San Francisco General Hospital
Encyclopedia
San Francisco General Hospital is the main public hospital
in San Francisco, California
, and the only Level I Trauma Center
serving San Francisco and northern San Mateo County. In addition to the approximately 3,500 San Francisco municipal employees, the University of California at San Francisco provides approximately 1,500 employees (including Physicians, nurses and ancillary personnel). The hospital, especially its Ward 86, was instrumental in treating and identifying early cases of AIDS
. The original brick
main building was replaced with a concrete
one in the 1972; four remaining five-story edifices are among the tallest brick buildings in the city. The hospital is located on Potrero Avenue between the Mission District and Potrero Hill; U.S. Route 101
rounds its east side at “Hospital Curve.”
Because it is the only Level I Trauma Center in the area, the hospital maintains a very high patient volume and is usually on a constant "Total Divert" status, which means that incoming emergency patients (with the exception of trauma, psychiatric, pediatrics, and OBGYN) are diverted to other nearby hospitals.
A new San Francisco General Hospital building is currently under construction on site and is planned to be opened in 2015. Notable improvements include expanding the capacity of emergency department and increasing the number of beds as well as increasing the number of intensive care unit (ICU) beds and combining the previously separate surgical and medical units into one ICU.
Public hospital
A public hospital or government hospital is a hospital which is owned by a government and receives government funding. This type of hospital provides medical care free of charge, the cost of which is covered by the funding the hospital receives....
in San Francisco, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, and the only Level I Trauma Center
Trauma center
A trauma center is a hospital equipped to provide comprehensive emergency medical services to patients suffering traumatic injuries. Trauma centers grew into existence out of the realization that traumatic injury is a disease process unto itself requiring specialized and experienced...
serving San Francisco and northern San Mateo County. In addition to the approximately 3,500 San Francisco municipal employees, the University of California at San Francisco provides approximately 1,500 employees (including Physicians, nurses and ancillary personnel). The hospital, especially its Ward 86, was instrumental in treating and identifying early cases of AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
. The original brick
Brick
A brick is a block of ceramic material used in masonry construction, usually laid using various kinds of mortar. It has been regarded as one of the longest lasting and strongest building materials used throughout history.-History:...
main building was replaced with a concrete
Concrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
one in the 1972; four remaining five-story edifices are among the tallest brick buildings in the city. The hospital is located on Potrero Avenue between the Mission District and Potrero Hill; U.S. Route 101
U.S. Route 101
U.S. Route 101, or U.S. Highway 101, is an important north–south U.S. highway that runs through the states of California, Oregon, and Washington, on the West Coast of the United States...
rounds its east side at “Hospital Curve.”
Because it is the only Level I Trauma Center in the area, the hospital maintains a very high patient volume and is usually on a constant "Total Divert" status, which means that incoming emergency patients (with the exception of trauma, psychiatric, pediatrics, and OBGYN) are diverted to other nearby hospitals.
A new San Francisco General Hospital building is currently under construction on site and is planned to be opened in 2015. Notable improvements include expanding the capacity of emergency department and increasing the number of beds as well as increasing the number of intensive care unit (ICU) beds and combining the previously separate surgical and medical units into one ICU.