In a disheartening departure, Dr. Jake Kleinmahon, a prominent pediatric heart specialist, bids farewell to Louisiana, leaving the state with fewer resources for its young patients. The medical director of Ochsner Hospital for Children’s pediatric heart transplant, heart failure, and ventricular assist device programs, Dr. Kleinmahon’s expertise has been a valuable asset to the state’s healthcare landscape. Regrettably, the recent passage of discriminatory bills targeting LGBTQ rights has compelled him and his husband to seek a more inclusive environment elsewhere.
Struggling Amidst Anti-LGBTQ Legislation
Louisiana lawmakers introduced three bills in June, specifically aimed at the LGBTQ community. While Governor John Bel Edwards vetoed all three, the Legislature’s subsequent overturning of the veto on a bill banning transition-related medical care for minors has left the state’s LGBTQ families feeling marginalized. For Dr. Kleinmahon, a gay man committed to his work and the community, this legislative hostility towards LGBTQ rights has made it difficult for him and his husband to envision a future in Louisiana.
An Irreplaceable Loss for Louisiana’s Healthcare
With Dr. Kleinmahon’s departure, Louisiana loses one of its three pediatric heart specialists, leaving behind a void in medical care for children with heart conditions. As the sole pediatric heart transplant center in the state, Ochsner Hospital for Children relied on his expertise and dedication to building one of the country’s leading pediatric heart transplant programs. In an emotional Instagram post, Dr. Kleinmahon expressed the pain of leaving behind a thriving program and a network of friends, colleagues, and patients.
The Ripple Effect of Discriminatory Legislation
Dr. Kleinmahon’s decision to relocate to Cohen Children’s Medical Center in Long Island, New York, resonates with an increasing number of healthcare professionals, parents, teachers, and LGBTQ advocates who are departing their home states in response to laws targeting LGBTQ individuals and communities. Texas witnessed families fleeing after investigations into parents of trans minors, while teachers in Florida left due to the so-called “Don’t Say Gay” law. In Columbia, Missouri, a school board member announced her resignation over anti-LGBTQ bills.
As more states grapple with divisive legislation, the question looms of how much talent, skill, and compassion the nation is willing to sacrifice at the altar of discriminatory policies. Dr. Kleinmahon’s departure serves as a poignant reminder of the urgent need for inclusivity and equality in all facets of society, especially in the realm of healthcare where lives are at stake. Louisiana’s loss is New York’s gain, but the broader impact of such legislation on families, communities, and the healthcare landscape requires attention and contemplation from leaders nationwide.