LGBTQ+ friendly care

There are two simple ways to find the right doctor for you: 

• Search online with our quick, easy-to-use Find a Doctor tool. 

• Call 1-800-82-SHARP (1-800-827-4277), Monday through Friday, 7 am to 7 pm, to speak with one of our specially trained physician referral specialists. They know our doctors and can help you find the perfect fit.

Existing patients: If you are an existing patient with a Sharp primary care doctor (meaning you have seen your doctor at least once), simply call the doctor’s office to make an appointment. Some doctors also offer online scheduling through their sharp.com profile or patient portal. 

New patients: If you have selected a doctor, but have not yet had your first appointment, you can call the doctor's office directly or call 1-800-82-SHARP (1-800-827-4277), Monday through Friday, 7 am to 7 pm. Some doctor also offer online scheduling for new patients through their sharp.com profile or patient portal

Sharp accepts almost all health insurance plans, including Medicare, Medi-Cal and most managed care and private insurance plans.  

Be sure to check with your insurance company to verify specific coverage. Coverage may depend on which Sharp medical group your doctor is under. Insurance companies frequently add new plans, and update provider networks and covered services under existing plans.

You can change primary care doctors at any time. While it's a good idea to stay with a doctor so they can really get to know you and your health needs and history, it is most important that you have a doctor whom you trust, are comfortable with and is conveniently located near you. 

If you need to change your doctor, use our Find a Doctor tool to select a new doctor. After that, make sure you call your health plan's member services department to inform them of this change. The phone number is usually located on the back of your insurance card.

Yes, in some cases. But you will need to contact your health plan's member services department to confirm that your coverage allows it. 

Some medical groups offer direct access to certain types of specialists, such as allergists, dermatologists and ophthalmologists. And some health plans, such as PPOs, offer direct access to all specialists.

Always check with your primary care doctor to see if they have a same-day appointment available. If not, there are several other options for same-day care: 

• Urgent care 

• Virtual care

If you’re experiencing a medical emergency, don’t delay care. Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. 

• American Cancer Society

  • Tobacco and the GLBT community

  • Cancer facts for gay and bisexual men

    • Datos sobre el cáncer para hombres homosexuales y bisexuales

  • Cancer facts for lesbians and bisexual women

    • Datos sobre el cáncer para las lesibianas y mujeres bisexuales

• American Heart Association

  • How can I quit smoking?

  • How can I handle the stress of not smoking?

• GLMA: Health Professionals Advancing LGBTQ+ Equality

  • GLMA produces and shares comprehensive LGBTQ+ health resources that cater to patients, including health topics LGBTQ+ patients should discuss with their health care providers.

• National LGBTQIA+ Health Education Center learning resources

• The San Diego LGBTQ Center

  • The Center provides targeted programs and services to the full diversity of the San Diego LGBTQ community, including lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, transgender, nonbinary, immigrant and HIV communities to the betterment of our entire San Diego region.

• Sharp HealthCare

  • Preventing HIV and AIDS with PrEP

  • Preventing illicit drug use in teens

• The Trevor Project

  • If you are a young person who is in crisis, feeling suicidal, or in need of a safe and judgment-free place to talk, call The Trevor Lifeline at 866-488-7386. Learn more about the world’s largest suicide prevention and mental health organization for LGBTQ young people.