A leading activist group representing gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) patients has announced plans to develop a tool rating the healthcare industry on how it treats GLBT patients. The group, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), is working with the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association on the effort, which attempts to establish whether hospitals are addressing the social, practical and medical needs of GLBT patients. The two have mailed out their survey, the Healthcare Equality Index, to the largest 1,000 U.S. hospitals. Questions include queries on patient and employee non-discrimination policies, same-sex visitation rights and medical decision-making and cultural competency.
Find out more about the ratings effort:
- read this release [1] from the HRC
- visit the HRC's Web page [2] on the subject
Related Article:
Response to complaints is top hospital patient concern. Report [3]
A thriving black market has emerged to treat transgendered patients. Report [4]
Links:
[1] http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/node/4329
[2] http://www.hrc.org/hei
[3] http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/story/study-response-to-complaints-top-patient-concern/2006-10-05
[4] http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/story/also-noted-exec-compensation-under-fire-india-australia-collaborate-on-heal/2006-08-01