LOS ANGELES—According to an article in The New York Times, there are approximately 1.4 million transgender adults living in the U.S., with 218,000 in California—and a somewhat smaller number in the adult entertainment industry. And the good news for all of them is that the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in L.A. is now offering a Transgender Surgery and Health Program, under the leadership of urologist Dr. Maurice Garcia.
Following a year-long fellowship at the University College London, a public research institution in the United Kingdom, Dr. Garcia returned to his urology practice at the University of California San Francisco Medical Center, where he had had several transgender patients, and in 2014, following his certification in gender reassignment surgery, he created the first "transgender genital gender-confirming surgery program" at an academic medical center in the western U.S., and in early 2017, he established a second program at Cedars-Sinai.
Dr. Garcia began performing reassignment surgeries in March, and has treated more than 100 patients at Cedars since then. His practice accepts private insurance, as well as Medicare and Medi-Cal, to pay for the surgeries, some of which are required to be covered by California insurance laws.
"Our interdisciplinary team follows an evidence- and research-based approach to tailor care for each of our patients at every stage of their transition," states the Cedars-Sinai Transgender Surgery and Health Program website. "Our team also is dedicated to research that will improve the surgical techniques and gender-affirming options available to transgender patients. Each member of our team participates in case-conferences to contribute to the care plans of patients with complex medical needs."
The site also lists the various types of specialized care the program can offer to transitioners, including urologic and cosmetic surgery, vocal cord and speech therapy, dermatology and permanent hair removal and more, including some services for adolescents. A complete list of the services and procedures available can be found here.
Photo courtesy of Jorobeq at English Wikipedia.
