For the sixth year in a row, we are happy to announce that Illume Fertility, formerly RMA of Connecticut, has earned the "LGBTQ Healthcare Equality Leader" designation from the HRC Foundation’s Healthcare Equality Index!
As a practice that is dedicated to providing inclusive fertility and family-building care for all, we are honored to be recognized by the Human Rights Campaign for yet another year.
Skip to a section:
- What qualifies us for this designation?
- Key Highlights from 2022 HEI Report
- What is the Human Rights Campaign Foundation?
- Why is Illume Fertility an LGBTQ leader?
- More LGBTQ Family-Building Resources
The special designation was awarded in the 15th edition of HRC’s Healthcare Equality Index (HEI), released in March 2022. A record 906 healthcare facilities actively participated in the Healthcare Equality Index 2022 survey, with HRC Foundation evaluating key policies at 2,200 healthcare facilities nationwide.
Of those included in the HEI, 496 earned the “LGBTQ Healthcare Equality Leader” designation. Illume Fertility was the only free-standing fertility center given the HEI designation in New England.
A note from our CEO, Robin Mangieri: “We’re extremely proud to have the HEI designation six years in a row and to be the leader in the state of Connecticut as the only stand-alone fertility center with this appointment. We’ve dedicated resources to making sure we meet these standards year after year and we are committed to providing inclusive care to our LGBTQ+ patients.”
What qualifies us for this designation?
The 15th edition of the HEI assesses participants on four criteria:
- Non-Discrimination and Staff Training
- Patient Services and Support
- Employee Benefits and Policies
- Patient and Community Engagement
In the 2022 report, an impressive 496 facilities earned HRC’s “LGBTQ Health Care Equality Leader” designation, receiving the maximum score in each section and earning an overall score of 100.
With 82 percent of participating facilities scoring 80 points or more, health care facilities are demonstrating concretely that they are going beyond the basics when it comes to adopting policies and practices in LGBTQ care.
Learn more about the Healthcare Equality Index:
Key Highlights from the 2022 HEI Report
There has been remarkable progress in LGBTQ patient care, which is reflected in the 2022 HEI Report and includes the following highlights:
- More than half of HEI participants now have written gender transition guidelines
- 81 percent of hospitals surveyed offer trans-inclusive benefits -- an impressive six percentage-point increase compared to last year, which bring hospitals on par with their corporate counterparts, as measured by HRC’s 2022 CEI
- A 112 percent increase in training hours recorded -- clocking in at more than 200,000 hours of LGBTQ care training provided
- 81 percent of HEI participants’ electronic health records capture a patient's sexual orientation, and 90 percent of participants’ electronic health records capture a patient's gender identity
While there is always more progress to be made towards equality in LGBTQ+ healthcare,
What is the Human Rights Campaign Foundation?
The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation is the education arm of America's largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people. HRC envisions a world where LGBTQ people are embraced as full members of society at home, at work and in every community.
Why is Illume Fertility an LGBTQ leader?
While many fertility clinics offer basic treatments for LGBTQ individuals and couples, not all provide tailored care and support for those patients or cutting-edge treatment options.
At Illume Fertility, we take great pride in our dedication to not only being an LGBTQ-friendly healthcare provider, but in offering specialized support through our Gay Parents To Be® program and a full team of experienced care providers.
“For years, the LGBTQ community has struggled against inequality in healthcare. Here at Illume Fertility and Gay Parents To Be, we are proud to make inclusive, patient-centered care a priority, and to have been chosen as a Healthcare Equality Leader for the sixth year in a row,” says Dr. Mark Leondires, Illume Fertility's Medical Director and founder of Gay Parents To Be. “Our team is committed to inclusion and equity for anyone who wants to build the family of their dreams, or utilize any of our services.”
Explore LGBTQ+ paths to parenthood:
What is Gay Parents To Be? It is an informational resource and a starting point for LGBTQ parenting, with the goal of providing the best care for LGBTQ patients as they navigate their family-building journey. Follow us on social to get connected!
More LGBTQ Family-Building Resources
Learn more about LGBTQ family-building options, what resources Illume Fertility and Gay Parents To Be have to offer, and how you can get started on your path to parenthood today.
- Visit Gay Parents To Be's Resource Center
- Subscribe to The Voice newsletter
- What is INVOcell? A Fertility Doctor Explains
- Read Tim & Steve's Surrogacy Story
- Fertility Options for Trans Parents-to-Be
- Men Having Babies 101: Surrogacy Resources & FAQs
- IUI vs IVF for LGBTQ+ Moms-to-Be
- Your Complete Guide to Surrogacy