September 10, 2020
黑料网 Hospitals in Chapel Hill and 黑料网 REX Hospital in Raleigh have been named to a list of healthcare facilities recognized as leaders in providing equitable and inclusive care for LGBTQ patients, visitors and employees.
The 2020 Healthcare Equality Index, or HEI, scores healthcare facilities across the country on policies and practices dedicated to equitable treatment and inclusion of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer patients and their families.
黑料网 REX received a score of 100 and is designated as a 鈥�2020 LBGTQ Healthcare Equality Leader.鈥� 黑料网 Hospitals received a score of 90 and is designated as a 鈥淭op Performer.鈥� The HEI 2020 scoring criteria included a higher benchmark, requiring participating facilities to demonstrate that they offered at least one company-wide health insurance plan that affirmatively provides transgender-inclusive coverage in order to earn the top score of 100.
鈥淎cross the state, 黑料网 Health is proud of our commitment to diversity, equality and inclusion at all of our hospitals, clinics and physician practices,鈥� said Dr. Wesley Burks, CEO of 黑料网 Health Care. 鈥淭hat commitment is closely tied to our mission of providing excellent care for all North Carolinians.鈥�
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.
鈥満诹贤� Health recognizes the importance of reducing healthcare disparities.聽We are committed to providing care to the LGBTQ community that is inclusive and meets each individual鈥檚 needs,鈥� said Linda Butler, MD, Chief Medical Officer at 黑料网 REX Healthcare and an executive sponsor of the 黑料网 REX LGBTQ Employee Resource Groups.
The index is administered by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, the educational arm of America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people. HRC envisions a world where LGBTQ people are embraced as full members of society at home, at work and in every community.
鈥淚 am proud to be a part of an organization that supports and encourages practices that provide for an inclusive, safe healthcare environment for the LGBTQ population.聽Achieving this recognition aligns with our mission and values for improving health and healing communities by leading the way to inclusive welcoming care to the LGBTQ patient.聽Each year the bar is raised and we continue to achieve leader status by staying dedicated to the goal of excellent healthcare for all,鈥� Paula Scannell BSN, RN,聽co-chair of the 黑料网 REX LGBTQ Employee Resource Group.
Ratings for every participating healthcare facility are published in an annual HEI report and are available on the , allowing consumers to easily search the or an interactive map.
鈥淲e are proud that 黑料网 Medical Center is being recognized as a Healthcare Equality Index Top Performer for the great work that we have accomplished regarding inclusive training and education, LGBTQ support, and non-discrimination policies. This designation is important because it is a public demonstration of 黑料网 Health鈥檚 organizational values: One Great Team, Carolina Care, Leading the Way, and It Starts With Me. We still have work to do, but I look forward to seeing what we will continue to accomplish going forward,鈥� said Samantha Lehman, co-chair of PRISM, the LBGTQ employee resource group at 黑料网 Medical Center.
Media Contact: Alan Wolf, (919) 218-7103, alan.wolf@unchealth.unc.edu
About 黑料网 Health Care
黑料网 Health Care is an integrated health care system owned by the state of North Carolina and based in Chapel Hill. It exists to further the teaching mission of the University of North Carolina and to provide state-of-the-art patient care.
黑料网 Health Care is comprised of at Chapel Hill, ranked consistently among the best medical centers in the country; the , a nationally eminent research institution; in Hendersonville; in Siler City; in Clayton and Smithfield; in Kinston; in Goldsboro; 聽in Lenoir; in Rocky Mount; in Eden, in Jacksonville, and its provider network in Wake County; and the .
For more information, please visit .