Salisbury VA earns “LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality High Performer” Designation in Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s Healthcare Equality Index
PRESS RELEASE
May 13, 2024
Salisbury , NC — Today, the W.G. (Bill) Hefner Salisbury Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center announced its “LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality High Performer” designation from the Human Rights Campaign Foundation (HRC).
The designation was awarded in the 16th iteration of HRC’s Healthcare Equality Index (HEI), released May 7, 2024. A record 1,065 healthcare facilities actively participated in the HEI 2024 survey and scoring process. Of those participants, 462 received the “LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality High Performer” designation.
This year’s HEI comes as LGBTQ+ adults are twice as likely as non-LGBTQ+ adults to be “treated unfairly or with disrespect by a doctor or healthcare provider” in the last three years, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.
The impact of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation combined with a history of discrimination in healthcare settings has the potential to cause even more LGBTQ+ people to delay or avoid seeking healthcare, which makes the HEI even more salient for those looking to find LGBTQ+-inclusive care.
At the Salisbury VA Health Care System, our mission is to fulfill President Lincoln’s promise to care for those who have served in our nation’s military and for their families, caregivers, and survivors.
Learn more about the Salisbury VA Health Care System at https://www.va.gov/salisbury-health-care/.
Kevin Stapleton, Chief Communications Officer
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