Children’s Hospital Los Angeles receives LGBTQ Healthcare Equality Leader designation for second straight year

For the second year in a row, Children's Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) has received top marks from the Human Rights Campaign Foundation's Healthcare Equality Index (HEI), which evaluates health care facilities around the United States on their LGBTQ-inclusive policies and practices. For achieving the highest possible HEI score of 100, CHLA has been honored with the organization's LGBTQ Healthcare Equality Leader designation.

"One of the hallmarks of Children's Hospital Los Angeles is our pursuit of compassion and respect at every point of care, from even before a child walks in the door to when clinicians follow up with them at home," says CHLA President and CEO Paul S. Viviano. "CHLA team members recognize the deep responsibility entrusted to them; I am grateful for the designation as a Healthcare Equality Leader, which underlines CHLA’s continued commitment to providing the same world-class pediatric care and experience for all patients and families."

This year, the HEI annual benchmarking survey rated more than 1,600 health care facilities across the country, including 680 active participants like CHLA and nearly a thousand hospitals that the HRC Foundation independently evaluated. Only about a quarter of these facilities scored 100.

Organizations were scored based on a panel of questions surrounding four major criteria related to the equitable treatment and inclusion of LGBTQ patients, visitors and employees:

• Non-discrimination and staff training, including policies related to equal visitation, patient/employment non-discrimination and staff training in LGBTQ patient-centered care
• Patient services and support for LGBTQ patients, including patient self-identification and medical decision-making processes
• Employee benefits and policies, including availability of transgender-inclusive health coverage
• Patient and community engagement, relating to how a facility engages with their LGBTQ patients and the LGBTQ community at large

Not only is the HEI useful to LGBTQ patients and their families searching for facilities that provide equitable, knowledgeable, sensitive and welcoming care, it is a valuable resource for the health care industry in adopting best practices in employee policies and benefits, as well as community engagement.

"I am proud that this year, even in light of additions to the scoring criteria, Children's LA again scored 100 for its non-discriminatory policies and practices," says Dr. Cynthia Herrington, CHLA Vice President and Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer. "This is a testament to the tireless dedication of all CHLA team members to making our institution an equitable and inclusive place for patients, visitors and team members alike."

The HEI was launched in 2007 to help healthcare organizations seeking to provide optimal care to LGBTQ patients and to meet requirements by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and Joint Commission related to caring for this underserved population.

About Children's Hospital Los Angeles

Founded in 1901, Children's Hospital Los Angeles is ranked the top children’s hospital in California and fifth in the nation for clinical excellence with its selection to the prestigious U.S. News & World Report Honor Roll of children’s hospitals. Clinical care is led by physicians who are faculty members of the Keck School of Medicine of USC through an affiliation dating from 1932. The hospital also leads the largest pediatric residency training program at a freestanding children’s hospital of its kind in the western United States. The Saban Research Institute of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles encompasses basic, translational and clinical research conducted at CHLA. To learn more, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter, and visit our blog for families (CHLA.org/blog) and our research blog (ResearCHLABlog.org).