25 N.J. health facilities named leader in LGBTQ health care equality

Twenty-five health care facilities in New Jersey have earned the “LGBTQ Health Care Equality Leader” designation by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, the education unit of the country’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization.

The designations were released in the 12^th edition of the Healthcare Equality Index, an online survey created in 2007 to meet the needs of all health care organizations seeking to provide optimal care to LGBTQ patients

The following New Jersey-based health care facilities all earned a score of 100 by meeting criteria that focused on a commitment to equitable, inclusive and compassionate care for LGBTQ patients and their families.

• Valley Hospital, Ridgewood;
• VA New Jersey Health Care System, East Orange;
• University Medical Center of Princeton at Plainsboro, Plainsboro;
• Southern Ocean Medical Center, Manahawkin;
• Saint Barnabas Medical Center, Livingston;
• Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital – Somerset, Somerville;
• Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, New Brunswick;
• Riverview Medical Center, Red Bank;
• Raritan Bay Medical Center, Perth Amboy;
• Overlook Medical Center, Summit;
• Ocean Medical Center, Brick;
• Newton Medical Center, Newton;
• Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, Newark;
• Morristown Medical Center, Morristown;
• Monmouth Medical Center, Long Branch;
• Jersey City Medical Center, Jersey City;
• Hackettstown Medical Center, Hackettstown;
• Hackensack University Medical Center, Hackensack;
• Goryeb Children’s Hospital, Morristown;
• Community Medical Center, Toms River;
• Clara Maass Medical Center, Belleville;
• Chilton Medical Center, Pompton Plains;
• Bergen New Bridge Medical Center, Paramus;
• Bayshore Medical Center, Holmdel;
• AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center, Atlantic City.

To earn a score an recognition, health centers were ranked on how many LGBTQ-inclusive policies and practices they have in place in five criteria from the HEI, including non-discrimination and staff training, patient services and support, employee benefits and policies, patient and community engagement, and responsible citizenship. Newly-added this year was the additional requirement that health facilities provide transgender-inclusive health benefits to their employees to receive a score of 100 points.

A total of 680 health care facilities participated in the HEI 2019 survey. Of the ones surveyed, 406 (60%) earned a top score of 100.