Valleywise Health one of 384 healthcare facilities nationwide earning the “LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Leader” designation
Phoenix – For the sixth consecutive year, Valleywise Health has earned “LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Leader” designation from the Human Rights Campaign Foundation (HRC).
Valleywise Health Medical Center was the first hospital in Maricopa County to participate in HRC’s Healthcare Equality Index (HEI) and the first to receive a top score of 100. HEI has given Valleywise Health a top score every year because of the organization’s commitment to discrimination protections and high-quality care to LGBTQ+ patients, visitors, and employees.
The designation was awarded in the 16th iteration of HRC’s Healthcare Equality Index (HEI). A record 1,065 healthcare facilities actively participated in the HEI 2024 survey and scoring process. Of those participants, 384 received the top score of 100, earning the “LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Leader” designation.
“We’re proud to be recognized for our commitment to provide fully inclusive health care services, “ says Steve Purves, President and CEO of Valleywise Health. “As a major center of teaching, we have a special role in advancing care equity by training future health care providers and staff to offer competent, sensitive care to LGBTQ+ patients and their families while also ensuring our employees feel that same sense of inclusion.”
Created in April 2021, the Valleywise Health LGBTQ+ Rainbow Warriors’ Employee Resource Group spearheaded the HEI recertification efforts. Beyond that process, the ERG has activated internally to expand awareness and education, take part in community events, and orchestrate inclusive social gatherings for LGBTQ+ and allied staff. The HEI accreditation process was accomplished through dedicated workgroups focused on processes, protocols, and policies to increase the welcoming environment for all patients at Valleywise Health.
Key initiatives launched in the last year include Sexual Orientation & Gender Identity Inclusion (SOGII) in medical records and processes, championing the use of pronouns throughout Valleywise Health, and making strategic changes in EPIC and with vendors to honor the identities of patients in a respectful, affirming manner. Other activities include fundraising for the AIDS Walk AZ & 5k Run, Celebrating LGBTQ+ Pride Month in June, and honoring the International Transgender Day of Visibility.
“Receiving this recognition further validates the importance of creating an inclusive environment within the walls of Valleywise Health, but in all we do externally in the community,” says Manuel Soto-Griego, Health Information Management Director at Valleywise Health.
This year’s HEI comes as LGBTQ+ adults are twice as likely as non-LGBTQ+ adults to be “treated unfairly or with disrespect by a doctor or healthcare provider” in the last three years, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. The impact of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation combined with a history of discrimination in healthcare settings has the potential to cause even more LGBTQ+ people to delay or avoid seeking healthcare, which makes the HEI even more salient for those looking to find LGBTQ+-inclusive care.
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. Through its programs, the HRC Foundation seeks to make transformational change in the everyday lives of LGBTQ+ people, shedding light on inequity and deepening the public’s understanding of LGBTQ+ issues, with a clear focus on advancing transgender and racial justice. Its work has transformed the landscape for more than 15 million workers, 11 million students, 1 million clients in the adoption and foster care system and so much more. The HRC Foundation provides direct consultation and technical assistance to institutions and communities, driving the advancement of inclusive policies and practices; it builds the capacity of future leaders and allies through fellowship and training programs; and, with the firm belief that we are stronger working together, it forges partnerships with advocates in the U.S. and around the globe to increase our impact and shape the future of our work.