UPMC Hospitals recognized for LGBTQ policies

UPMC’s efforts to develop robust care policies and practices for members of the LGBTQ community have brought recognition to 26 of its facilities from the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation.

Ten of the hospitals were designated as “Leaders in LGBTQ Healthcare Equality,” meaning they met criteria in the areas of LGBTQ patient-centered care, patient services and support, employee health and policies and patient and community engagement.

The facilities include UPMC Children’s Hospital, Magee Womens Hospital, St. Margaret and Western Psychiatric Hospital.

The honors were reported Monday in the Healthcare Equality Index, an annual survey that rates facilities on the equitable treatment and inclusion of LGBTQ patients, visitors and employees.

“We are proud to be recognized for our ongoing efforts to cultivate a sense of belonging to a population that has historically been overlooked and marginalized,” said Phillip Guarneschelli, president, UPMC Pinnacle.

“Our diversity and inclusion initiatives, like creating a space for nonbinary patients within our electronic health records and ongoing staff sensitivity training, help us to provide quality health care services.”

Earlier this year, UPMC Health Plan and Community Care Behavior Health was honored for being the “Best Place to Work for LGBTQ Equality” by the HRC Foundation. The index sets national standards related to corporate policies and practices for LGBTQ employees.

“At Western Psych, we recognize each patient has unique needs and we embrace their differences and their strengths, including members of the LGBTQ community,” said Carol VanZile, director of regulatory compliance and chair of the LGBTQ Committee.

“We value diversity and have a long-standing history as advocates for improving care practices and accessibility for the LGBTQ community.”

Mark O’Hern, president of UPMC McKeesport and UPMC East said it was an honor to be recognized for ongoing efforts to improve the experiences of LGBTQ patients.

”We aim to treat every patient with dignity and respect, and we are committed to the common goal of health care equality for all.”