The Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center (ZSFG), operated by the San Francisco Department of Public Health, has been nationally recognized for its work in healthcare equity. Receiving the 2024 Bernard J. Tyson National Award for Excellence in Pursuit of Healthcare Equity acknowledges the hospital's significant efforts in reducing health disparities, particularly among Black/African American heart failure patients. The award, bestowed by The Joint Commission and Kaiser Permanente, celebrates ZSFG's "Reducing Racial Disparities for African American Patients with Heart Failure" initiative, which saw a notable closing of a 5.4% gap in 30-day readmission rates for the demographic between 2018 and 2022, as per the City and County of San Francisco.
Behind the achievement lie innovative approaches that ZSFG brought on board. The hospital provided tailored medical and social care recommendations by integrating AI-based tools into their electronic health records. Furthermore, establishing an Addiction Medicine/Cardiology Co-Management Clinic, where various specialists collaborate, has addressed the multifaceted needs of heart failure patients. According to the City and County of San Francisco, these strategies contributed to an overall reduction in the 30-day readmission rate for all heart failure patients from 33% to 20% and more than a 6% decrease in mortality rates.
San Francisco Department of Public Health's efforts were also recognized earlier this month with the 2024 Equity Quality Leaders Award (QLA) for the second consecutive year. Both recognitions affirm ZSFG's dedication to eradicating systemic inequities and delivering holistic care. Susan Ehrlich, MD, MPP, CEO of ZSFG, said, "These awards highlights how innovative teamwork by our clinicians and staff can effectively address the systemic healthcare inequities that impact our patients," as reported by the City and County of San Francisco. She emphasized that focusing on the health of Black/African American patients with heart failure not only minimizes disparities but also optimizes outcomes for all patients.
