The Times Herald (Norristown, PA)
Phoenixville Hospital named LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality ‘Top Performer’
Facility is one of 251 healthcare providers nation-wide to receive the designation
Phoenixville Hospital has received the designation of LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Top Performer in the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s 2022 Healthcare Equality Index (HEI).
The hospital received an evaluation of 90 out of 100 in the benchmarking survey of healthcare facilities on policies and practices dedicated to the equitable treatment and inclusion of their LGBTQ+ patients, visitors and employees.
“Phoenixville Hospital is honored and values this designation,” Rich Newell, president and chief executive officer, Phoenixville and Pottstown Hospitals, said in a statement. “Being rated as a ‘Top Performer’ reflects the hard work our staff has put into meeting the needs of our LGBTQ+ staff and patients. We are committed to provide high quality care to the LGBTQ+ community and making all of our patients feel valued and safe when in our care.”
A total of 906 healthcare facilities participated in the 2022 Healthcare Equality Index survey. There are two categories in the survey. The designation of LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Leader’ was given to 496 facilities, with 251 earning an LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Top Performer designation.
Phoenixville Hospital is one of 31 Pennsylvania facilities be recognized.
“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 statement.
The Healthcare Equality Index, at its core, Hanneman said, “strives to ensure LGBTQ+ people are protected and affirmed by their healthcare providers and feel safe seeking services.”
She said the Healthcare Equality Index leaders are implementing comprehensive LGBTQ+ inclusive policies “that hopefully, because of their work, will become standard practice.”
Conducted annually, the Healthcare Equality Index evaluates and scores healthcare facilities on detailed criteria in four areas:
• Foundational policies and training in LGBTQ+ patient-centered care;
• LGBTQ+ patient services and support;
• Employee benefits and policies; and,
• Patient and community engagement.
Facilities receiving the LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Leader designation received the maximum score in each section and an overall score of 100. Facilities receiving the Top Performer designation scored between 80 to 95 points and at least partial credit in each section. Eighty-two percent of participating facilities scored 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,” a press release announcing the designation stated.
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.