Transgender people must receive a hospital room according to their gender identity

Transgender people who are admitted to hospital should be assigned a room that corresponds to their gender identity, even if this does not match the sex stated on their identity card. This is stated in an opinion issued by the National Council of the Order of Physicians.

Currently, when someone is admitted to hospital and has to share a room, they usually do so with someone of the same sex. However, this is often not the case for transgender patients. That is why the Order of Physicians was asked to provide guidance.

According to the opinion, which was prepared with the support of Unia, the institution responsible for promoting equal opportunities, the patient’s gender identity and comfort should take precedence over possible administrative considerations. By taking gender identity into account, the Order primarily wants hospitals to take more initiatives that promote the wellbeing and dignity of patients.

“The values of the profession advocate respect for the privacy, intimacy and identity of all patients (cultural, sexual, religious, philosophical, etc.),” the Order states. Therefore, a balance must be found between the organisational constraints and quality requirements of hospitals on the one hand and the specific needs of each individual on the other.