Dignity Health’s Sequoia Hospital in Redwood City received recognition as a LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Leader as part of the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s 2022 Healthcare Equality Index, a survey used nationally to determine whether facility policies and practices contribute to quality care for LGBTQ+ patients.
“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,” Tari Hanneman, Director of Health & Aging at The Human Rights Campaign said in a press release.
Hanneman lauded the HEI, which she said “strives to ensure LGBTQ+ people are protected and affirmed by their healthcare providers and feel safe seeking services.” The index evaluates facilities on a number of criteria that fall under four core pillars, foundational policies and training in LGBTQ+ patient-centered care; LGBTQ+ patient services and support; employee benefits and policies; and patient and community engagement.
Sequoia Hospital is one of 496 institutions to earn the “LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Leader” designation in 2022, having received maximum scores in each area for an overall score of 100. The facility earned the designation by working with an LGBTQ+ health expert, which led to an update of dozens of its policies and practices like updating patient forms and IT processes to capture preferred pronouns and facilitate feedback from LGBTQ+ patients, creating an LGBTQ+ advocate role and expanding training for staff and clinicians.
“As caregivers, we are always actively seeking tools to help us enhance the care we provide for all our patients,” Sequoia Hospital President Bill Graham said in the release. “Following the comprehensive framework outlined in the HEI application has helped us implement best practices for LGBTQ+ care, including policy enhancements, staff training and additional support for patients and families.”
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