San Francisco General Hospital: 
Sustainable Transportation Services

SFDPH's Program on Health, Equity and Sustainability has been working with the San Francisco General Hospital & Trauma Center’s Transportation Services Program in support of their efforts to meet the transportation planning and management needs of patients, staff, and visitors.  This collaboration is in support of SFGH efforts to reduce transportation impacts of the San Francisco General Hospital Rebuild, the SFDPH Departmental Climate Action Plan and San Francisco’s Transit First Policy.

Reducing San Franciscans’ exposure to traffic-related air pollution, noise and safety hazards, and increasing physical activity and its health benefits via active commuting is further consistent with on-going SFDPH health initiatives.  SFGH experiences the adverse impacts of traffic-related exposures firsthand - in hospitalizations and emergency room visits for treatment of pulmonary and cardiovascular health outcomes related to motor vehicle emissions and noise, as well as traumatic injuries related to traffic collisions.

As a part of these sustainable transportation efforts, SFGH conducted an employee commute survey in November 2008 to assess (a) staff commute characteristics, (b) factors that influence driving alone to work, (c) factors that would encourage staff to not drive alone to work, (d) staff willingness to not drive alone during the rebuild of the facility, and (e) awareness and utilization of CCSF Commuter Benefits, Rideshare, and Emergency Ride Home programs.  A detailed summary of the background, significance, existing conditions, methodology, results, and recommendations from the survey can be downloaded here.