Hines VA Named Top Performer in Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s 2022 Healthcare Equality Index
PRESS RELEASE
April 1, 2022
Hines , IL — Edward Hines, Jr. VA Hospital has received an evaluation of 95 out of 100 and the designation of “LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Top Performer” in the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s 15th anniversary edition of the Healthcare Equality Index (HEI).
The HEI index is considered among the nation’s foremost benchmarking surveys of healthcare facilities on policies and practices dedicated to the equitable treatment and inclusion of their LGBTQ+ patients, visitors and staff.
“LGBTQ+ Veterans face increased stressors, health risks, and unique challenges in accessing health care as a result of stigma, stress, and discrimination,” said Lorry Luscri, LGBTQ+ Veteran Care Coordinator. “VA serves all who served, and these Veterans deserve the best quality care that is provided in an affirming and welcoming environment.”
The HEI evaluates and scores healthcare facilities using 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
A record 906 healthcare facilities participated in the 2022 HEI survey. Hines VA joins 251 facilities to earn the “Top Performer” designation with scores between 80 to 95 points and at least partial credit in each section. Hines VA received a perfect score in all categories, except “Responsible Citizenship,” of which the facility was not evaluated.
“While so many Transgender women are so afraid of being themselves in the light of normal day to day living, Transgender Veterans have nearly all of the support that they might need to transition to and then live as women. For us, that is everything that makes life worth living,” said Marilu Fanning, a Navy Veteran when asked about her experience as a Hines VA LGBTQ+ Veteran.
To learn more about Hines VA’s LGBTQ+ Veteran care, visit: www.va.gov/hines-health-care/health-services/lgbtq-veteran-care
About Edward Hines, Jr. VA Hospital
Edward Hines, Jr. VA Hospital, located 12 miles west of downtown Chicago on a 147-acre campus, offers primary, extended and specialty care to veteran patients in the Chicago area. We are the largest VA in the state of Illinois, where more than a million veterans reside. The hospital treats more than 44,000 veterans from World War II through the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
