Q&A with Emory Healthcare’s chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer

ATLANTA - Emory Healthcare hospitals have been recognized by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation for their LGBTQ+ health care best practices.

The HRC Foundation is the educational arm of the Human Rights Campaign, America's largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) people. The foundation recently released its 2024 Healthcare Equality Index (HEI) Report, the leading national benchmarking tool for LGBTQ+ inclusive policies and best practices in health care facilities for patients, visitors and employees. Emory Healthcare hospitals were recognized in this report.

HEI's criteria for designations include a scoring methodology based on patient-centered care, patient services and support, employee benefits and policies, and patient and community engagement.

Ildemaro Gonzalez is the chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer for Emory Healthcare and Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University. He answers questions regarding the HRC designations earned by Emory hospitals and what this means for the care of the LGBTQ+ community.

Q: Explain what the HEI designations mean for patients and employees at Emory Healthcare.

The HEI designations mean that our health system promotes equity and inclusion for LGBTQ+ patients, their families, visitors and employees. Our policies and practices were rigorously evaluated and, for patients, this means we take specific steps to provide the best care and experience possible; from gender-affirming care to equal visitation and all aspects of the patient journey.

Q: What does this recognition mean for Emory Healthcare?

This year is the first time all Emory Healthcare hospitals participated in the HEI Report and I feel it demonstrates our unified commitment to patients, employees and community members who identify as LGBTQ+. It also allows us to understand opportunities for improvement.

Q: In the HEI report, statistics show health disparities throughout the country regarding LGBTQ+ patients. As a system, what are the goals for patients seeking care at Emory Healthcare hospitals?

Based on Emory Healthcare's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Strategic Plan, our equity goal is to eliminate health care disparities across the care continuum and advance health equity. While advancing this work is a collaboration amongst many in the system, this effort is now coordinated by the Health Equity Office.

Members of the LGBTQ+ population across the nation report they have postponed medical care due to fears of discrimination and/or they've walked out of health care facilities because they have experienced an unwelcoming interaction or anti-LGBTQ+ stigma.

Furthermore, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggest that without LGBTQ+ patient data, these patients and their specific health care needs cannot be identified, the health disparities they experience cannot be addressed and important health care services may not be delivered. Therefore, we have begun responsibly collecting sexual orientation and gender identity patient data so we can analyze outcomes and experience by these demographics and develop informed interventions.

Q: How can hospitals receive Healthcare Equality Index designations?

To receive a designation, the Human Rights Campaign rigorously evaluates hospitals for the following:

• Foundational non-discrimination protection for patients, visitors and staff via policy implementation and cultural competency training on LGBTQ+ inclusion
• Progress toward inclusion on LGBTQ+ patient care services and support
• Providing an inclusive workplace setting through LGBTQ+ inclusive employee policies and benefits
• Engagement with and public commitment to the LGBTQ+ community

Q: Who collaborates to make these designations happen?

Providing the best experience for our LGBTQ+ patients is a team effort that every single Emory Healthcare staff and faculty member plays a role in everyday. To complete the HEI report for submission, we collaborated with the Emory Healthcare DEI Office, care teams, faculty, human resources, community relations, patient experience, hospital leadership and communications over a 10-to-12-month period of time.

Q: The HRC Foundation has recognized Emory Healthcare hospitals before for its health care practices. What are some Emory Healthcare resources available to the LGBTQ+ community?

LGBTQ+ community members can find many resources for care and support at Emory Healthcare including information on family building through the Emory Reproductive Center, gender-affirming voice care through the Emory Voice Center and personalized gender-affirming care through Emory's Transgender Clinic. I also encourage people to visit the Human Rights Campaign's website for more details about our hospitals' scores.

The HRC Foundation evaluated more than 1,000 health care facilities that participated in the survey and scoring process nationwide, with 462 hospitals earning "LGBTQ+ High Performer" designations, alongside many Emory Healthcare hospitals.

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