Teneth-health-central

Compassionate, Equitable and Inclusive Care for all Patients

HEI-2022-Leader

At Tenet Health Central Coast, we are focused on providing a safe and welcoming environment to everyone we serve and to delivering high-quality care to all of our patients. We are especially proud to be a trusted provider to our diverse Central Coast community, a significant portion of which identifies as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer/questioning (LGBTQ).

Regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law, it is our responsibility to provide care that is compassionate and equitable.

Culturally Competent & Patient/Family-Centered Care for the LGBTQ Community

In our ongoing efforts to show support to all we serve, we have developed a vision statement which expresses our commitment to all people, including the LGBTQ community. We are actively participating in the Healthcare Equality Index, which is published by the educational arm of Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the country's largest LGBT civil rights organization. The index is designed to evaluate and promote healthcare facilities’ policies and practices related to the equity and inclusion of LGBTQ patients, visitors and employees. We have also implemented The Joint Commission standard, as well as new statutory requirements prohibiting discrimination.

doctor standing in front of lgbtq flag

Vision Statement: Tenet Health Central Coast, including Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center and Twin Cities Community Hospital, will strive to be the premier provider of healthcare services on the Central Coast. As such, we recognize that we must, but also want to provide care that is culturally competent and patient/family-centered to all people. A significant portion of the population we serve identifies as LGBTQ. The care we deliver to all must be provided with respect and dignity in order for patients and families to feel safe and comfortable making our facility their choice hospital provider. We must also provide every employee and medical staff member with a safe and equitable working environment, so that internally we demonstrate and promote the inclusiveness that we desire to reflect externally. Tenet Health Central Coast is actively improving our ability to provide excellent, patient-centered care to everyone in our community.

We will achieve this vision of the future by:

  1. Providing explicit and focused leadership from our Hospital Administrative Team and the Medical Staff.
  2. Becoming a public proponent and protector of all Human Rights.
  3. Training and educating all Tenet Health Central Coast service providers, with a focus on developing empathy and inclusiveness as a necessary Tenet Health Central Coast leadership trait.
  4. Reinforcing policies that foster equitable treatment and inclusiveness.
  5. Leveraging the expertise and perspective of experts in the local LGBTQ Community in an advisory capacity.
  6. Holding ourselves accountable through regular internal audits, training and achieving “Leader” designation by successfully completing the Healthcare Equality Index (HEI) survey.
  7. Including LGBTQ cultural competency in trainings.

The Tenet Health Central Coast LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Advisory Council consists of community members, health care providers and leadership and employees from Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center and Twin Cities Community Hospital.

For more information on the Tenet Health Central Coast LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Advisory Council please contact: Art Dominguez, Jr., Chief Nursing Officer at Sierra Vista (805) 546-7696 or Whitney Gordon at Twin Cities (805) 434-4545.

LGBTQ Patient Ombudsmen & Transgender Patient Navigator

The Tenet Health Central Coast LGBTQ Patient Ombudsmen Representatives and Transgender Patient Navigator are advocates for patients’ rights. They can assist you with information about LGBTQ healthcare services in San Luis Obispo County and help resolve any healthcare issues you may encounter as a patient at the hospital. If you have any questions or concerns about the healthcare you or your loved one is receiving at Twin Cities Community Hospital or Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center, please call the LGBTQ Patient Ombudsmen Representative or Transgender Patient Navigator at (805) 434-4545 (Twin Cities) or (805) 546-7696 (Sierra Vista). The following team members are here to help:

Mark Lisa
Chief Executive Officer
Photo of Mark Lisa
Jackie Howey
Patient Access Director (Twin Cities)
Photo of Jackie Howey

LGBTQ Friendly Providers & Facilities

Are you looking for a healthcare provider you can trust? There are many local physicians and facilities that are committed to improving the health and well-being of the LGBTQ community with sensitive and culturally competent care. Please call (844) 864-6089 for a listing of LGBTQ welcoming providers.

For more information on what to discuss with your LGBTQ welcoming providers, click here.

Visitor Policy

Tenet Health Central Coast has established the following guidelines for hospital visiting, recognizing the role of family members and visitors in supporting and promoting the well-being of patients, and to assist staff in their efforts to provide care in an environment of dignity compassion and respect.

Twin Cities Community Hospital and Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center do not restrict, limit, or otherwise deny visitation privileges on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, or disability.

At the discretion of the physician or nursing staff, visiting may be limited during hand-off reports or during situations that may compromise patient privacy or during sensitive procedures.

Visitation Rights

Patients may receive visits from visitors of their choice. Patients also have the right to withdraw or deny consent to visitation at any time.

Patients who lack capacity may receive visits from family, friends and other individuals, consistent with the non-discrimination provisions of this paragraph.

Twin Cities Community Hospital and Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center are committed to ensuring that all visitors enjoy full and equal visitation privileges consistent with patient preferences.

Twin Cities Community Hospital and Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center do not restrict, limit, or otherwise deny visitation privileges on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, gender expression or disability.

Support Person

A designated support person may be present to support the patient during their hospital stay. A support person may include but not be limited to a spouse, adult child, parent, close relative, friend, domestic partner, and both different and same sex significant others. A support person is welcome to stay at any time depending on patient’s need for medical care/treatments, rest, privacy, safety and patient preference. This definition may include a person(s) not legally related to the patient.

This person(s) is often referred to as a surrogate decision maker or health care proxy if authorized to make health care decisions for the patient should they lose decision making capacity. More specifically, family means any person(s) who plays a significant role in an individual’s life. This may include a person(s) not legally related to the individual.

Children

Children supervised by an adult are welcome at Twin Cities Community Hospital and Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center. Children must remain with the adult who is supervising them at all times, and this supervising adult must not be the patient. Certain areas may have visitor limitations based on clinical or safety considerations.

Visitation Hours

Twin Cities Community Hospital and Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center have no restrictions on visiting hours. To maintain a restful, healing environment we ask that all family, friends and visitors be respectful and keep your voice down to allow other patients to rest.

After Hours

From 8:00 pm to 06:00 am all visitors must enter the hospital through the emergency department main entrance.

For safety reasons, we ask that all support person(s) and other visitors obtain a visitor badge from the security officer upon entry after 8:00 pm.

Two Visitors per Patient

More than two visitors at a time can be tiring to a patient. Additional visitors may wait in the lobby or in the cafeteria.

Infection Control

Patients are at increased risk of infection.

All visitors must be in good health. Please do not visit if you have a cold, sore throat, fever, rash, or have been exposed to any contagious diseases.

Please cover your nose/mouth with a tissue when coughing or sneezing.

Wash your hands before and after any patient contact.

Find a Doctor

Need a doctor for your care? 
Use Our Physician Finder

All Services