AMA Foundation launches new plan to address LGBTQ health disparities

CHICAGO — The American Medical Association Foundation (AMAF) today announced that John D. Evans, telecommunications pioneer, internationally-recognized business executive and philanthropist, will lead a unique and innovative initiative designed to dramatically shape the future of LGBTQ health. The new initiative will create a cadre of LGBTQ health specialists through the AMA Foundation LGBTQ Fellowship Program – a national fellowship program to promote best practices and shared outcomes, while exponentially improving the quality of LGBTQ health care across the nation.

John D. Evans will serve as chairman of the AMA Foundation Fellowship Commission for LGBTQ Health. The commission will consist of 13-15 LGBTQ thought leaders, educational specialists, physicians, and philanthropists who will be appointed by the AMA Foundation Board of Directors, under Evans’s leadership and direction. The AMAF LGBTQ Fellowship Commission will guide the fellowship program inception to ensure the health needs of the LGBTQ community are optimally considered. The Commission will provide guidance on ways to enhance the fellowship request for proposal and its framework, including, but not limited to, funding, program structure and other design elements with the approval of the AMAF Board of Directors.