GREELEY, CO (Oct. 4, 2022) – Banner Health announces the addition of Michael Renecle, D.O., and Sarah Edgerton, OB-GYN, who will both be practicing at Banner Health Clinics in Greeley.
Dr. Renecle, a family medicine physician, received his Doctorate of Osteopathic Medicine from Des Moines University in Iowa and joins Banner from Denver Health and Hospital Authority where he practiced family medicine and completed an LGBTQIA+ fellowship with emphasis on HIV medicine, transgender health and sexual health. Dr. Edgerton is an OB-GYN and received her Doctorate of Osteopathic Medicine from Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Parker, CO. She joins Banner after having completed her OB-GYN residency at the University of Michigan Health-West in Grand Rapids, MI.
Dr. Renecle and Dr. Edgerton have specialties in lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex and asexual care and understand that no two people have the same health care needs. Characteristics like sexual orientation, gender identity, cultural connections and language can all have an impact on not only medical needs, but treatment outcomes, which is why care for the LGBTQIA+ community is so important.
“Training in LGBTQIA+ health care is limited in residency programs and for rural America – my goal is to train and equip our family medicine residents to offer appropriate clinical care,” Dr. Renecle said.
According to a survey by One Colorado, roughly one-third of LGBTQIA+ individuals in Colorado believe they do not have adequate access to health care physicians and advance practice providers who understand their needs. Less than half said they have access to LGBTQIA-competent providers. As a result, 67% of survey respondents feared their provider assumes them to be heterosexual.
Both providers are passionate about expanding the diversity of care and understand that topics such as social perspective and self-identification are important indicators for risk, care and treatment. Making patients comfortable by asking open-ended questions, avoiding assumptions and showing genuine interest in the details not only results in the best care but also builds patient trust.
“It’s important that a primary care doctor understands not only medical history but who their patients are holistically,” Dr. Renecle said. “We need to know where they live, how they identify, what makes them get up in the morning and what experiences they’ve had that have brought them to this stage of life. That is how we truly provide the best care.”
Banner Health is one of the largest, secular nonprofit health care systems in the country. In addition to 30 acute-care hospitals, Banner also operates an academic medicine division, Banner – University Medicine, and Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center, a partnership with one of the world’s leading cancer programs, MD Anderson Cancer Center. Banner’s array of services includes a health-insurance division, employed physician groups, outpatient surgery centers, urgent care locations, home care and hospice services, retail pharmacies, stand-alone imaging centers, physical therapy and rehabilitation, behavioral health services, a research division and a nursing registry. To make health care easier, 100% of Banner-employed doctors are available for virtual visits, and Banner operates a free 24/7 nurse line for health questions or concerns. Patients may also reserve spots at Banner Urgent Care locations and can book appointments online with many Banner-employed doctors. Headquartered in Arizona, Banner Health also has locations in California, Colorado, Nebraska, Nevada and Wyoming. For more information, visit bannerhealth.com.For further information contact us at: [email protected]