Among the improvements noted in this year's HEI are a 59 percent increase in hospitals that have written gender transition guidelines and a 42 percent increase in hospitals that offer trans-inclusive benefits;. (Photo: Shutterstock)
A record number of health care facilities were granted the "Leader in LGBTQ Healthcare Equality" designation by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation.
In concert with the organization's release of the 11th edition of its Healthcare Equality Index (HEI), which scores health care facilities on policies and practices dedicated to the equitable treatment and inclusion of their LGBTQ patients, visitors and employees, the foundation provided the designation to 418 out of a record 626 health care facilities that actively participated in this year's survey. The foundation also proactively researched key policies at more than 900 nonparticipating hospitals across the nation.
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The release of this year's HEI coincides with today's deadline for public comments on the proposed Trump-Pence so-called "conscience" regulation at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. If finalized, the regulation would allow health care providers to deny LGBTQ people and women necessary care, and deter health care organizations and providers from taking action to guarantee that all patients have access to care they are legally entitled to.
HEI participants are assessed on four criteria: LGBTQ Patient-Centered Care, LGBTQ Patient Services and Support, Employee Benefits and Policies and LGBTQ Patient and Community Engagement. Not only did 418 facilities get a 100 percent rating, but another 95 facilities earned the "Top Performer" designation, scoring from 80–95 points.
Among the improvements noted in this year's HEI are a 59 percent increase in hospitals that have written gender transition guidelines; a 42 percent increase in hospitals that offer trans-inclusive benefits; a 21 percent increase in the number of participants that have transgender-specific policies; and a 63 percent increase in training hours recorded, for a total of more than 70,000 hours of LGBTQ care training provided.
Among hospitals that did not actively participate in the HEI, but were included based on foundation research, just 63 percent have patient nondiscrimination policies including both sexual orientation and gender identity; just 53 percent have an LGBTQ-inclusive employment nondiscrimination policy. The equal visitation policy, at 93 percent, is the only one that comes close to matching the rate of the participating facilities.
There is serious concern over the proposed Trump-Pence "conscience" regulation and its possible effects on health care among vulnerable communities.
"While the 2018 HEI shows a growing commitment across the nation to equitable and inclusive health care, it also illustrates work left to be done," Tari Hanneman, director of the HRC Foundation's Health Equality Project and author of the HEI, is quoted saying. Hanneman adds, "And that work has never been more urgent, given the all-out assaults on the LGBTQ community from the highest levels of government."
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Marlene Satter
Marlene Y. Satter has worked in and written about the financial industry for decades.
