M Health Fairview Ridges Hospital named “Top Performer” in LGBTQ+ health equity
M Health Fairview Ridges Hospital has been recognized as an LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Top Performer by the Human Rights Campaign’s 2022 Healthcare Equality Index (HEI).
The designation recognizes healthcare facilities’ dedication to health equity and the inclusion of patients, visitors, and employees who identify as LGBTQ+. M Health Fairview Woodwinds Hospital participated for the first time and also scored highly on this year’s list – which is the 15th anniversary edition of the survey.
The HEI evaluates and scores facilities based on detailed criteria in four main categories:
- Foundational policies and training in LGBTQ+ patient-centered care
- LGBTQ+ patient services and support
- Employee benefits and policies
- Patient and community engagement
Ridges Hospital received a 95/100 score, and Woodwinds Hospital earned 90/100. Over 900 healthcare facilities actively participated in this year’s survey, and the Human Rights Campaign evaluated policies at an additional 1,300 hospitals. Ridges Hospital is one of 251 facilities nationwide that earned the “Top Performer” designation.
“We want patients and employees to feel comfortable and respected in our health system, and we want them to know that we hold ourselves to a standard of continual improvement,” said Chief People Officer Mary Nease with M Health Fairview. “This designation reflects the dedication of people across our system to continual learning, with the goal of creating an inclusive environment for their patients and coworkers.”
The M Health Fairview Pride Alliance Group for Equality (PAGE) employee resource group and our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion leaders helped both hospitals apply to the HEI. It was a six-month-long application process that included training for staff and assessment of current policies.
“We needed to demonstrate that we collect certain information, including sexual and gender identity, when caring for patients,” said Melissa Hasler, APRN, CNM, medical director of certified nurse midwifery practices with M Health Fairview. Hasler oversees midwifery at both Ridges and Woodwinds hospitals and assisted with the application process.
“We provide a wide range of options for patients to self-identify, and their answers are communicated to their entire care team,” Hasler added. “Everyone who interacts with the patient will know their preferences.”
In addition to recognizing achievements in LGBTQ+ health equity, the HEI is a great evaluation tool. The detailed scorecard allows care teams to see areas for continual improvement, said M Health Fairview Policy Specialist Ashley Olson, who leads our PAGE employee resource group.
“The Human Rights Campaign has great training resources that are useful for everybody from frontline staff, both patient facing and non-patient facing, to the executive leadership level,” said Olson. “One of our main goals is to educate our coworkers using these resources. We’re asked to provide at least 50 hours of staff training and 15 hours of executive leadership training as part of the application process.”
Training materials cover everything from common acronyms and language to healthcare-specific best practices for LGBTQ+ patients, said Olson.
“We want our organization’s image to represent who we are, and this is one way to demonstrate our values,” said Myat Tun, diversity, equity and inclusion program manager for M Health Fairview. “The survey includes our policies and support for both patients and employees – many of whom are patients as well.”
“This designation has confirmed my belief that we are an organization that cares,” said Hasler. “This is what we value, this is what we stand for, and this is what you can expect when you come to us for care.”
