For the eighth consecutive year, the Montefiore Medical Center has received a perfect score for its health care equity for LGBTQ+ patients, visitors and employees from the Human Rights Campaign Health Equality Index (HEI).
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 people. Now in its 15th year, HEI is viewed as the gold standard in benchmarking health care institutions on policies and practices, particularly for marginalized communities.
The 2022 HEI scorecard evaluated health care institutions on criteria related to four key areas. Montefiore received the maximum score in each section:
- Foundational Policies and Training in LGBTQ+ Patient-Centered Care
- LGBTQ+ Patient Services and Support
- Employee Benefits and Policies
- Patient and Community Engagement
Recently, Montefiore implemented an inclusive identity policy on preferred names and pronouns, which they say allows associates to identify the name and pronouns that best align with their gender identity, to ensure an inclusive and safe work environment.
Montefiore also established programs and training opportunities to address the LGBTQ+ community’s needs, helping employees understand appropriate terminology, gender identities and sexual orientation. Montefiore’s hospital system is comprised of 10 hospitals across the Bronx, Westchester and Hudson Valley, including the Children’s Hospital at Montefiore, Burke Rehabilitation Hospital and more than 200 outpatient ambulatory care sites.
“This recognition by the nation’s largest LGBTQ+ civil rights organization shines a spotlight on the work, ethics and moral compass of our Montefiore community,” said Gloria Kenny, senior vice president and chief human resources officer at Montefiore. “Founded more than 135 years ago, Montefiore has always been steadfast in our commitment to ensuring our patients, staff and communities are heard, well cared for and not discriminated against; this is our North Star.”
Montefiore has carved out a strong presence in New York’s LGBTQ+ community as they were the first health system to have a float in the NYC Pride March in 2016.
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Additionally, Montefiore has sponsored Pride events in four of New York City’s boroughs, as well as in Westchester and Rockland counties, and worked with the Bronx Borough President’s office to raise the pride flag at Bronx Borough Hall.
“At Montefiore, we believe in a world where people can be their authentic selves in a safe and encouraging work environment, and we strive to provide equity in our approach to healthcare for our LGBTQ+ community,” said Alana Murphy, MB, organizational change management consultant and program chair to the Healthcare Equality Index for the Human Rights Campaign at Montefiore.
Reach Robbie Sequeira at rsequeira@schnepsmedia.com or (718) 260-4599. For more coverage, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @bronxtimes
