Evanston Hospital was one of three Illinois hospitals who took part in a national study for treatment of LGBT patients, according to the Healthcare Equality Index.
Now in its fifth year, the HEI is a report issued by the Human Rights Campaign, America’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization, according to the HRC website.
The report outlines the four criteria HRC considers when rating a faciity: LGBT-explicit provisions in the patients’ bill of rights and/or non-discrimination policy, explicitly inclusive visitation rights for same-sex couples or parents, LGBT cultural competency training for all personnel and LGBT-explicit provisions in the facility’s employment policy.
According to Alison Delpercio, manager of the Family Project at the HRC Foundation, the organization wants explicit language in hospital policies that grant LGBT people the same rights as heterosexual people. Without specific policies in place, healthcare workers could apply their own bias in interpreting policies and discriminate against LGBT people, Delpercio said.
Past experiences of discrimination can lead LGBT people to delay care or even not access it, Delpercio said.
“Nearly 56 percent of LGB people and 70 percent of transgender people have experienced some form of discrimination while accessing healthcare,” according to a report cited in the index.
But in the five years since the first survey was started, the voluntary participation has increased, according to Delpercio.
“(Filling out the survey), it’s showing that they’re paying attention to the health needs of the LGBT community,” Delpercio said. “It’s a first step in improving policies and practices where needed.”
According to Delpercio, this year is the first time Evanston Hospital has taken the survey.
Evanston Hospital met only one of the standards: including “sexual orientation” in its equal employment opportunity policy.
However, not meeting all the criteria doesn’t mean the facility is discriminatory, Delpercio said, and it is very common for hospitals to improve their practices and/or policies after being rated.
Evanston Hospital could not be reached for comment.
The two other Illinois hospitals included in the survey were Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center and Rush University Medical Center, both in Chicago. Both met all criteria outlined by the HEI and were named 2011 leaders in LGBT healthcare equality, along with 25 other facilities out of a total 375 included in the report.
According the report, 2011 was a “landmark year” for LGBT healthcare equality since a memorandum issued by President Barack Obama to the Department of Health and Human Services took effect in January of this year. The memorandum called on HHS to promote visitation regulations protecting the rights of all Americans, especially members of the LGBT community.
Safiya Merchant contributed reporting.
