Dignity Health St. Joseph’s Medical Center Receives “LGBTQ+ Equality High Performer” Recognition in 2024 Healthcare Equality Index

(STOCKTON, CA) May 8, 2024 –  Dignity Health St. Joseph’s Medical Center has been recognized as an LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality High Performer in the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s 2024 Healthcare Equality Index (HEI). 

The HEI is the nation’s foremost benchmarking survey of healthcare facilities on policies and practices dedicated to the equitable treatment and inclusion of their LGBTQ+ patients, visitors and employees.

"At St. Joseph's Medical Center, we are deeply committed to providing welcoming and knowledgeable care for all patients. We are honored to be recognized as an LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Leader by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation.” said Donald J. Wiley, President and CEO, St. Joseph’s Medical Center. “We know that LGBTQ+ people have long faced barriers to accessing health care and that health inequity persists today. This recognition from HEI is a testament to the dedication of our compassionate staff, who are committed to helping make sure that our LGBTQ+ patients feel welcome, heard, and safe in our care sites every day.”

The HEI evaluates and scores healthcare facilities on detailed criteria falling under five central pillars:

• Non-discrimination and Staff Training
• Patient Services and Support
• Employee Benefits and Policies
• Patient and Community Engagement, and
• Responsible Citizenship

In the 2024 report, 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. LGBTQ+ patients have historically faced significant and longstanding challenges to accessing the care they need, and St. Joseph’s Medical Center is committed to providing welcoming, compassionate care for LGBTQ+ patients and their families.

As part of the HEI process, St. Joseph’s Medical Center underwent a comprehensive review of LGBTQ+ care policies and practices within the organization. St. Joseph’s Medical Center updated dozens of policies to support LGBTQ+ health care outcomes, expanded training for staff and clinicians, updated patient forms and IT processes to better capture preferred pronouns and solicit feedback from LGBTQ+ patients, and clarified wording in employee benefits to be explicitly inclusive of LGBTQ+ employees – to name just a few examples. 

About St. Joseph’s Medical Center:

Dignity Health St. Joseph's Medical Center is a not-for-profit, fully accredited, regional hospital with 355 beds, a physician staff of over 700, and more than 2,700 employees. Specializing in cardiovascular care, comprehensive cancer services, and women and children's services, St. Joseph's is committed to delivering compassionate, high-quality, affordable health care services with special attention to the poor and underserved. As a Sponsoring Institution for Graduate Medical Education, St. Joseph’s supports rapidly growing educational programs for both resident physicians and medical students. In addition to being nationally recognized as a quality leader, St. Joseph's is consistently chosen as the "most preferred hospital" by local consumers. St. Joseph's is the largest hospital, as well as one of the largest private employers in San Joaquin County. Founded in 1899 by Fr. William O'Connor and administered by the Dominican Sisters of San Rafael, St. Joseph's continues to lead the region in medical innovation. St. Joseph's Medical Center is a member of Dignity Health/CommonSpirit Health, a nonprofit Catholic health system with care sites across 21 states dedicated to advancing health for all people. For more information, please visit DignityHealth.org/Stockton.