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06/16/2025

CASA Celebrates Pride Month

Member Spotlight - Dr. Robert Elsen

This Pride Month, CASA honors the LGBTQ+ professionals who have helped shape California’s ambulatory surgery centers into more inclusive, compassionate, and equitable spaces for both patients and staff. Their leadership reminds us that healthcare is not just about clinical excellence—it’s also about creating environments where people feel seen, respected, and safe. In this month’s spotlight, we are proud to feature Dr. Robert Elsen, a longtime gastroenterologist in San Francisco whose career has been shaped by courage, compassion, and advocacy—from the early days of the HIV epidemic to today’s ongoing efforts for inclusion in medicine.

 

Member Spotlight

Elsen3

Robert J. Elsen, MD, Gastroenterologist, Golden Gate Endoscopy Center and San Francisco Endoscopy Center

 

What does Pride Month mean to you personally and professionally?

I started practicing 35 years ago at Sutter Health’s California Pacific Medical Center Davies Campus in the Castro. We were in one of the epicenters of the HIV epidemic and saw the full impact of the disease. In my entire career, I have not seen a sicker group of patients. I have to say I am very proud of how the gay community confronted this horrendous tragedy, and I admire the incredible dedication and compassion of all the health care workers at that time. Although it was heartbreaking, I feel privileged to have been there at that time to witness firsthand the incredible capacity for human compassion.

As a physician and leader in your ASC, how do you work to create a safe and inclusive environment for LGBTQ+ colleagues and/or staff from other diverse backgrounds?

As a physician, I like to make sure everyone feels free to express themselves and feels included. An LGBTQ+ worker should be able to talk about (or complain about) their partner and children just as much as anyone else. A workplace should be like a family, where everyone can support and bring out the best in each other. A happy workplace is also recognized by patients, who feel included and comfortable in their care.

How can ASCs better support LGBTQ+ patients and ensure they feel seen, respected, and safe in their surgical care experience?

ASCs can support LGBTQ+ patients by treating them as they would anyone else, without missing a beat. We see patients from a diverse range of backgrounds and need to ensure that they know we feel comfortable with them. If patients can see that we are comfortable with our LGBTQ+ coworkers, they know we can be comfortable with them as well.  It is particularly important to recognize the gender identity of a patient and be respectful of that. The whole area of gender identity is continually evolving, so we need to keep abreast of the changes.

Have you encountered challenges related to LGBTQ+ inclusion in healthcare settings? If so, how have you responded or advocated for change?

I have to say that practicing in the Bay Area, the LGBTQ+ community is very well accepted and treated as equals in the healthcare community. It did not happen without a lot of hard work, but fortunately, that was done by very dedicated people years ago. We just need to be sure we maintain that tradition.

Looking back, what changes have you seen in the visibility and inclusion of LGBTQ+ professionals in medicine?

When I was in training, your private life was definitely something that you kept separate from your professional life. When I was a fellow, there was a young attending doctor who committed suicide. It was later found out that he had HIV and was at the start of having health problems. He never came out to anyone in the department and certainly told no one about his HIV status. It’s terrible to think he had to carry that all on his own.

Since finishing training, I have been very open about my life, as have many other LGBTQ+ health professionals. I must say that, to my knowledge, I have been very well accepted. I think others have felt the same. I do realize the Bay Area is a bubble, but over time, as more people feel comfortable coming out, respect for the community grows throughout the country. Just like with anything else, once people truly see you for who you are and connect with your humanity, it becomes much harder for them to hold onto hate.

Looking ahead, are there any specific policies, practices, or programs you believe would make the biggest difference in advancing LGBTQ+ inclusion in healthcare today?

I think, for the future, we need to be aware of our present political climate and make sure that we are advocates for the LGBTQ+ community. This may mean getting involved more politically as an organization with the community and making a stand. As we are seeing with many sectors of our society, such as education and law, if we don’t stand up for people’s rights, they can very easily be taken away.

Any other reflections you’d like to share as we celebrate Pride Month?

One last thought as we celebrate Pride Month — I think the medical community has made real progress in embracing people from all walks of life. That kind of inclusivity doesn’t just improve patient care — it also creates a workplace where everyone feels happier and healthier. Let’s keep pushing forward by actively listening, learning, and standing up for one another — because true care starts with inclusion.

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