UK Chandler Hospital Earns ‘LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality High Performer’ Designation

UK HealthCare’s Remarkable Strides

The University of Kentucky Albert B. Chandler Hospital in Lexington achieved a prominent position in the medical field this month. UK HealthCare announced that this esteemed establishment has earned the status of “LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality High Performer”, an accolade bestowed upon them by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation (HRC).

This designation coincides with the 16th edition of HRC’s Healthcare Equality Index (HEI), released in May. Astonishingly, a record number of 1,065 health care facilities actively participated in the HEI 2024 survey and scoring process, out of which 462 received the admirable “LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality High Performer” designation.

A Legacy of Excellence

“UK HealthCare received their first Health Equality Index (HEI) Leader status in 2013. Every year from 2016 to the present, UK HealthCare has earned HEI Leader or High Performer status,” remarking on the substantial achievement, is Tukea Talbert, D.N.P., the Chief Diversity and Health Equity Officer at UK HealthCare.

Such recognitions highlight the ongoing commitment of UK HealthCare towards LGBTQ+ patient-focused care and establishing an encouraging direction for the future of healthcare systems worldwide.

Transform Health: Pioneering Full-Scope LGBTQ+ Care

A spearhead initiative, Transform Health, is an integral part of UK’s revolutionary steps in promoting comprehensive LGBTQ+ healthcare, related education, and research pursuits. Having clinician lead Keisa Fallin-Bennett at the helm, the initiative has proven instrumental in establishing inclusive, safe, and quality care for the transgender community.

Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

Significant focus areas for the University of Kentucky include nondiscrimination, staff training, patient services and support, employee benefits and policies, and patient and community engagement. Each of these areas significantly contributed to UK Chandler Hospital’s valued High Performer status.

Not Just a Hospital, But a Movement

UK HealthCare is more than the hospitals and healthcare centres of the University of Kentucky. It is a movement of 10,000 dedicated healthcare professionals committed to providing advanced healthcare for the critically ill and injured from the Commonwealth and well beyond.

Undeniably, the state’s only National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, a Level IV Neonatal Intensive Care Unit that provides care for the tiniest and sickest newborns, and the region’s only Level 1 trauma center finds its home within UK HealthCare. Additionally, it boasts of having Kentucky’s top hospital as ranked by U.S. News & World Report.

Nurturing the Future of Healthcare

As an academic research institution, UK HealthCare is persistently pursuing the next gen cures, treatments, protocols, and policies. Their groundbreaking discoveries hold the potential to redefine what’s medically possible within our lifetimes. Moreover, UK HealthCare plays an instrumental role in shaping future healthcare professionals, thus spreading the highest standards of care across various specialties.

In essence, UK HealthCare is an embodiment of advanced medicine’s power, diligently striving to create a healthier Kentucky, now and for future generations.