NEW BRUNSWICK AND SOMERVILLE, N.J. – Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH) and Somerset, both RWJBarnabas Health facilities, have been recognized as “Leaders in LGBTQ Healthcare Equality” for the fourth consecutive year by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation, the educational arm of the country’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization. This designation was reported in the 11th edition of the Healthcare Equality Index (HEI), reflecting on a decade of progress in LGBTQ healthcare.
Both RWJUH facilities earned top marks in meeting non-discrimination and training criteria that demonstrate a commitment to equitable, inclusive, and compassionate care for LGBTQ patients and their families, who often face significant challenges in securing the medical care they need and deserve. To earn this recognition, RWJUH reached a set of LGBTQ-inclusive benchmarks from the HRC Foundation’s Healthcare Equality Index, an annual survey that encourages equal care for the LGBTQ community by evaluating inclusive policies and practices related to patients, visitors and employees.
A record 626 healthcare facilities actively participated in the HEI 2018 survey. In addition, the HRC Foundation proactively researched key policies at more than 900 non-participating hospitals. Of all those included in the HEI, 418 earned a “Leader in LGBTQ Healthcare Equality” designation.
RWJ University Hospital New Brunswick and Somerset join Jersey City Medical Center, Saint Barnabas Medical Center, Monmouth Medical Center, Newark Beth Israel Medical Center and Clara Maass Medical Center as one of a few hospitals in the state to earn this distinction for creating diversity and inclusion policies and practices that respect the rights of patients, employees, physicians and families.
CONTACT: Kathleen Roberts
RWJUH Somerset
(908) 595-2319
kathleen.roberts@rwjbh.org
Peter Haigney
RWJUH
(732) 937-8521
peter.haigney@rwjbh.org