UCSF Medical Center

Introduction to UCSF Health

Overview of UCSF Health

Home to Five Nobel Prize Laureates

UCSF Health, also known as the University of California, San Francisco Medical Center, is the teaching hospital system of the University of California, San Francisco, also known as UCSF. It is an integrated healthcare system combining cutting-edge medical research, medical education, and exceptional patient care.

From the treatment of heart disease and immunologic disorders to specialized care for women and children, UCSF brings together experts across nearly every field of health science.

Among the many distinguished scholars associated with UCSF, five have received Nobel Prizes. They are pioneers in the fields of cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, HIV/AIDS, aging, and stem cell research, and have made outstanding contributions to human health.

According to the latest surveys by U.S. News & World Report, UCSF Medical Center, UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals, and UCSF’s four professional schools, including dentistry, medicine, nursing, and pharmacy, as well as many UCSF graduate programs, rank among the best in the United States.

As a leading institution dedicated to health and life sciences, these top rankings reflect UCSF’s strong commitment to advancing health sciences.

UCSF Medical Center

World-Renowned Patient Care

At UCSF, healthcare professionals aim not only to help patients cure diseases, but also to improve patients’ quality of life through patient-centered and exceptional care. In addition to innovative therapies and advanced technologies, UCSF is also recognized worldwide for pioneering research applied directly to patient care.

From primary care to the treatment of complex diseases, UCSF’s clinical programs provide comprehensive medical services and personalized care for adult and pediatric patients from around the world.

UCSF has always upheld a people-centered philosophy. It was among the first institutions to adopt the hospital medicine model, a medical specialty focused on the care of hospitalized patients with acute illnesses. Hospitalists coordinate all medical activities required by inpatients from different specialists during their hospital stay.

Many patients come to UCSF for the treatment of complex diseases. Ensuring the safety and effectiveness of every step of care is the hospital’s top priority. This reflects UCSF’s view of patient care: the result of integrated collaboration is often greater than the simple sum of its individual parts.

UCSF International Services

UCSF International Services is designed to provide patients from around the world with services that match their medical needs.

The International Services team coordinates various aspects of care for patients during their visits to UCSF hospitals and clinics. It is committed to helping patients and their families have the most comfortable experience possible, while respecting each patient’s unique cultural traditions and background.

In addition to coordinating care from UCSF physicians and access to advanced medical technologies, patient liaisons in International Services can provide the following assistance:

* Coordination of interpreter and translation services * Arrangement of international communication between physicians, patients, and their families * Information on short-term and long-term accommodation * Opportunities for patients seeking spiritual comfort or religious guidance

In early 2019, UCSF International Services officially signed a referral cooperation agreement with Saint Lucia Consulting to jointly help Chinese patients in need access the UCSF healthcare system in a more standardized and convenient way.

Certificate of Referral Partnership Issued by UCSF International Services to Saint Lucia Consulting

Clinical Strengths of UCSF Health

1. Cancer Care

The UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center is designated by the National Cancer Institute as a comprehensive cancer center. The center is built on UCSF’s long tradition of cancer research, including Nobel Prize-winning work by Professors J. Michael Bishop and Harold Varmus.

U.S. News & World Report has also recognized the UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center as one of the leading hospitals for cancer care in California.

The center specializes in the treatment of nearly all types of cancer, including:

* Blood cancers * Breast cancer * Liver cancer * Colorectal cancer * Lung cancer * Endocrine cancers * Neurologic cancers * Gastrointestinal and pancreatic cancers * Skin cancer * Gynecologic cancers * Soft tissue and bone cancers * Head and neck cancers * Genitourinary cancers * Integrative oncology

UCSF’s treatment options include advanced surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy. Many of these therapies are available at only a small number of hospitals worldwide.

For example, molecular profiling at the cancer center allows treatment to be directed toward the sp