The “Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion” designation from the 2026 Disability Index recognizes organizations for workplace policies and practices that support disability inclusion, while the “Healthcare Equality Index” label from the Human Rights Campaign Foundation recognizes healthcare organizations that demonstrate a commitment to equitable, inclusive care for LGBTQIA+ patients, visitors and employees.

“These recognitions reflect our commitment to ensuring our people and our communities experience Cedars-Sinai in a way that aligns with our values and our mission,” said Nicole Mitchell, chief diversity, inclusion and wellbeing officer at Cedars-Sinai. “We are proud to once again be recognized but also recognize that this work is never finished.”

The Cedars-Sinai Newsroom spoke with Mitchell about what these recognitions mean and how inclusion continues to shape the organization's culture, workplace and patient care.

What do these recognitions represent for Cedars-Sinai?

These recognitions are meaningful because they reflect years of intentional work and accountability. They are not about receiving an award or checking a box. Instead, they are an external reflection of our commitment to creating an environment where people feel seen, supported and able to thrive.

More importantly, they reinforce our commitment to ensuring our people and our communities experience Cedars-Sinai in a way that aligns with our values and our mission to elevate the health status of the communities we serve. When people experience belonging, trust and inclusion, it strengthens our culture and helps us deliver the exceptional care that is at the heart of our mission.

How do inclusion and accessibility affect Cedars-Sinai's commitment to providing the highest level of patient care?

At Cedars-Sinai, inclusion is not separate from our mission. It is connected to how we care for patients, support our workforce and engage with our communities.

This work is reflected in everything from leadership development and employee education to accessibility initiatives and the everyday interactions people have across our organization. It also includes programs and resources that help our employees build community and help our caregivers provide more inclusive, affirming care. Ultimately, it's about creating environments where people can fully participate and where their lived experiences are valued and respected.

While these recognitions acknowledge important progress, what matters most is the experience people have every day when they walk through our doors—whether as patients, family members, employees, physicians, learners or community members.

What are some examples of how these values are reflected in the experiences of our patients, workforce and community?

For patients and families, inclusive care helps build trust, strengthen communication and create meaningful partnerships in healthcare decisions. When people feel heard, respected and understood, they are more empowered to participate in their care. That commitment is reflected in ongoing efforts to create welcoming, affirming care experiences, provide education that equips caregivers to meet the diverse needs of patients, and foster an environment where every individual feels valued and respected.

For our workforce, belonging means creating a culture where employees can contribute fully, share different perspectives and feel supported in doing their best work. Employee resource groups—including Supporting Purposeful Accessibility, Community and Equity [SPACE] and Pride, Respect, Inclusivity, Solidarity and Meaningful Support [PRISMS]—play an important role in building community, elevating lived experiences and helping us better understand the needs of employees with apparent and non-apparent disabilities, LGBTQIA+ employees, and allies.

We know this work is a team effort. Inclusion cannot live within one office or one department. It must be reflected in our systems, our decisions and our daily practices across the organization.

How does Cedars-Sinai ensure that inclusion remains part of our culture and daily operations?

One of the strengths of our Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Wellbeing is that we approach this work every day through both a strategic and human lens.

The frameworks provided through the Disability Index and Healthcare Equality Index help us measure progress and identify opportunities to continue growing. But lasting change happens when inclusion becomes part of how we lead, collaborate, make decisions and care for one another every day.

We remain focused on strengthening education, creating opportunities for connection and belonging, increasing accessibility, and embedding inclusive practices into how we show up for our patients and one another. Our goal is not simply to achieve or maintain recognition. It is to continue building an environment where people feel they belong because inclusion is part of who we are as an organization.

Read more from Cedars-Sinai Stories and Insights: Residency Programs Move Toward Greater Diversity

A recent opinion column published in the Cell Press journal Patterns lays out what the investigators see as the challenges and opportunities for those who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer or questioning (LGBTQ+) to increase their representation in these fields. The column emphasizes the importance of addressing the biases and erasure of gender and sexual diversity in data and computational models.

