TranZap: A Transgender Resource for Identifying Gender-Affirming Providers

Introduction: Many transgender individuals seeking healthcare have had at least one negative experience related to being transgender. As a result, transgender patients may forego seeking healthcare treatment atall, leading to adverse long-term health outcomes. With barriers to care and oftentimes suboptimal care provided to transgender individuals, TranZap, in collaboration with the PROUD Gender Center of NJ, was commenced.

Objectives: To provide a review on the current transgender resources to finding healthcare, and the impetus behind creating a transgender health app to streamline this process. The vision of this app, TranZap, is to empower transgender individuals who are seeking healthcare such that they are better educated and knowledgeable regarding available healthcare providers.

Methods: With no data available from usual sources, such as Google Scholar, social media, as well as input from the transgender community through social media and word of mouth was utilized to identify the current resources for transgender patients seeking healthcare. This online search was done to identify any type of transgender focused healthcare databases that were community driven.

Results: Four resources were identified: TransBucket, TransAtlas, TransHealthCare, and Erin's Informed Consent hormone replacement therapy map of the US. Noting that there are limited resources, an app that is community driven and provides information on all types of healthcare providers, not exclusively surgeons or endocrinologists, was developed.

Conclusion: Seeking gender-affirming healthcare providers is a strenuous task filled with uncertainty and few reliable resources. Resources that provide the input of transgender individuals on their experiences with healthcare providers is one step in addressing this issue. Resources, such as TranZap, must be developed to close the gaps in access to healthcare by providing a platform for transgender patients to share experiences about healthcare providers in the hopes that those using the app will be able to find a welcoming gender-affirming provider.