The Human Rights Campaign Foundation ( HRC ) released its 12th annual Healthcare Equality Index ( HEI ), which scores healthcare facilities on policies and practices dedicated to the equitable treatment and inclusion of their LGBTQ patients, visitors and employees.
A record 680 healthcare facilities actively participated in this year's surveywith 406 of them earning a top score of 100, earning HRC's "Leader in LGBTQ Health Care Equality" designation. In addition, the HRC Foundation researched key policies at 1,000 non-participating hospitals across the nation.
The survey noted 16 Illinois facilities as leaders. Chicago sites included Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, Ann & Robert H Lurie Childrens Hospital of Chicago, Howard Brown Health, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Rush University Medical Center, University of Chicago Medical Center and VA Jesse Brown Medical Center.
Facilities were scored in four areas. The first criterion involved the foundational elements of LGBTQ patient-centered care. The three remaining criteria were patient services and support, employee benefits and policies, and patient and community engagement. In addition, this year participants had to demonstrate that they offered transgender-inclusive healthcare benefits.
The full index is at HRC.org/hei .