Barnes-Jewish Hospital has been designated an “LGBTQ Health Care Equality Leader” by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation (HRC), the largest national LGBTQ civil rights organization. The designation was announced in the 12th edition of HRC’s Healthcare Equality Index (HEI).

Barnes-Jewish is among 406 organizations in the U.S. and the only non-VA adult hospital within a 200-mile radius of St. Louis who earned this designation by receiving the maximum score in each section and earning an overall score of 100.

A record 680 health care facilities actively participated in the HEI 2019 survey, and the HRC Foundation researched key policies at 1,000 additional non-participating hospitals. The HEI assesses participants on four criteria: non-discrimination and staff training, patient services and support, employee benefits and policies, and patient and community engagement.

Barnes-Jewish Hospital is committed to providing inclusive and equitable care to all patients, visitors and employees, including gender and sexual minorities.

Patients and visitors

• Barnes-Jewish Hospital works in close partnership with Washington University School of Medicine partners to provide an LGBTQ+ friendly health care provider directory. BJC HealthCare’s (Barnes-Jewish’s parent system) electronic medical records system has the ability to capture patient’s sexual orientation and gender identity data like preferred name, pronouns, and organ inventory.
• Barnes-Jewish Hospital has rewritten its policies to be fully gender-inclusive, including a gender-inclusive bed placement policy.

Employees

• In 2015, BJC HealthCare began offering trans-inclusive benefits to all employees, including gender affirmation treatments and procedures.
• Employee engagement surveys now include self-identified question on LGBTQ+ status.
• Employees, including nurses and patient access, are trained in and have access to sexual orientation and gender identity data collection and LGBTQ+ health care best practices.
• SPECTRA, the BJC connection group open to all LGBTQ+ employees and allies has experienced a significant growth and increased involvement and participation in St. Louis Pridefest festivities.

“The health care facilities that participate in HRC’s Healthcare Equality Index are making it clear that they stand on the side of fairness and are committed to providing inclusive care to their LGBTQ patients,” said HRC President Alphonso David. “We commend all of the HEI participants for their commitment to providing inclusive care for all.”

###

BARNES-JEWISH HOSPITAL
Barnes-Jewish Hospital is a 1,638-bed teaching hospital affiliated with Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri. The hospital has a 1,630-member medical staff, and is consistently listed among the country’s best hospitals by U.S. News & World Report. Barnes-Jewish is a member of BJC HealthCare, which provides a full range of health care services through its 15 hospitals and more than 100 health care sites in Missouri and Illinois.