At LeanTaaS, where our mission directly supports providing improving care access for everyone, we have been excited to celebrate Pride Month 2023.
Along with our dedication to unlocking healthcare access for all, we are committed to fostering a workplace culture that embraces diversity, equality, and inclusivity, and in supporting LGBTQ+ team members as well as the broader community.
“LeanTaaS’ mission of increasing patient access has always resonated with me,” says Tyler Moore (he/him), an Outbound Visual Designer who spearheads the LeanTaaS LGBTQ+ Alliance and Pride efforts. “I immediately saw a correlation between what we do and the discrepancies within Queer healthcare.”
A 2021 Kaiser Family Foundation report shows higher rates of poor health and chronic conditions among the LGBTQ+ than non-LGBTQ+ respondents, and yet the population has more challenges seeking care. LGBTQ+ respondents in a 2022 survey by the Center for American Progress reported they were roughly three times as likely as non-LGBTQ+ respondents to have delayed or avoided needed care and screenings in the past year due to discrimination or disrespect from providers. One in three transgender respondents reported denial of care by providers, and 39% described difficulty seeking alternative healthcare services. As we continue the journey to overcoming the stigma that leads to these disparities, improving overall access to care providers is vital to giving the LGBTQ+ population a range of options to seek – and find – they care they need.
Besides pursuing the impact LeanTaaS’ work has in opening up patient access and reducing costs of healthcare delivery, our activities for Pride Month this year are part of creating an environment where everyone feels respected and empowered, as well as living our value of being One Team.
“The first tenet of a lot of our culture at LeanTaaS is One Team. Not just for work, and it’s not just talk,” says Chris Bible (he/him), Customer Success Manager for iQueue for Infusion Centers, who identifies as gay and joined LeanTaaS in October 2022. “The people that I work with are some of the smartest, most compassionate and empathetic people. I feel really privileged to work with people that probably think the same thing about me, and know that they can depend on me as much as I can rely on them.”
Our Pride initiatives are designed to keep our LeanTaaS team inclusive and sustain this trust.
LeanTaaS employees take part in Pride activities at work
Our Pride month activities internally have provided both education and conversation for all our team members, to promote respectful ongoing communication and a welcoming space in our organization throughout the year. To reinforce LGBTQ+ visibility and joy, they also include celebration and fun.
“It’s small victories and more knowledge that will lead to larger change in society, and in minds,” says Moore. “That is what we are trying to do, educate and provide knowledge the best we can to hopefully foster a safer, more inclusive work environment and increase Queer access to healthcare one small victory at a time.”
For education, the LeanTaaS Pride committee hosted a Lunch and Learn session for colleagues on “LGBTQ+ Terminology”. The session offered a comprehensive introduction to the vast range of terminology used among the LGBTQ+ population, exploring the correct and evolving usage of terms, and ended with a safe open forum in which employees could ask questions directly or anonymously.
The Pride committee will also host, in the spirit of celebration and community, the “LeanTaaS Pride Pet Costume Contest.” Employees are encouraged to dress their beloved pets in vibrant, creative Pride-themed ensembles and post the final images in team forums. Others can vote on their favorites, discuss the entries with each other, and show their support and appreciation. The event will promote inclusivity in a light-hearted and humorous way, and as the winner can choose to have a donation made to an animal shelter local to them, also supports a charitable cause.
Spreading the message and giving back to the LGBTQ+ community
LeanTaaS Pride activities also extend to showing our support externally, and to giving back. To supplement our presence at a large number of healthcare conferences across the country, LeanTaaS purchased a bulk amount of LGBTQ+ Pride Badgies that we have been distributing at conferences in June. Per the mission of Badgies’ founder, these stickers for conference name tags and other accessories are visible symbols of support and inclusivity. Conference attendees can wear these on their work badges as they return to their healthcare organizations, to proudly showcase their allyship and solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community.
Finally, the committee has organized a fundraising t-shirt sale, available to both employees and external participants. Proceeds from our custom-designed shirts will go to Point of Pride, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing access to care and resources for trans folks. By participating in this drive, all can contribute to a meaningful cause while proudly showcasing their support for LGBTQ+ rights.
“It takes a village to do what’s being done for LeanTaaS Pride this year,” says Bible. “The people leading this had the space to do it because LeanTaaS allows that. Knowing the company I work for values this and does believe healthcare needs to be provided to all – I really enjoy that.”
Purchase a shirt and support Point of Pride here. Learn more about Life@LeanTaaS and our culture initiatives here.
