Illume Fertility is the only free-standing fertility center in the New England region to hold the HEI designation.

NORWALK, Conn., May 7, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Today, Illume Fertility announced their "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), released today. A record 1,065 healthcare facilities actively participated in the HEI 2024 survey and scoring process. Of those participants, only 384 received the top score of 100, earning the "LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Leader" designation.

"We are proud to be a nationwide leader in equitable LGBTQ+ reproductive healthcare," said Suha Buckey, Managing Director at Illume Fertility. "As the only free-standing fertility center in the New England region to hold the HEI designation, patients across the LGBTQ+ spectrum flock to Illume to receive exceptional fertility and family-building care in an inclusive, welcoming environment."

"As anti-LGBTQ+ extremists look to strip away healthcare access at every turn, LGBTQ+ people and their loved ones are looking for healthcare providers to offer and champion fully inclusive services. The Healthcare Equality Index is helping people find facilities where welcoming policies and practices are the standard," said Kelley Robinson, President of the Human Rights Campaign. "We know that LGBTQ+ people – especially our trans family – continue to face discrimination in the doctor's office. No one should have to put their health on the backburner for fear of mistreatment in a healthcare facility or by their doctor."

Key highlights from the report include:

• 71% of healthcare facilities now have an official plan for reducing health disparities that specifically includes LGBTQ+ patients in addition to race, ethnicity, and linguistic concerns.
• Major increases have been seen in the number of healthcare facilities collecting sexual orientation and gender identity-related data in their Electronic Health Records systems, helping to reduce instances of misgendering patients.
• 41% of healthcare facilities provide medical and comprehensive health benefits to domestic partners of benefits-eligible employees, up from 34% in 2022. This is the first increase in this measure since the 2015 Obergefell decision on same-sex marriage.
• 92% of healthcare facilities took part in or supported one or more LGBTQ+ related events or initiatives in their service area.

This year's HEI 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.

With the announcement of Illume Fertility's seventh year holding HEI leader status, the practice continues to demonstrate its unwavering commitment to providing exceptional care to LGBTQ+ patients looking to preserve their fertility prior to transitioning, build a family through fertility treatment, or access world-class reproductive healthcare.

About Illume Fertility
Illume Fertility is a leading modern fertility practice providing an exceptional patient experience, innovative care, and expertise to help patients achieve their fertility and family-building goals. Led by an award-winning team of nine highly credentialed, board-certified reproductive endocrinologists, many of whom have received Castle Connolly's prestigious Top Doc award, Illume Fertility specializes in a range of assisted reproductive technologies (ART) including intrauterine insemination (IUI), in vitro fertilization (IVF), and preimplantation genetic testing (PGT). Illume Fertility's internationally recognized Gay Parents To Be resource hub provides specialized support for LGBTQ+ family building. For the last seven years, Illume Fertility has been recognized as a Leader in Healthcare Equality by the Human Rights Campaign. Illume Fertility is one of the largest fertility clinics and egg donation centers in the region, offering egg freezing, oncofertility preservation, and PCOS management, helping patients as young as 16. Illume Fertility is the only regional fertility clinic offering on-site holistic patient support services including nutrition counseling, acupuncture, and yoga.

About 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.

Media Contact

Stacy Callahan, Astonish Media Group, 917-972-1101, stacy@astonishmediagroup.com

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SOURCE Illume Fertility