We are honored to be recognized by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation as a national leader in LGBTQ+ health equality,” said Rachel J. Thornton, MD, PhD, Vice President, Chief Health Equity Officer. “All children deserve to be treated with care and compassion, and we will continue to pursue equitable practices that help us create the healthiest generations of children.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (June 30, 2022) Nemours Children’s Health has received an evaluation of 100 and the designation of “LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Leader” in the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s 15th anniversary edition of the Healthcare Equality Index (HEI), the nation’s foremost benchmarking survey of healthcare facilities on policies and practices dedicated to the equitable treatment and inclusion of their LGBTQ+ patients, visitors and employees. A record 906 healthcare facilities actively participated in the 2022 HEI survey and 496 of those earned an “LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Leader” designation.
“We are honored to be recognized by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation as a national leader in LGBTQ+ health equality,” said Rachel J. Thornton, MD, PhD, Vice President, Chief Health Equity Officer. “All children deserve to be treated with care and compassion, and we will continue to pursue equitable practices that help us create the healthiest generations of children.”
Nemours Children’s proudly touts a written plan for reducing health disparities specifically among LGBTQ patients and explicitly incorporates LGBTQ patients into a plan for reducing all patient disparities. In addition, Nemours offers employees training in LGBTQ patient-centered care, transgender patient services and support, and equal benefits and support for LGBTQ employees.
For patients in the Delaware Valley, the Nemours Gender Wellness Program offers a wide range of services for kids and teens who are looking for help with their gender identity development and/or transition. Providers work closely together as a comprehensive team – including endocrinologists, psychologists, social workers, and other clinicians - to give children both medical and psychological care that meets their specific needs.
“The Healthcare Equality Index, at its core, strives to ensure LGBTQ+ people are protected and affirmed by their healthcare providers and feel safe seeking services,” said Tari Hanneman, Director of Health & Aging at The Human Rights Campaign. “Our HEI active participants are truly pioneering the healthcare industry by implementing robust, comprehensive LGBTQ+ inclusive policies that hopefully, because of their work, will become standard practice.”
The HEI evaluates and scores healthcare facilities on detailed criteria falling under four central pillars:
- Foundational Policies and Training in LGBTQ+ Patient-Centered Care;
- LGBTQ+ Patient Services and Support;
- Employee Benefits and Policies; and,
- Patient and Community Engagement.
In the 2022 report, 496 facilities earned HRC’s “LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Leader” designation, receiving the maximum score in each section and earning an overall score of 100. Another 251 facilities earned the “Top Performer” designation with scores between 80 and 95 points and at least partial credit in each section. With 82% of participating facilities scoring 80 points or more, health care facilities are demonstrating concretely that they are going beyond the basics when it comes to adopting policies and practices in LGBTQ+ care.
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About Nemours Children’s Health
Nemours Children’s Health is one of the nation’s largest multistate pediatric health systems, including two free-standing children's hospitals and a network of more than 70 primary and specialty care practices. Nemours Children's seeks to transform the health of children by adopting a holistic health model that utilizes innovative, safe, and high-quality care, while also caring for the health of the whole child beyond medicine. Nemours Children's also powers the world’s most-visited website for information on the health of children and teens, KidsHealth.org. The Nemours Foundation, established through the legacy and philanthropy of Alfred I. duPont, provides pediatric clinical care, research, education, advocacy, and prevention programs to the children, families and communities it serves.
About The Human Rights Campaign Foundation
The Human Rights Campaign Foundation is the educational arm of the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), America's largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) people. Through its programs, the HRC Foundation seeks to make transformational change in the everyday lives of LGBTQ+ people, shedding light on inequity and deepening the public’s understanding of LGBTQ+ issues, with a clear focus on advancing transgender and racial justice. Its work has transformed the landscape for more than 15 million workers, 11 million students, 1 million clients in the adoption and foster care system and so much more. The HRC Foundation provides direct consultation and technical assistance to institutions and communities, driving the advancement of inclusive policies and practices; it builds the capacity of future leaders and allies through fellowship and training programs; and, with the firm belief that we are stronger working together, it forges partnerships with advocates in the U.S. and around the globe to increase our impact and shape the future of our work.
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