Just nine hospitals across Texas – including two in Houston – earned perfect scores for caring for LGBT patients, their families and staff, according to a new report from HRC.
The national gay rights group released the expanded HealthCare Equality Index on Oct. 15, grading more than 1,500 hospitals across the U.S. on four criteria – whether they offer LGBT-inclusive patient non-discrimination policies, documented LGBT-inclusive visitation policies, protections for LGBT employees and training for staff on LGBT patients.
Two healthcare facilities in Houston – Legacy Community Health Services and MD Anderson Cancer Center – were among the nine across the state that received HRC's designation as a Leader in LGBT Healthcare Equality. HRC ranked a total of 77 hospitals across the state.
“Leaders in LGBT Healthcare Equality change the lives of LGBT patients and their families for the better each and every day,” HRC President Chad Griffin says in a press statement. “LGBT people should be treated equally in all aspects of our lives, and HRC celebrates Grady for their tireless work to create an inclusive and welcoming environment for all patients.”
Other Texas healthcare organizations that earned HRC's top ranking include Parkland Memorial Hospital (Dallas), VA North Texas Health Care System (Dallas), VA El Paso Health Care System (El Paso), Greenhouse (Grand Prairie), VA Texas Valley Coastal Bend Health Care System (Harlingen), Reproductive Medicine Associates of Texas (San Antonio) and VA Central Texas Veterans Health Care System (Temple).
HRC ranked 11 hospitals in Houston and several did poorly, including Ben Taub Hospital, Kindred Hospital Houston Medical Center, Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center, Methodist Hospital and St. Joseph Medical Center.
The report looked at 1,507 facilities across the U.S., a jump from the 407 reviewed in the inaugural report in 2012.