Provided/AtlantiCare's LGBTQ+ Care Center held an official ribbon cutting this week and after being open for two months just saw its 250th patient.
ATLANTIC CITY - Less than two months after opening, AtlantiCare's Primary & LGBTQ+ Care Center is celebrating a milestone - reaching its 250 patients in its first two months.
At a private event, approximately 30 AtlantiCare leadership and stakeholders marked the center's progress during an open house that immersed them in the ways AtlantiCare is uniquely working to reach, treat and support a continuum of health for members of the LGBTQ+ community.
On hand to proudly show off the facility were Kirby Delgado, LGBTQ+ support services navigator, who has been serving as the liaison between LGBTQ+ patients and services provided by AtlantiCare throughout the community for approximately two years, and BJ Howard, MD, medical director of AtlantiCare Primary & LGBTQ+ Health Services, who started with AtlantiCare to open the center.
Having pursued medicine with a passion for prioritizing the underserved, Howard was drawn to the military, joined the Army as a Captain then raised to the ranks of Major as a brigade surgeon before retiring in 2023. Howard then joined AtlantiCare to take special care of the LGBTQ+ community and provide gender-affirming care.
As a primary care doctor, I treat all people with varying medical needs, and thanks to AtlantiCare's commitment to serving the underserved, I can also take special care of people in the LGBTQ+ community, Howard said. My colleagues here at AtlantiCare truly care about the underserved. You can tell when that commitment is real or if it's just checking a box. At AtlantiCare, it's real. My passion and the organization's align and I am excited to help lead the Primary & LGBTQ+ Care Center, to meet patients were they are, and be part of AtlantiCare's passion for meeting the unique needs of the LGBTQ+ community with gender-affirming care.
Since 2011, AtlantiCare has been designated by the Human Rights Campaign as Leader in LGBTQ Healthcare Equality in its Healthcare Equality Index, recognizing their commitment to providing equitable, inclusive care for LGBTQ patients and their families. A first of its kind in Atlantic and Cape May Counties, AtlantiCare's recently opened Primary & LGBTQ+ Care Center located at 3830 Atlantic Ave. in Atlantic City, focuses on providing primary care and LGBTQ+ health navigation while addressing some of the more critical needs of the community. Services include gender-affirming hormonal treatment; gender-affirming pre-op screen/documentation support; sexual health education; STI education, screening, and treatment; PrEP, PEP, and HIV management; preventative care, and more. Telehealth services are also available.
The center is open 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday and is accepting new patients. For more information or to schedule an appointment, individuals can call the office at 609-345-6000 or the AtlantiCare Access Center at 1-888-569-1000, or visit AtlantiCare.org.
