Although Oberlin College does not have a direct affiliation with Bon Secours Mercy Health, Oberlin students frequently resort to Mercy Health – Allen Hospital outside of the Student Health Services’ working hours or in case of emergencies. Located right next to Oberlin’s campus, it is the closest emergency department and express care option. A hospital within walking distance from a college campus should be a convenient and reliable resource for students. In my experience, Mercy is the opposite.
I am a permanent resident of Ohio, and my medical providers are in the Cleveland area at MetroHealth, Cleveland Clinic, and University Hospitals. Because I don’t have a car, Mercy is my only option when I have an emergency during the school year. The treatment I have endured at Mercy Health is unlike anything I’ve experienced at other hospitals: in my experience, the staff were unprofessional, accusatory, and misleading, and it only got worse when they discovered that I am transgender.
In April, I was discriminated against on the basis of my trans identity in Mercy’s emergency room. Instead of properly treating the bladder infection I tested positive for, the attending physician used their time to interrogate me about an upcoming gender confirmation procedure and my hormone replacement therapy prescribed by my provider, which is information that they found in my MyChart history. They barely asked me about the presenting symptoms of my infection and missed important information about my related chronic urological condition. They were clearly focused on the wrong subject, and because the doctor was so intent on investigating my gender instead of my infection, I was prescribed antibiotics that have proven to be ineffective for me based on previous lab work — also available in MyChart.
Until this April, I had never explicitly disclosed that I was trans to any Mercy Health worker. I am always honest about my hormone treatments when asked about medications, but I never elaborated or was asked about it. When I go to Mercy, I expect and accept being deadnamed and misgendered because they simply don’t know I’m trans. However, this doctor outed me for reasons completely independent from why I sought treatment that day. My surgery scheduled months in the future is not relevant to my UTI. Despite being deep in my MyChart notes from other institutions that detail my gender identity accurately and respectfully, they did not offer the same. I was not asked about my preferred name or pronouns or for them to be updated in Mercy’s system. Finally, when I viewed the doctor’s notes from my visit, I discovered that the provider wrote more about my gender than he did about my current infection.
Only a few days after my incident at the hospital, I saw posters and a Campus Digest announcement for a focus group between Mercy’s Patient Experience team and Oberlin students. I registered immediately, hoping to raise questions and even organize other concerned trans students to attend. However, it was canceled the day before it was scheduled, with Student Health and Wellbeing Facility citing lower-than-expected registration numbers. I’ve since spoken with Dr. Andrew Oni, assistant vice president for student health and wellbeing, about my encounters with Mercy and my disappointment that the event did not occur. Although it would have been a great opportunity, I understand that it doesn’t make sense to hold a focus group with only a handful of students and many Mercy employees. In the future, when this event is rescheduled, I implore other students to sign up and speak out about their experiences with the hospital so that we can have a proper dialogue.
Oberlin’s relationship with Mercy is complicated. The College partnered with Bon Secours’ Harness Health Partners as the contractor for Student Health Services in 2022, with the understanding that they would provide reproductive and gender affirming care. After Bon Secours recanted this stance, expressing discomfort and incompatible values, Oberlin ended the contract and returned to providing healthcare services in-house in 2023.
If Bon Secours was deemed to inadequately care for Obies at Student Health in 2023, how can they be considered the go-to hospital for us when our campus resources are not open? It is disheartening that, in urgent situations, my only option is to go to a hospital that views my trans existence as contrary to their mission. I am hopeful that management at Student Health, like Dr. Oni, are working to reconcile the differences between Oberlin and Mercy. I am angered by my recent experience, and I’m not confident that BSMH will make any sweeping changes, but I sincerely believe it’s worth trying to fix this dynamic.
I filed a formal complaint against Bon Secours through Section 1557, the nondiscrimination provision of the Affordable Care Act. The resolution I want is not overzealous: I requested an apology, and to know how their staff are trained to treat gender-diverse patients, if at all. Their Patient Advocate team has 30 days to respond to my grievance, which I have not yet received at the time of writing this piece.
For over two years, I settled for less than the bare minimum of medical care out of fear. I sacrificed my comfort and mental health by staying closeted because I thought my identity would impact the care I received. With my most recent visit, I now know that I was right. In speaking to other trans students and community members, I discovered more people have had similar run-ins with Mercy providers but have been afraid to speak up. Advocating for yourself in a medical setting is already vulnerable and difficult. Trans people should not have to carry yet another burden when they need medical care. Mercy needs to do better, and I will do my part to hold them accountable.