Patient Satisfaction

UCSF Medical Center and UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital have surveyed patients for more than 20 years. In fact, UCSF was one of the first medical centers in the country to conduct patient satisfaction surveys. We commission a national survey firm, Press Ganey Associates Inc., to survey our patients in our hospitals and clinics.

UCSF uses patient survey results to evaluate the patient experience, track our progress to improve care and service, and identify areas of excellence and opportunities for improvement.

To assess our overall performance, we use a question that asks how likely patients are to recommend UCSF to others. During the past 10 years, UCSF's performance on this measure has improved consistently in our hospitals and clinics.

In 2011, 77 percent of those surveyed, regarding care received in the hospital, said the likelihood they would recommend UCSF to others was "very good."

Regarding care received in UCSF clinics, 75 percent of those surveyed said the likelihood they would recommend UCSF to others was "very good."

National Consumer Survey

UCSF Medical Center also participates in the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS), a government-sponsored survey that asks standardized questions about all adult hospitals in the United States.

UCSF has consistently scored above average on the Overall Hospital Rating and the Recommend Hospital questions as compared to other hospitals in the state and nation.

From April 2010 to March 2011, 75 percent of patients gave the hospitals at UCSF a 9 or 10 rating, compared to the California average of 65 percent and the national average of 68 percent.

Regarding the survey question about the likelihood of recommending to family and friends, 85 percent of UCSF patients surveyed said "definitely yes," compared to the California average for hospitals of 68 percent and the national average of 70 percent.