient community.
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Elaine Apperson, MD
Pediatric Endocrinology
(864) 454-5100
Lance Feldman, MD
Child Psychiatry
(864) 430-9616
Sarah Hinton, MD
Center for Pediatric Medicine
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Liz Ledlow, LISW-CP
Willow Tree Counseling, LLC
9 Toy Street
Greenville, SC 29601
(864) 729-4184
info@willowtreecounselingsc.com
Michele Balderson, LISW-CP
Willow Tree Counseling, LLC
9 Toy Street
Greenville, SC 29601
(864) 729-4184
info@willowtreecounselingsc.com
Monica Greenbaum, MD
Pediatrician
Greenville Pediatric Health Center
(864) 263-3012
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Anyone interested in being established as a patient within GHS’ LGBT Patient-Centered Medical Home can schedule appointments by contacting the Center for Family Medicine at 864-455-7800.
For more information about the LGBT Patient Care Collaborative, please contact the GHS Diversity Department at diversity@ghs.org.