“Our team works to improve patients’ lives by using computers, computing technologies and data resources; insights from a diverse community are invaluable in helping us do that,” said Jason Moore, PhD, professor and chair of the Department of Computational Biomedicine and an investigator who helped author the opinion article.

Moore said it’s not only a matter of tolerance and acceptance: “LGBTQ+ inclusion is necessary to enhance scientific problem-solving, generate more equitable knowledge and address the health disparities and needs of diverse communities. Not doing so can impact computer models and all patients, potentially leading to harmful conclusions.”

The column’s authors propose strategies and resources for LGBTQ+ inclusion, such as improving data collection and model evaluation, revising policies, creating gender- and sexual diversity-inclusive curricula, and fostering allyship and support networks. They provide examples of conferences, organizations and programs that promote LGBTQ+ participation and leadership in STEM and AI, and they acknowledge the contributions of LGBTQ+ scientists in the history and development of STEM and AI.

To learn more about the team’s perspectives, the Cedars-Sinai Newsroom recently talked with two of the paper’s authors—Pei-Chen Peng, PhD, an assistant professor in the Department of Computational Biomedicine, and Ryan Urbanowicz, PhD, a research assistant professor and director of Cedars-Sinai’s National AI Campus, a U.S.-wide AI and machine learning collaborative and project-based initiative. 

Why was it important to bring this topic to the forefront?

Urbanowicz: Considering the ever-increasing use of AI in clinical care and research, it seemed timely to encourage open discussions about the unique challenges of the LGBTQ+ community and how they overlap with STEM and AI, both from the perspective of encouraging and supporting LGBTQ+ scientific trainees, and in how to tackle the challenges and considerations of LGBTQ+ in STEM and AI research.

Peng: When the Patterns journal invited us to submit an opinion article related to the experiences of queer scientists for its June issue, we saw this as a great opportunity to further highlight the experiences of the LGBTQ+ community and to advocate for queer scientists. As we wrote in the article, LGBTQ+ scientists are underrepresented in the biomedical AI and STEM community, which can cost the scientific community great minds and stifle innovation.

Why is it critical to have LGBTQ+ inclusion in STEM education?

Peng: The awareness of gender and sex diversity in STEM education inevitably influences clinical research methods. Inclusion of LGBTQ+ ensures that the STEM community is reflective of the broader society and reduces biases when we do biomedical and AI research.

Urbanowicz: I think that fostering a diverse community of STEM trainees ensures a more diverse set of perspectives and ideas, essential to our research community’s ability to do its best work as a whole.

Is there an area of opportunity that you are particularly passionate about?

Urbanowicz: Personally, I want to do my part as an LGBTQ+ scientist to be a visible and accessible example/role model to other LGBTQ+ trainees in STEM and AI research. Also, I want to bring awareness to the current limitations of AI, specifically with regard to potential disparity.

Peng: I’m excited about the potential for positive changes. We’ve highlighted the importance of inclusivity and representation, addressing how diverse perspectives can lead to more innovative and equitable scientific advancements, and we encourage all scientists to take initiative in advancing our understanding of LGBTQ+ health issues. I’m also proud that we were able to provide a catalog of existing educational and professional resources that the community can refer to as needed. For example, trainees and researchers will know which conferences are inclusive and promote diversity, and they can choose venues where they can present their research findings confidently.

What are some ways that AI models can ensure health equity for LGBTQ+ people?

Urbanowicz: When it comes to both medical and AI research, awareness of what makes the LGBTQ+ community unique and taking these considerations into account when it comes to data collection, study design and research resources should all improve overall health equity.

Based on the opportunities identified in your article, how can Cedars-Sinai be more inclusive?

Peng: Our National AI Campus is one area that comes to mind. It’s a training program that aims to make AI accessible to a diverse community with training experiences that focus on biomedical projects. Beyond promoting participants’ diversity, the program also could address LGBTQ+ issues by developing or inviting AI and/or machine learning projects that tackle LGBTQ+ health and analytical challenges.

