Our Commitment To Inclusive, Quality Health Care
In 2022, the Human Rights Campaign Foundation (HRC) awarded all five University of Utah Health facilities with the LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Leader designation:
- University of Utah Hospital
- Huntsman Cancer Institute
- Huntsman Mental Health Institute
- University Orthopaedic Center
- Craig H. Neilsen Rehabilitation Hospital
The designation was awarded in the 15th edition of HRC's Healthcare Equality Index (HEI). Among the 906 health care facilities that participated in the HEI, 496 earned an LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Leader designation. The designation recognizes a health care facility's commitment to providing inclusive care for all LGBTQ+ patients, visitors, and employees.
About the Human Rights Campaign Foundation (HRC)
HRC is the education arm of America's largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people. HRC envisions a world where LGBTQ people are embraced as full members of society at home, at work, and in every community.
HEI Scoring & Evaluation Criteria
The HEI evaluates and scores health care 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.
In the 2022 report, an impressive 496 facilities earned HRC’s LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Leader designation, receiving the maximum score in each section and earning an overall score of 100. Another 251 facilities earned the Top Performer designation with scores between 80 and 95 points and at least partial credit in each section. With 82 percent of participating facilities scoring 80 points or more, health care facilities are demonstrating concretely that they are going beyond the basics when it comes to adopting policies and practices in LGBTQ+ care.
