St. John’s Regional Medical Center Receives LGBTQ+ Equality Recognition in 2022 Healthcare Equality Index (HEI)
Media Contact: Christina Zicklin, (310) 922-8522, Christina.Zicklin@DignityHealth.org
OXNARD, Calif. – April 27, 2022 – St. John's Regional Medical Center has been recognized as an LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Top Performer by the Human Rights Campaign which is the nation’s largest LGBTQ+ organization.
The HEI is the nation’s foremost benchmarking survey of healthcare facilities on policies and practices dedicated to the equitable treatment and inclusion of their LGBTQ+ patients, visitors and employees.
“We are honored to be recognized by the Human Rights Campaign for our dedicated work with the LGBTQ+ community,” states Barry Wolfman, President of St. John’s Regional Medical Center. “We are deeply committed to equity and inclusion in order to provide everyone with a welcoming and safe environment to receive care.”
The HEI evaluates and scores healthcare facilities on detailed criteria falling under four central pillars:
- Foundational Policies and Training in LGBTQ+ Patient-Centered Care
- LGBTQ+ Patient Services and Support
- Employee Benefits and Policies
- Patient and Community Engagement
LGBTQ+ patients have historically faced significant and long standing challenges to accessing the care they need, and St. John’s is committed to providing welcoming, compassionate care for LGBTQ+ patients and their families.
“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.”
For more information about St. John’s commitment to LGBTQ+ care, visit DignityHealth.org/LGBTQcare.
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About Dignity Health-St. John’s Regional Medical Center
Founded in 1912, Dignity Health - St. John's Regional Medical Center (SJRMC) is a 365-bed, acute care, non-profit hospital located in Oxnard, Calif. Serving Ventura County for more than one hundred years, SJRMC has been named a Top 250 hospital by Healthgrades. As a leader in stroke care, SJRMC is the first and only Certified Thrombectomy-Capable Stroke Center in Ventura County and is a recipient of the American Heart Association's, Get with the Guidelines-Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award. Designated as a STEMI Receiving Center, SJRMC is highly recognized for excellence in cardiac care and has been named a Blue Distinction Center for Cardiac Care by Blue Shield of California. Its Cancer Center is accredited by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer and the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers. SJRMC is home to the only all-private room, Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in Ventura County. Learn more at DignityHealth.org/StJohnsRegional.