Patient Relations is here to help ensure that your experience with UCSF Health is a good one. If you or a family member has a question or concern about your care, please let us know. We suggest first discussing your concerns with your nurse, department manager and doctor. If they remain unresolved, the Patient Relations staff or a nursing supervisor is available to help you reach a resolution or provide more information.
Patient Relations
Contact us
For concerns at our SF community hospitals
Saint Francis(415) 353-6228
St. Mary's(415) 750-5789
For concerns at UCSF Health Langley Porter Psychiatric Hospital (LPPH)
(415) 476-2940
How to submit feedback to UCSF Health
To submit a complaint, compliment or other feedback, complete our online feedback form, or email or fax the Patient or Visitor Report Form to Patient Relations.
The Patient or Visitor Report Form is available in these languages in addition to English:
Our hours are 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. On weekends and holidays, please contact the nursing supervisor by calling the hospital operator at (415) 476-1000.
How to submit feedback to outside organizations
Regardless of whether you use UCSF Health's reporting process, you may reach out to the following agencies with complaints or other feedback. You also may file a complaint with your health insurance provider.
California Department of Public Health
To file a complaint or grievance with the California Department of Public Health, use this contact information:
California Department of Public Health
San Francisco District Office
150 North Hill Drive, Suite 22
Brisbane, CA 94005
Phone: (415) 330-6353
TTY: (916) 657-3042
Medical Board of California
To file a complaint regarding a doctor, you may contact:
Medical Board of California
Central Complaint Unit
2005 Evergreen St., Suite 1200
Sacramento, CA 95815
Phone: (800) 633-2322
Medicare
If you have health insurance through Medicare, you may file a complaint or grievance about care quality or a coverage decision, or appeal what you believe to be a premature discharge, through Medicare's Quality Improvement Organization Program. Call:
Phone: (800) 841-1602
TTY: (800) 881-5980
Joint Commission
If you feel your concerns about patient care and safety have not been adequately addressed by UCSF Health, please contact the Joint Commission Office of Quality Monitoring.
Phone: (800) 994-6610
Joint Commission Online submission form
You also can write to:
Joint Commission
Office of Quality Monitoring
One Renaissance Blvd.
Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181
You may also contact the California Department of Public Health at (800) 554-0353 or your health insurance company.
Patient safety and rights
Patient privacy
UCSF Health is committed to protecting your medical information. For information about your rights and the obligations we have regarding the use and disclosure of your medical information, please see the following:
- Notice of Privacy Practices
- Aviso de Prácticas de Privacidad
- 隱私細則通知
- Уведомление О Порядке Использования И Защиты Личных Данных
If you have a complaint or concern related to patient privacy, use our reporting form above or contact the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights:
HHS Office for Civil Rights
50 United Nations Plaza, Room 322
San Francisco, CA 94102
Phone: (415) 437-8310
Fax: (415) 437-8329
TTY: (415) 437-8311
Patient rights
For information about patient rights, visit Hospital Policies or see our Patient Rights and Responsibilities Booklet.
To learn more about the rights of patients receiving mental health care, you may contact:
San Francisco Mental Health Clients' Rights Advocates
1663 Mission St., Suite 310
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone: (415) 552-8100
UCSF welcomes service animals. Find out more below.
Patient safety
For information about patient safety, visit Patient Safety or see our Patient Safety Booklet.
To report a patient safety issue, call the Patient Safety Hotline at (415) 353-8787 at any time. Information may be submitted anonymously.
Nondiscrimination and sexual misconduct
UCSF Health is dedicated to the principle of treating each community member with respect and dignity. To learn more about our commitment to nondiscrimination and how patients can report sexual misconduct experienced in a clinical setting, please visit How to Report Sexual Harassment and Notice of Nondiscrimination.
Accessibility information
UCSF is committed to providing equitable access and reasonable accommodations for all of our patients, visitors and companions. Reasonable accommodations and auxiliary aids and services are available no cost. To request any of these, ask a member of your care team or reach out to Patient Relations (contact information above).
Learn more about Accessibility Resources at UCSF.
Frequently asked questions about service animals
- What is the definition of a service animal?
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and UCSF Health define a service animal as a dog or miniature horse that are individually trained to do work or perform specific tasks for people with disabilities. Psychiatric service animals (PSA’s) are included in this definition because they have also been trained to perform tasks to mitigate the psychiatric disabilities of their human partners.
- Are service animals allowed in the hospital and clinics?
Yes, service animals (dogs) are welcome to accompany their handlers to clinical areas open to the public at UCSF.
- Are service animals welcome in all areas in the hospital or clinic?
No, the general rule is that service animals are allowed in patient rooms and anywhere else in the hospital the public and patients are allowed. The specific areas excluded, for safety reasons, are operating rooms, pre- and post-operative areas, and we reserve the right to deny access to intensive care units, and any other areas that require a protected environment. In these areas, the final decision will be made by providers and nurses in these areas to verify that it is safe for the dog to visit.
- Why are you asking me questions about my animal?
In order to distinguish between service dogs and non-service dogs, we are allowed under the ADA to ask you two questions: (1) is the dog a service animal required because of a disability? and (2) what work or task has the dog been trained to perform? Specific responses are required and help us in our documentation of the animal as your service dog.
- What about therapy or emotional support/comfort animals?
The ADA does not include therapy or emotional support/comfort animals in its definition of service animals. We ask that patients leave all animals other than service animals at home. Please note that this rule extends only within UCSF Health patient areas and does not extend to other areas (academic, research, housing) of UCSF. For those areas, please consult https://policies.ucsf.edu/policy/550-19 for more information. If accommodations are needed related to other areas of the University, please contact Disability Management Service at (415) 476-2621 for assistance with the interactive process.
- What if I am too sick to take care of my dog, will staff help?
Staff are prohibited from caring for patient service dogs and the Americans with Disabilities Act states that a service dog must be cared for by their handler or a person assigned by the handler to do so. If you cannot care for your animal and are unable to identify a person to assist with the care of the animal, SF Animal Care & Control will be called to remove the animal to a safe environment for the term of the your admission.
- I’ve seen people with dogs who wear identification that identifies them as a Facility Dog or Emotional Support Dog, why are they allowed?
UCSF Health, which includes UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals, have specific programs which include trained therapy dogs who visit with their handlers or UCSF staff to provide comfort to patients. These programs are administered separately by Child Life Services and Volunteer Services.
- What other qualifications does a service dog have to have to accompany me to UCSF?
Your dog must always be well behaved and under your control, must not show any aggression toward staff or providers, and must be clean and housebroken.
- I have to be admitted to the hospital, can my service dog visit me?
Yes, we recognize the bond between you and your service dog is important and once your providers make sure that you and other patients in your unit will not be harmed by a visit, that visit can be arranged. Your dog can even stay with you, but must have a caretaker who can feed, toilet, and walk the dog because you will not be able to leave the hospital while admitted.
- Does my service dog have to be on a leash?
The service animal must be harnessed, leashed, or tethered while in public places unless these devices interfere with the service animal's work or your disability prevents use of these devices. In that case, you must use voice, signal, or other effective means to maintain control of the animal.