Urbanowicz: I agree with Dr. Peng. National AI Campus is founded on principles of inclusion and accessibility for all students interested in learning about machine learning and artificial intelligence. In the future, in addition to introducing projects that tackle LGBTQ+ issues, we can encourage more LGBTQ+ participants to get involved and highlight the importance of these issues to trainees at large.

Read more on the Cedars-Sinai Blog: A Place at the Table to Shape Cancer Research

It is one of 384 U.S. healthcare facilities to receive this designation in the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s Healthcare Equality Index.

The index, called HEI for short, evaluates institutions' policies and practices for equitable treatment and inclusion of LGBTQ+ patients, visitors and employees.

“We are honored to be recognized again by the HRC's HEI as a leader in LGBTQIA+ healthcare,” said Nicole Mitchell, Cedars-Sinai’s chief diversity and inclusion officer. “This achievement reflects our unwavering commitment to creating a safe, inclusive and affirming environment for the LGBTQIA+ community.”

The biennial recognition is based on detailed criteria grouped under five categories: non-discrimination and staff training; patient services and support; employee benefits and policies; patient and community engagement; and responsible citizenship.

A record 1,065 healthcare facilities actively participated in the HEI 2024 survey and scoring process. Of those, 384—including Cedars-Sinai—received the top score of 100, earning the LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Leader designation.

Examples of Cedars-Sinai efforts to better serve the LGBTQIA+ community include the Transgender Surgery and Health Program, the LGBTQ+ Center, annual unconscious bias trainings for all Cedars-Sinai employees, and support and participation at community events.

Being an LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Leader reinforces Cedars-Sinai’s commitment and dedication to listening, learning and improving. 

“We remain committed to finding new ways to elevate our efforts and strengthen our impact as leaders in healthcare equality and inclusion,” Mitchell said.

Throughout the month of June, Cedars-Sinai employees, family members and friends will show their care for the LGBTQIA+ community by participating in Pride events in West Hollywood, Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley.

Cedars-Sinai employees also can participate in a Transgender Care Simulation, a 90-minute seminar designed to equip staff with tools for supporting transgender patients. The seminar covers topics such as understanding pronouns and creating a safe and identity-affirming environment for all.

Read more on the Cedars-Sinai Blog: A Gender-Affirming Journey Home

“Cedars-Sinai was founded in 1902 on the principles of diversity, inclusion and quality healthcare for all,” said Nicole Mitchell, Cedars-Sinai’s chief diversity and inclusion officer. “We are as committed to these principles today as we were 120 years ago. That’s why Cedars-Sinai is participating in numerous events that recognize the accomplishments and address the unique health needs of the LGBTQ+ community.”

Events include:

Saturday, June 3 and Sunday, June 4 
Noon – 10 p.m. 
WeHo Pride Street Fair
Cedars-Sinai employees will be sharing health information in a booth at the WeHo Pride Street Fair. The fair will be along Santa Monica Blvd, between Hancock and La Peer,

Sunday, June 4
Noon 
WeHo Pride Parade
A contingent of 300 Cedars-Sinai employees, along with employees from Huntington Health and Torrance Memorial, will be marching in the WEHO Pride Parade. The parade steps off at noon along Santa Monica Blvd. from Crescent Heights to San Vicente.

Thursday, June 8
6 p.m.- 8 p.m. 
LA Pride's “Pride Makes a Difference” 
Cedars-Sinai volunteers will pack food, write cards and assemble gifts as part of LA Pride’s “Pride Makes a Difference,” aimed at helping members of the LGBTQ+ community who are struggling.  

Tuesday, June 13 
Noon - 1 p.m. 
Pride: Conversations for All, By All
The public is invited to join Cedars-Sinai’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion for a live, virtual discussion about Pride and LGBTQ issues.