Data Story
Zuckerberg SF General Hospital Occupancy Rate
Percentage of beds occupied by patients at ZSFG
Controller's OfficeMeasure description
The Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center (ZSFG) occupancy rate measure represents the percentage of beds that are occupied by patients. The rate is calculated by dividing the average daily population by the total number of the budgeted beds.
ZSFG is a licensed general acute care hospital and is the only designated Level 1 trauma center for San Francisco and northern San Mateo County. ZSFG is a part of the San Francisco Health Network (SFHN), a comprehensive system of care overseen by the Department of Public Health (DPH).
Why this Measure is Important
When ZSFG meets its target for bed occupancy rate it ensures that DPH is maximizing access to acute services for residents.
ZSFG has adopted a Lean management system in its commitment to continuous improvement and providing the highest quality and safest care to patients. By using these performance improvement tools, ZSFG is working to improve patient flow throughout the hospital in order to ensure that patients are able to receive the right level of care at the right time.
ZSFG Occupancy Rate
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How Performance is Measured
The number displayed on the scorecard page represents a fiscal year average of the values in the chart above.
This measure represents the number of admitted patients who are occupying beds as of midnight each night when the census is taken, or the average daily population divided by the total number of staffed beds at ZSFG. The average daily population is tracked by ZSFG’s computer system and is continuously updated, within 10 days of the following month.
ZSFG admits and discharges patients as necessary. A low occupancy rate is an indicator of excess capacity. A high occupancy rate can be an indicator of a hospital with both high demand and high productivity. A high occupancy rate can also be an indicator of a hospital that is at risk for bed shortages. There is no "optimal" occupancy rate that applies to all hospitals, but some studies suggest that 85 percent is a reasonable target.
Data Notes and Sources
Visit DataSF to access the scorecard data.
This data comes from the ZSFG operational census and includes admitted patients who are inpatient as well as patients receiving observation care.
Data lag time: One month
Additional Information
- Visit Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center's website.
- Learn more about the San Francisco Health Network.
- Visit the Department of Public Health's website.
City Performance Scorecards
This page is part of the City Performance Scorecards.
Return to the Public Health Scorecards Homepage.
Return to the City Performance Scorecards Home Page.