Alternate title: Best Practices in the Care and Nurturing of LGBT People.
Every once in a while, someone or some body does something that has to be applauded. When they do or it does, it should be acknowledged for the positive that may come out of it…if only to encourage more of similar behavior in others.
The Joint Commission, formerly the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), which is the accrediting agency for hospitals nationwide, has released a new field guide (pdf): Advancing Effective Communication, Cultural Competence, and Patient- and Family-Centered Care for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Community.
Financial assistance in preparing this guide was obtained from The California Endowmnent.
The mission of The Joint Commission is to continuously improve health care for the public, in collaboration with other stakeholders, by evaluating health care organizations and inspiring them to excel in providing safe and effective care of the highest quality and value.
All patients, regardless of social or personal characteristics, should be treated with dignity and respect and should feel comfortable providing any information relevant to their care, including information about sexual orientation and gender identity. Every hospital and health care organization is unique and no single approach works best, but The Joint Commission encourages hospitals to adopt a combination of the strategies and practices discussed and to use these examples as a foundation for creating processes, policies and programs that are sensitive and inclusive of LGBT patients and families.
—Jerod M. Loeb, Ph.D., executive vice president, Division of Healthcare Quality Evaluation, The Joint Commission