Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center has received an evaluation of 95 out of 100 and the designation of “LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Top Performer” 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.
“This recognition reaffirms our responsibility to treat everyone equally, and reflects the value we, as an organization, place on recognizing and respecting the differences that everyone has to offer,” said Sherry Perkins, president of Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center. “Thank you to our LGBTQ+ Business Resource Group for developing policies that create an inclusive environment for our patients and teammates. Discrimination has no place in this hospital and we will continue to make positive changes that benefit the communities we serve.”
“Every person deserves to have access to quality healthcare, be respected and heard by their doctor, and feel safe in the facility where they are receiving care. But LGBTQ+ people are often subject to discrimination in all spaces, including healthcare facilities, which leads to members of the community avoiding care and anticipating our voices will not be respected in an incredibly vulnerable environment,” said Tari Hanneman, Director of Health & Aging at The Human Rights Campaign. “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. 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.
“This designation demonstrates our commitment to our RISE values – Respect, Inclusion, Service, & Excellence. We RISE by lifting others,” said Manny Ocasio, chief human resource officer for Luminis Health. “One of the strategic goals of Vision 2030 is to become the number one employer of choice in the region where 100 percent of our team members find joy at work. This honor signifies that we remain true to our vision.”
In the 2022 report, an impressive 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 to 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.
