Dignity, UCSF Health Announce Bay Area Collaboration

Affiliation will enhance medical, surgical and related healthcare services around San Francisco by improving coordination of primary and specialized care.

Dignity Health and UCSF Health have entered a formal affiliation that the two health systems say will bring the academic medical center’s clinical expertise to community-based care settings in the San Francisco Bay Area.

The affiliation puts UCSF Health's clinical expertise into three Dignity Health hospitals: Sequoia Hospital in Redwood City, and Saint Francis Memorial Hospital and St. Mary's Medical Center in San Francisco, according to a joint announcement this week.

The two health systems have signed a letter of intent for physicians at Dignity Health Medical Group Sequoia and at Dignity Health Medical Group Saint Francis/St. Mary's, both services of Dignity Health Medical Foundation, to collaborate with UCSF clinical faculty to share best practices and improve access, quality, efficiency and coordination of care. The Dignity Health hospitals have joined the Canopy Health accountable care network to provide a continuum of care during the transitions between primary and specialty care.

"Healthcare works best when we collaborate to offer the best thinking and the latest medical advances to our patients," said Shelby Decosta, senior vice president and chief strategy officer for UCSF Health. "Dignity Health's focus on excellent care, as well as the humanity of that care in a community setting, is the perfect balance for UCSF Health's depth of knowledge and specialty services. Together, we can draw upon each other's expertise for quality and service improvements, and best practices, and to provide specialty care with shorter wait times and a better patient experience."

Dignity Health and UCSF Health have previously collaborated to improve pediatric burn care, acute rehabilitation, and cardiac arrhythmia, among other conditions.