28 Mar UW Health earns top score in Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s 2022 Healthcare Equality Index
Today, UW Health has received a top score of 100 and the designation of “LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Leader” in the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) 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.
“As an LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Leader, we work to have robust, comprehensive inclusive policies as our standard practices,” said Shiva Bidar-Sielaff, chief diversity officer, UW Health. “I hope this designation is an affirming message to our patients, our staff and our community that we see them, and we are here for them.”
The HEI evaluates and scores healthcare facilities on detailed criteria under four pillars:
- Foundational Policies and Training in LGBTQ+ Patient-Centered Care
- LGBTQ+ Patient Services and Support
- Employee Benefits and Policies
- Patient and Community Engagement
“Creating an equitable and inclusive environment is a core priority for us at UW Health,” said Dr. Alan Kaplan, CEO, UW Health. “We are proud to receive this designation again and view it as one of our responsibilities as a healthcare system to continue to meet the expectations of an LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Leader.”
UW Health is amongst only 496 healthcare facilities in the United States, and the only one in south central Wisconsin, to have earned the 2022 “LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Leader” designation. University Hospital, American Family Children’s Hospital, and The American Center were all designated “LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Leader” facilities. Read more …