Northridge Hospital Medical Center receives LGBTQ+ equality recognition in 2022 Healthcare Equality Index (HEI)

Northridge, CA – Northridge Hospital Medical Center has been recognized as an LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Leader by the Human Rights Campaign which is the nation’s largest LGBTQ+ organization. 

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. 

“We are honored to be recognized by the Human Rights Campaign for our dedicated work with the LGBTQ+ community,” states Paul Watkins, President at Northridge Hospital Medical Center. “We are deeply committed to equity and inclusion in order to provide everyone with a safe and welcoming environment to receive care.” 

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

• Foundational Policies and Training in LGBTQ+ Patient-Centered Care; 
• LGBTQ+ Patient Services and Support; 
• Employee Benefits and Policies; and, 
• Patient and Community Engagement. 

LGBTQ+ patients have historically faced significant and long standing challenges to accessing the care they need, and Northridge Hospital is committed to providing welcoming, compassionate care for LGBTQ+ patients and their families. 

“Every person deserves to have access to quality healthcare, be respected and heard by their doctor, and feel safe in the facility where they are receiving care. But LGBTQ+ people are often subject to discrimination in all spaces, including healthcare facilities, which leads to members of the community avoiding care and anticipating our voices will not be respected in an incredibly vulnerable environment,” said Tari Hanneman, Director of Health & Aging at The Human Rights Campaign. “The Healthcare Equality Index, at its core, strives to ensure LGBTQ+ people are protected and affirmed by their healthcare providers and feel safe seeking services. Our HEI active participants are truly pioneering the healthcare industry by implementing robust, comprehensive LGBTQ+ inclusive policies that hopefully, because of their work, will become standard practice.”

Northridge Hospital is one of several Dignity Health care sites recognized in the 2022 HEI. As part of the HEI survey process, Dignity Health worked with a nationally recognized LGBTQ+ health expert to undertake a comprehensive review of LGBTQ+ care policies and practices within the organization. We 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, created the role of an LGBTQ+ patient advocate, and clarified wording in employee benefits to be explicitly inclusive of LGBTQ+ employees – to name just a few examples. 

For more information about Northridge Hospital’s commitment to LGBTQ+ care, visit www.dignityhealth.org/lgbtqcare. 

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About Dignity Health - Northridge Hospital Medical Center 

Founded in 1955, Dignity Health – Northridge Hospital Medical Center is a 394-bed, acute care, nonprofit community hospital located in Northridge, California.  The hospital offers a full complement of award winning services, including the Leavey Cancer Center, a Cardiovascular Center, the Center for Assault Treatment Services, a Neuroscience Center of Excellence, a pediatric intensive care unit, and the only pediatric trauma center in the San Fernando Valley.  The hospital shares a legacy of humankindness with Dignity Health, one of the largest health care systems.  Visit dignityhealth.org/northridgehospital for more information.