5 UnityPoint hospitals honored for LGBTQ+ equality

GRINNELL — Five UnityPoint hospitals earned LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Leader Designations in Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s Healthcare Equality Index.

Grinnell Regional Medical Center, Iowa Methodist Medical Center, Iowa Lutheran Hospital, Methodist West Hospital and Blank Children’s Hospital are five of the 384 health care facilities nationwide earning the designation

These designations were awarded in the 16th iteration of HRC’s Healthcare Equality Index released May 7.

This is the first time that Grinnell Regional has been recognized by Human Rights Campaign at the Leader status and the fourth year in a row that UnityPoint Health-Des Moines hospitals have been named at the Leader status, UnityPoint said in a news release.

A record 1,065 health care facilities actively participated in the Healthcare Equality Index 2024 survey and scoring process. Of those, 384 received the top score of 100, earning the LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Leader designation.

Grinnell Regional was recognized for creating a workforce where everyone belongs and is supported through inclusive policies and benefits; for supporting our community’s health care needs and providing open and respectful care environments, including a dedicated LGBTQ Clinic and for supporting community initiatives to advance LGBTQ+ rights in Iowa.

According to Human Rights Campaign, 36% of 1,065 total participants earned the designation 2024 LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Leader.

More than 71% have an official plan for reducing health disparities that specifically includes LGBTQ+ patients in addition to race, ethnicity, and linguistic concerns.

Only 27% have an externally promoted specific program to provide patient navigation or advocacy services to transgender patients, said the news release.

Just over half (53%) have a policy or policies that specifically outline procedures and practices aimed at eliminating bias and insensitivity, and ensuring appropriate, welcoming interactions with transgender patients.

Major increases are seen in the number of health care facilities collecting sexual orientation and gender identity-related data in their Electronic Health Records systems. Seven of the eight relevant data points had double-digit increases.

The ability to collect and display a patient’s pronouns rose from 44% to 74%. This is an important tool to help prevent misgendering a patient, the news release said.

More than 38% of the hospitals offer FMLA-equivalent benefits that allow employees to take family and medical leave to care for same-sex partners as well as the children of a same-sex partner, regardless of biological or adoptive status. This is up from 34% in 2022.

About 41% provide medical and comprehensive health benefits to domestic partners of benefits-eligible employees up from 34% in 2022. This is the first increase in this measure since the 2015 Obergefell decision on same-sex marriage.

Nearly 72% have an officially recognized LGBTQ+ employee resource group, and 92% took part in or supported one or more LGBTQ+ related events or initiatives in their service area.

LGBTQ+ adults are twice as likely as non-LGBTQ+ adults to be “treated unfairly or with disrespect by a doctor or health care 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 health care settings has the potential to cause even more LGBTQ+ people to delay or avoid seeking health care, which makes the HEI even more salient for those looking to find LGBTQ+-inclusive care, the news release says.