Nationwide Children S Hospital Once Again Earns Highest Ranking From Human Rights Campaign For Inclusive Care And Employment Practices

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Nationwide Children’s Hospital has once again earned the “LGBTQ+ Health Care Equality Leader” (HEI) designation from the Human Rights Campaign Foundation (HRC) for its successful commitment to being both an inclusive health care provider and employer. [FINAL REPORT]  “Nationwide Children’s knows that we achieve best health outcomes only when all of our patients and team members feel valued and supported,” said Tim Robinson, chief executive officer of Nationwide Children’s. “We are proud to receive this recognition from the Human Rights Campaign Foundation because it’s a testament to the inclusive ways our staff cares for each other and the families we serve.” Every year, HRC evaluates and recognizes the nation’s health care organizations for their dedication and commitment to LGBTQ+ inclusion. In this 15th anniversary edition of HRC’s Health Equity Index, Nationwide Children’s achieved a perfect score in every evaluation category, including for its policies and practices regarding the equitable treatment and inclusion of LGBTQ+ patients, visitors and employees. “Every person deserves to have access to quality healthcare, be respected and heard by their doctor, and feel safe in the facility where they are receiving care. But LGBTQ+ people are often subject to discrimination in all spaces, including healthcare facilities, which leads to members of the community avoiding care and anticipating our voices will not be respected in an incredibly vulnerable environment,” said Tari Hanneman, Director of Health & Aging at The Human Rights Campaign. “The Healthcare Equality Index, at its core, strives to ensure LGBTQ+ people are protected and affirmed by their healthcare providers and feel safe seeking services. Our HEI active participants are truly pioneering the healthcare industry by implementing robust, comprehensive LGBTQ+ inclusive policies that hopefully, because of their work, will become standard practice.” An additional 251 health care providers earned “Top Performer” status, scoring 80-95 points. With 82% of participating facilities scoring 80 points or more, health care facilities are demonstrating they are going beyond the basics when it comes to adopting policies and practices in LGBTQ+ care. About Nationwide Children’s Hospital Named to the Top 10 Honor Roll on U.S. News & World Report’s 2020-21 list of “Best Children’s Hospitals,” Nationwide Children’s Hospital is one of America’s largest not-for-profit freestanding pediatric health care systems providing wellness, preventive, diagnostic, treatment and rehabilitative care for infants, children and adolescents, as well as adult patients with congenital disease. Nationwide Children’s has a staff of more than 13,000 providing state-of-the-art pediatric care during more than 1.6 million patient visits annually. As home to the Department of Pediatrics of The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Nationwide Children’s physicians train the next generation of pediatricians and pediatric specialists. The Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital is one of the Top 10 National Institutes of health-funded freestanding pediatric research facilities. More information is available at NationwideChildrens.org. About the Human Rights Campaign Foundation The Human Rights Campaign Foundation is the educational arm of the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) people. Through its programs, the HRC Foundation seeks to make transformational change in the everyday lives of LGBTQ+ people, shedding light on inequity and deepening the public’s understanding of LGBTQ+ issues, with a clear focus on advancing transgender and racial justice. Its work has transformed the landscape for more than 15 million workers, 11 million students, 1 million clients in the adoption and foster care system and so much more. The HRC Foundation provides direct consultation and technical assistance to institutions and communities, driving the advancement of inclusive policies and practices; it builds the capacity of future leaders and allies through fellowship and training programs; and, with the firm belief that we are stronger working together, it forges partnerships with advocates in the U.S. and around the globe to increase our impact and shape the future of our work. -30-    

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Nationwide Children’s Hospital has once again earned the “LGBTQ+ Health Care Equality Leader” (HEI) designation from the Human Rights Campaign Foundation (HRC) for its successful commitment to being both an inclusive health care provider and employer. [FINAL REPORT] 

“Nationwide Children’s knows that we achieve best health outcomes only when all of our patients and team members feel valued and supported,” said Tim Robinson, chief executive officer of Nationwide Children’s. “We are proud to receive this recognition from the Human Rights Campaign Foundation because it’s a testament to the inclusive ways our staff cares for each other and the families we serve.”

Every year, HRC evaluates and recognizes the nation’s health care organizations for their dedication and commitment to LGBTQ+ inclusion. In this 15th anniversary edition of HRC’s Health Equity Index, Nationwide Children’s achieved a perfect score in every evaluation category, including for its policies and practices regarding the equitable treatment and inclusion of LGBTQ+ patients, visitors and employees.

“Every person deserves to have access to quality healthcare, be respected and heard by their doctor, and feel safe in the facility where they are receiving care. But LGBTQ+ people are often subject to discrimination in all spaces, including healthcare facilities, which leads to members of the community avoiding care and anticipating our voices will not be respected in an incredibly vulnerable environment,” said Tari Hanneman, Director of Health & Aging at The Human Rights Campaign. “The Healthcare Equality Index, at its core, strives to ensure LGBTQ+ people are protected and affirmed by their healthcare providers and feel safe seeking services. Our HEI active participants are truly pioneering the healthcare industry by implementing robust, comprehensive LGBTQ+ inclusive policies that hopefully, because of their work, will become standard practice.”

An additional 251 health care providers earned “Top Performer” status, scoring 80-95 points. With 82% of participating facilities scoring 80 points or more, health care facilities are demonstrating they are going beyond the basics when it comes to adopting policies and practices in LGBTQ+ care.

About Nationwide Children’s Hospital

Named to the Top 10 Honor Roll on U.S. News & World Report’s 2020-21 list of “Best Children’s Hospitals,” Nationwide Children’s Hospital is one of America’s largest not-for-profit freestanding pediatric health care systems providing wellness, preventive, diagnostic, treatment and rehabilitative care for infants, children and adolescents, as well as adult patients with congenital disease. Nationwide Children’s has a staff of more than 13,000 providing state-of-the-art pediatric care during more than 1.6 million patient visits annually. As home to the Department of Pediatrics of The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Nationwide Children’s physicians train the next generation of pediatricians and pediatric specialists. The Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital is one of the Top 10 National Institutes of health-funded freestanding pediatric research facilities. More information is available at NationwideChildrens.org.

About the Human Rights Campaign Foundation

The Human Rights Campaign Foundation is the educational arm of the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) people. Through its programs, the HRC Foundation seeks to make transformational change in the everyday lives of LGBTQ+ people, shedding light on inequity and deepening the public’s understanding of LGBTQ+ issues, with a clear focus on advancing transgender and racial justice. Its work has transformed the landscape for more than 15 million workers, 11 million students, 1 million clients in the adoption and foster care system and so much more. The HRC Foundation provides direct consultation and technical assistance to institutions and communities, driving the advancement of inclusive policies and practices; it builds the capacity of future leaders and allies through fellowship and training programs; and, with the firm belief that we are stronger working together, it forges partnerships with advocates in the U.S. and around the globe to increase our impact and shape the future of our work.

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