While Pennsylvania lacks legislation to adequately protect LGBT rights, particularly in terms of equal access to healthcare, the good news is that hospitals and other healthcare facilities are making it a priority anyway.
The Human Rights Campaign’s Health Equality Index issued its rankings for 2018. Pennsylvania ranks fifth nationwide in its number of LGBT Healthcare Equality Leaders. A total of 34 health facilities participated in the survey, with 19 earning the leader status.
“Many of these facilities are going well beyond the basics of nondiscrimination policies and are on the cutting edge of LGBT policies and practices,” the HRC said in its summary of Pennsylvania. Mazzoni Center, despite a year of turmoil and transition, earned a score of 100 out of 100, as did Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Hospital, Temple University Hospital and Einstein Medical Center.
Yet the hospital with the largest footprint in the Gayborhood, Jefferson University Hospital, only scored a 70, up from last year’s dismal 55 (it was a perfect score of 100 in 2016). What’s going on at Jefferson? We asked, but a spokesperson would only say, “Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals has set a goal to be an LGBT Healthcare Quality Leader on the HRC’s annual Healthcare Equality Index.” Jefferson “plans” to do more, said the spokesperson, but as of now… isn’t?
It’s not unreasonable for a hospital with such a dominant presence in this city to equip its staff to treat LGBT patients with as much expertise and knowledge as anyone else. Apart from being the right thing to do, it’s a sound business decision. Jefferson: do better.