Manet Community Health Center (Manet) is proud to announce that it has been named an LGBTQ Health Care Equality Leader by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation (HRC Foundation) in its newly released 13th annual Healthcare Equality Index (HEI). Leader status is awarded to health care facilities that attained a score of 100 in the HEI.
“This status is a reflection of Manet’s commitment to providing welcoming, inclusive and culturally competent health care of the highest quality to everyone who walks through our doors — patients, employees and visitors alike,” says Manet’s Director of Urgent Care and Occupational Health Justin Yang, MD, MPH, who has spearheads the health center’s LGBTQ+ Care team. “We are proud to be recognized, yet even more proud to provide equitable and inclusive care for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer patients and their families across all six of our locations in Quincy, Hull and Taunton.”
The HEI scores health care facilities on policies and practices dedicated to the equitable treatment and inclusion of their LGBTQ patients, visitors and employees. A record 765 healthcare facilities actively participated in this year’s HEI survey, with 495 of them earning a top score of 100 and receiving the “LGBTQ Health Care Equality Leader” designation. Manet is among 16 health care facilities, and one of four community health centers, in Massachusetts to receive a perfect score. As part of its work to ensure equitable care, Manet has created a LGBTQ Ally Team to assist patients with any special needs or concerns.
The remarkable progress reflected in the 2020 HEI includes:
- 92% of participants met the HEI’s training requirements, completing more than 150,000 hours of staff training in LGBTQ patient-centered care.
- 99% of HEI participants documented that they include both “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” in their patient non-discrimination policy.
- 99% of HEI participants documented that they include both “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” in their employment nondiscrimination policy.
- 53% of HEI participants indicated that their facility has a policy or policies that specifically outline procedures and practices aimed at eliminating bias and insensitivity, and ensuring appropriate, welcoming interactions with transgender patients.
- After many years of trailing their corporate counterparts in the provision of transgender-inclusive health care benefits for employees, HEI participating healthcare facilities are nearly on par with the HRC Foundation’s Corporate Equality Index (CEI) participants as 80% have at least one health care plan that offered this benefit. The latest CEI noted 85% of participants having such benefits.
According to HRC President Alphonso David, “The health care facilities participating in the HRC Foundation’s Healthcare Equality Index (HEI) are not only on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic, they are also making it clear from their participation in the HEI that they stand on the side of fairness and are committed to providing inclusive care to their LGBTQ patients. In addition, many have made strong statements on racial justice and equity and are engaging in efforts to address racial inequities in their institutions and their communities. We commend all of the HEI participants for their commitment to providing inclusive care for all.”
Manet is pleased to be among this prestigious group. For more information about LBGTQ+ care at Manet, go to: https://www.manetchc.org/lgbtq-care/.