Hackensack Meridian Health Hospitals Honored for Providing Quality Care to LGBTQ Community
March 29, 2018
The honor from Human Rights Campaign is awarded to only 15 percent of organizations nationally
Hackensack Meridian Health, New Jersey’s largest and most integrated health network, is proud to announce that seven network hospitals received top scores from the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s Healthcare Equality Index 2018 survey for policies and practices dedicated to the equitable treatment and inclusion of their Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning (LGBTQ) patients, visitors and team members.
"We are proud to receive this recognition for our work to create an environment throughout our network that respects and values the LGBTQ community," said Robert C. Garrett, Co-CEO of Hackensack Meridian Health.
Hackensack University Medical Center was honored as a "Leader" with a perfect score of 100. Six other network hospitals received the "Top Performer" designation including: Bayshore Medical Center in Holmdel, Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune, Raritan Bay Medical Center, Riverview Medical Center in Red Bank, Ocean Medical Center in Brick and Southern Ocean Medical Center in Manahawkin. The hospitals received scores of 80-95 and only 15 percent of the organizations that participate nationally receive these scores to classify as a "Top Performer."
"The Healthcare Equality Index is the national LGBTQ benchmarking tool in health care and evaluates more than 1,600 facilities across the country so it’s a real honor to be recognized for our policies and practices promoting equality," said John K. Lloyd, Co-CEO of Hackensack Meridian Health.
The index has four core objectives: to ensure foundational protection for patients, visitors and team members; demonstrate progress toward inclusion on LGBTQ patient care and support; to cultivate an inclusive workforce; demonstrate public commitment to the LGBTQ community.
"This is an honor and we are proud to integrate the values of respect and dignity in all that we do at Hackensack Meridian Health for our patients, their families and our team members," said Wayne Boatwright, vice president, diversity and inclusion.
About Hackensack Meridian Health
Hackensack Meridian Health is a leading not-for-profit health care organization that is the most comprehensive and truly integrated health care network in New Jersey, offering a complete range of medical services, innovative research and life-enhancing care. Hackensack Meridian Health comprises 16 hospitals, including three academic medical centers, two children's hospitals and nine community hospitals, two rehabilitation hospitals and 450 physician practices and patient care locations including surgery centers, home health services, long-term care and assisted living communities, ambulance services, lifesaving air medical transportation, fitness and wellness centers, rehabilitation centers, and urgent care facilities. Hackensack Meridian Health has 33,000 team members, more than 6,500 physicians and is a distinguished leader in health care philanthropy, committed to the health and well-being of the communities it serves.
The Network's notable distinctions include having one of only five major academic medical centers in the nation to receive Healthgrades America's 50 Best Hospitals Award for five or more consecutive years, four hospitals ranked among the top 10 in New Jersey, including Hackensack University Medical Center, the No. 1 hospital, Jersey Shore University Medical Center at No. 4 and Ocean and Riverview Medical Centers tied at No. 8., as ranked by U.S. News and World Report. Other honors include consistently achieving Magnet® recognition for nursing excellence from the American Nurses Credentialing Center, recipient of the John M. Eisenberg Award for Patient Safety and Quality from The Joint Commission and the National Quality Forum, a six-time recipient of Fortune's "100 Best Companies to Work For," one of the "20 Best Workplaces in Health Care" in the nation, and the number one "Best Place to Work for Women." Hackensack Meridian Health is a member of AllSpire Health Partners, an interstate consortium of leading health systems, to focus on the sharing of best practices in clinical care and achieving efficiencies.
For additional information, please visit www.HackensackMeridianHealth.org.