For the seventh time, Vanderbilt University Medical Center has been named a Leader in LGBTQ Healthcare Equality by the Human Rights Campaign Healthcare Equality Index (HEI) 2018.
VUMC is the only organization in Tennessee to repeatedly be recognized for its commitment to adopting LGBTQ-inclusive patient, visitation and employment policies.
“This index is extremely important as LGBTQ patients look at Vanderbilt to find providers who will treat them well,” said Del Zimmerman, manager of the Program for LGBTI Health at Vanderbilt. “We receive calls from patients outside of Nashville because they saw our leadership status in the HEI.
“Vanderbilt continues to add new policies and procedures suggested through the HEI checklist to ensure we are doing our best to serve LGBTQ patients.”
HEI is the national LGBTQ benchmarking tool that evaluates healthcare facilities’ policies and practices related to the equity and inclusion of their LGBTQ patients, visitors and employees.
The scoring criteria requires that a facility receives a score of 100 points to be designated as a “Leader in LGBTQ Healthcare Equality.”
Vanderbilt and the VA Tennessee Valley Healthcare System in Murfreesboro were the only two organizations listed as 2018 leaders.
The HEI 2018 used four core objectives:
- Ensure foundational protection for patients, visitors and staff in patient and staff policies and provide cultural competency training on LGBTQ inclusion.
- Demonstrate progress toward inclusion on LGBTQ patient care and support.
- Cultivate an inclusive workforce by providing LGBTQ-inclusive employee support and benefits.
- Demonstrate public commitment to the LGBTQ community.
