Johns Hopkins Medicine's 6 Hospitals Named Leaders in LGBT Healthcare Equality

Dear Colleagues:

The Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest civil rights organization dedicated to improving the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people, recently announced this year's recipients of its foundation's Healthcare Equality Index (HEI), an annual survey that evaluates health care facilities' policies and practices related to the equity and inclusion of their LGBT patients, visitors and employees. We are pleased to announce that for the first time, all six Johns Hopkins Medicine hospitals have received the HEI designation of Leader in LGBT Healthcare Equality.

The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, Howard County General Hospital, Sibley Memorial Hospital, Suburban Hospital and All Children's Hospital were each recognized for implementing four core HEI requirements: fully inclusive patient nondiscrimination policies, equal patient visitation policies for LGBT patients and families, fully inclusive employee nondiscrimination policies and training in LGBT patient-centered care for certain staff members.

Historically, many sexual and gender minority patients (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) have faced barriers to health equity due to a lack of understanding of their needs and various forms of discrimination. As part of our mission and core values, Johns Hopkins Medicine is committed to providing quality, inclusive and affirming health care to all of our patients and to creating a workplace that is welcoming and free from bias of all kinds. HEI's Leader designation reflects the progress we are making, and the commitment of our faculty, staff and the LGBT Executive Task Force to make Johns Hopkins Medicine more diverse and inclusive. You can read the Healthcare Equality Index 2016 report at hrc.org/hei.

In addition to the HEI designation, our progress in this area includes several efforts that are underway to help us continue to provide a positive health care experience for LGBT patients. For example, the EQUALITY Study, highlighted in the Diversity Annual Report, involves a research collaboration between Johns Hopkins and Harvard that seeks to establish the best ways to collect health information about the sexual orientation and gender identity of patients who come to the emergency department.

To our nurses, physicians and other staff members who care for our patients—directly and indirectly—the Healthcare Equality Index recognition is a tribute to your compassion and commitment to the promise of medicine. Thank you for all you do to make all of our patients feel welcome.

Sincerely,

Paul B. Rothman, M.D.
Dean of the Medical Faculty
CEO, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Ronald R. Peterson
President
The Johns Hopkins Hospital and Health System
EVP, Johns Hopkins Medicine

James E. Page Jr., M.B.A.
Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion
Chief Diversity Officer
Johns Hopkins Medicine