AtlantiCare earns 'LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Leader' Designation in Human Rights Campaign Foundation's Healthcare Equality Index for the 11th Year in a Row
June 5, 2024
Recognition comes as part of AtlantiCare’s overall strategy to expand access to excellent care for the entire community.
Egg Harbor Township, NJ -- Today, AtlantiCare announced their 11th “LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Leader” designation from the Human Rights Campaign Foundation (HRC). The designation was awarded in the 16th iteration of HRC’s Healthcare Equality Index (HEI) and is a testament to AtlantiCare’s work to support the LGBTQ+ community.
"In a time when LGBTQ+ individuals still face discrimination and barriers to healthcare access, AtlantiCare is honored to be recognized as an LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Leader by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation,” said Christian Ragland, AVP Diversity Equity and Inclusion, AtlantiCare. “This designation reflects our commitment to providing inclusive and affirming care for all members of our community. We believe that everyone deserves access to quality healthcare, free from judgment or discrimination, and we will continue to advocate for the health and well-being of LGBTQ+ individuals and their families."
This year’s HEI recognition comes as LGBTQ+ adults are twice as likely as non-LGBTQ+ adults to be “treated unfairly or with disrespect by a doctor or healthcare 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 healthcare settings has the potential to cause even more LGBTQ+ people to delay or avoid seeking healthcare, which makes the HEI even more salient for those looking to find LGBTQ+-inclusive care.
AtlantiCare has remained a local leader in serving this often marginalized community. Recent initiatives have included providing support service navigation, gender affirming hormonal treatment, gender affirming pre-op screening/documentation support, and an LGBTQ+ support group for the community to learn more about resources and services available.
”LGBTQ+ individuals experience disparity in the prevalence of certain physical and mental health concerns, and in receiving care, due to a variety of factors including stigma, ignorance of, and insensitivity to their unique needs,” said B.J. Howard MD, Family Medicine Provider at AtlantiCare’s Primary & LGBTQ+ Care Center “AtlantiCare is committed to providing respectful and compassionate health care to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning patients. We will continue to break down these barriers for our patients and provide them a safe space to receive care.”
###
About AtlantiCare
AtlantiCare is an award winning integrated healthcare system based in Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey, whose team of more than 6,500 serves the community in over 100 locations in Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May and Ocean counties of southern New Jersey. Committed to an innovative approach to providing best in the industry care, AtlantiCare’s vision of building healthy communities drives its mission of making a difference in health and healing, one person at a time. Learn more at atlanticare.org or 1-888-569-1000.
The Human Rights Campaign Foundation
The Human Rights Campaign Foundation is the educational arm of the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), America's largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) people. Through its programs, the HRC Foundation seeks to make transformational change in the everyday lives of LGBTQ+ people, shedding light on inequity and deepening the public’s understanding of LGBTQ+ issues, with a clear focus on advancing transgender and racial justice. Its work has transformed the landscape for more than 15 million workers, 11 million students, 1 million clients in the adoption and foster care system and so much more. The HRC Foundation provides direct consultation and technical assistance to institutions and communities, driving the advancement of inclusive policies and practices; it builds the capacity of future leaders and allies through fellowship and training programs; and, with the firm belief that we are stronger working together, it forges partnerships with advocates in the U.S. and around the globe to increase our impact and shape the future of our work.
