Christiana Care earns top honors in LGBTQ Healthcare Equality Index
Wilmington and Christiana hospitals are the only Delaware health care facilities to achieve Leader status
Christiana Care has again been recognized as a leader in LGBTQ health care equality. Christiana Hospital and Wilmington Hospital were the only health care facilities in Delaware to be designated 2019 LGBTQ Healthcare Equality Leaders — the highest recognition from the Healthcare Equality Index.
Created by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, the Healthcare Equality Index is a tool to compare hospitals based on their policies and practices related to the equity and inclusion of their LGBTQ patients, visitors and employees.
“At Christiana Care, we serve our neighbors, guided by our values, Love and Excellence,” said Christiana Care President and CEO Janice E. Nevin, M.D., MPH. “Our continued commitment to meeting the needs of our LGBTQ neighbors is about treating everyone with respect and dignity — and it’s also about delivering high-quality, safe care. We are privileged to serve our LGBTQ patients, and we are privileged to partner with our LGBTQ caregivers in delivering award-winning care.”
This is the eighth year in a row that Christiana Care’s hospitals have received this honor.
Only 406 health care institutions nationwide achieved Leader status, out of more than 1,600 facilities surveyed.
Christiana Care earned the designation through its policies and practices across five main criteria evaluated by the index:
- Non-discrimination and staff training.
- Patient services and support.
- Employee benefits and policies.
- Patient and community engagement.
- Responsible citizenship.
To receive Leader status, a facility must score 100 out of 100 on these measures.
“From our visitation policies to employee benefits to community engagement, we’ve looked for opportunities to help our LGBTQ patients and staff feel valued and respected,” said Timothy D. Rodden, MDiv, MA, BCC, FACHE, system coordinator of LGBTQ Health Initiatives.
“We believe that promoting LGBTQ equity is part of embracing our patients’ diversity and being their partners in health.”