Thanks to Open Door and Dr. Kate Estlin the transgendered community has access to more local physicians

(Dr.Estlin)

Anyone who lives in Humboldt knows the challenge of finding a primary care doctor and the difficulty in establishing care if your doctor retires or is ousted out of practice due to many factors in Humboldt County. This was most recently illustrated by the doctors who had to leave Mad River Hospital. Insurance and income add to this stress.



Open Door Community Health Centers has picked up as many patients as they can and I hope our elected officials in this community provide them more support and help them with funding.

I, like many lost my primary care doctor recently. When I started my transition, I stayed with her because I trust her and she is an excellent doctor. Losing access to her had me struggling in the recent months to find another doctor that I could see and afford.

For certain populations that require speciality care, the loss of your primary care physician has bigger consequences.  If you need prenatal, pediatric or are a member of the transgendered community, thanks to Open Door and Kate Estlin, M.D. you have options for speciality care at certain locations.

For the transgendered community in Humboldt, if you are lucky to be connected, people will share what therapist, what doctor, what clinic offers services. This informal network does not always get information out to everyone if you are not in "the approved clique."

In the 17 years I have been in Humboldt, choices to find a primary care doctor for the transgendered community was limited. That is changing due to the efforts of Dr. Kate Estlin. She is the medical director for Redwood Community Health Center, located at 2350 Buhne Street in Eureka. RCHC has attending physicians who train and work with resident physicians like Dr. Sean Purtell. Dr. Estlin is working with these resident physicians as well as others to train them on as primary care doctors and incorporate specialized training to serve the LGBTQ community, particulary transgendered patients. Members of the transgendered community don't have to go to Eureka or Arcata. You can go to  other Open Door Health Centers such as the Fortuna Community Health Center and receive care.

While people's experiences vary, the local doctors therapists and clinics I have visited have been kind and respectful. We are very fortunate to live in California where we do not face the hurdles in women's care and care for the LGBTQ community that many do in the rest of the country.