Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) Data

At Penn Medicine, we know that the more we know about our patients the better we can care for them.

We are also committed to respecting all patients and providing the best patient and family-centered care possible. This is why we have provided the opportunity for you to share your Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) information with us, as well as how you would like to be addressed while receiving care.

SOGI Information We Collect

• Preferred name: This is the name you would like to be called while receiving care here at Penn Medicine. This could be your affirming name, a nickname or any name that is different from your legal name (the name on your identification). As of Aug. 14, 2022 Preferred Name will be more visible within your chart to ensure we address you with respect. We have to continue to collect and use legal name in some instances to ensure safety, correct patient identification, as well as billing compliance.
  
  Additionally, some systems, like our lab, are separate from Penn Chart and do not accept preferred name. The expectation is that our staff and care teams will address you and refer to you by your preferred name but may need to ask to confirm your legal name at times or provide you with documents that contain your legal name. Some examples of instances where your legal name may appear or you may be asked your legal name:
  • On prescriptions, lab orders or other items related to your insurance
  • To confirm your identity prior to medication administration, blood draw, or prior to surgery
  • On documents to care providers outside of our health system
  
  You are able to provide a preferred name at an upcoming visit or at anytime through MyChart by myPennMedicine.
• Pronouns: You are able to provide information about the pronouns you use during your clinical visit. 
• Sexual Orientation, Sex Assigned at Birth, and Gender Identity: You are able to provide information about your sexual orientation, sex assigned at birth (sex on your original birth certificate), and gender identity during your clinical visit or via MyChart by myPennMedicine. You can update these fields at any time via MyChart by myPennMedicine by using the following steps:
  1. Sign in to MyChart by myPennMedicine and go to your profile. Click on the button that says "Personal Information."
     
     
  2. Next, click the edit button on "Details About Me."
     
     
  3. Choose your gender identify, sex assigned at birth and sexual orientation from the drop down menus. Save your changes. Please note: It can take up to 24 hours for the updated information to be reflected in your legal medical record.
     
     

Updating Medical Records

Whichever avenue you take to initiate an update to your medical records, you must have the documents listed below. Additionally, consider updating insurance information to reflect the name/gender marker change before to updating the medical record in order to avoid billing issues.

• The court decree (in the case of name change)
• Updated birth certificate or legal ID with an updated gender marker (in the case of gender marker change)
• Updated legal ID (Drivers License, ID Card, Passport)

Options for updating medical records

Please be aware that you will have to provide your previous name and identifiers to make sure the correct record is updated.

1. Bring the listed documents to your next appointment and ask the registrar to scan them into Epic and contact the EMPI medical records team to update your record.
2. Call or email the EMPI medical records team directly to update the medical record before your next appointment and email the documents directly to the team.
   • Call 215-615-2460 or email: EMPITeam@uphs.upenn.edu
   • Scan and email the listed documents

Disclaimer: In choosing to submit your request and documents via email you accept the risk that unencrypted email is not secure and therefore may be intercepted by others.