Erica Metz, MD
“Dr. Metz has been the voice at the table representing our transgender community, and a tireless advocate for this vulnerable population. Her passion and enthusiasm are contagious.”
— Maria Ansari, MD, physician-in-chief, KP San Francisco
Soon after joining The Permanente Medical Group in 2006 to practice internal medicine for patients with HIV, Erica Metz, MD, made an interesting observation: “Transgender and gender-nonconforming patients were seeking me out regardless of their HIV status, because they believed HIV providers would be more sensitive and knowledgeable about transgender care.”
Dr. Metz’s drive to improve care for the transgender community, many of whom experience health disparities and discrimination in their everyday lives, inspired her in 2013 to co-found Gender Pathways, a multidisciplinary transgender clinic at KP San Francisco. Today it is a full-fledged center offering gender-affirming hormone therapy, reproductive health care, mental health services, and surgical evaluations and procedures.
Dr. Metz continued to chart new waters, taking on the role of regional medical director to create a comprehensive program of transgender clinical and surgical services across KP Northern California. This work has included developing care pathways across multiple departments, collaborating with Kaiser Foundation Health Plan to expand benefits coverage, and creating culturally responsive training programs for staff and physicians.
“We want to ensure our transgender patients have excellent health care experiences and outcomes—no matter where they seek care at Kaiser Permanente,” says Dr. Metz.