Christiana and Wilmington Hospitals Earn Top Score in Equity, Inclusion of LGBTQ+ Community
2022 Healthcare Equality Index recognizes pioneers in diversity and affirming care
For the 11th consecutive year, Christiana Hospital and Wilmington Hospital have received a perfect score of 100 and the designation of “LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Leader” in the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s Healthcare Equality Index (HEI).
Now in its 15th year, the HEI is the nation’s foremost benchmarking survey of health care facilities on policies and practices dedicated to the equitable treatment and inclusion of their LGBTQ+ patients, visitors and employees.
“ChristianaCare is committed to being a national leader in diversity and inclusion, and we are honored for Christiana and Wilmington hospitals to be acknowledged once again as LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Leaders,” said Janice E. Nevin, M.D., MPH, ChristianaCare’s president and CEO.
“This recognition underscores our promise to our patients, families, caregivers and members of the community that we embrace diversity and show respect to everyone we serve.”
Union Hospital, in Elkton, Maryland, which joined ChristianaCare in 2020, also participates in the HEI. While it has not yet earned Healthcare Equality Leader status, ChristianaCare’s Office of Health Equity and campus leadership are working to put the components in place to achieve it.
The HEI evaluates and scores health care facilities on detailed criteria under four central pillars:
- Foundational policies and training in LGBTQ+ patient-centered care.
- LGBTQ+ patient services and support.
- Employee benefits and policies.
- Patient and community engagement.
“This designation is the result of our continuous efforts to grow our programs and resources to meet the health care needs of LGBTQ+ people in our community,” said Bettina Tweardy Riveros, J.D., chief health equity officer at ChristianaCare.
“We strive every day to provide informed and inclusive care for our LGBTQ+ patients and families.”
A record 906 health care facilities actively participated in the 2022 HEI survey, and 496 of those earned an LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Leader designation.
“Every person deserves to have access to quality health care, be respected and heard by their doctor, and feel safe in the facility where they are receiving care,” said Tari Hanneman, director of Health & Aging at the Human Rights Campaign.
“But LGBTQ+ people are often subject to discrimination in all spaces, including health care facilities, which leads to members of the community avoiding care and anticipating our voices will not be respected in an incredibly vulnerable environment,” Hanneman said.
“The Healthcare Equality Index, at its core, strives to ensure LGBTQ+ people are protected and affirmed by their health care providers and feel safe seeking services.
“Our HEI active participants are truly pioneering the health care industry by implementing robust, comprehensive LGBTQ+ inclusive policies that hopefully, because of their work, will become standard practice.”
The Human Rights Campaign Foundation is the educational arm of the Human Rights Campaign, America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) people.