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The Best San Diego Hospitals

San Diego is home to more than 30 hospitals that serve more than 1.4 million residents in the city and more in the surrounding region. Of these, Sharp Memorial Hospital and UC San Diego Health-Jacobs Medical Center are on the list of top hospitals in the USA. These hospitals are rated for how they perform in treating difficult medical conditions such as cancer and complex surgical procedures. With the proximity to biotech companies in San Diego, these hospitals have access to world-class technology and treatments.

In California, UC San Diego Health-Jacobs Medical Center tops the list for San Diego hospitals and it’s easy to see why. They are high performing for 15 complex medical procedures, and are nationally ranked in 10 adult specialties. With so many great choices in San Diego, it’s hard to know how to look for the best option for your personal health needs.

What to Look for in Hospitals in San Diego

Of course, one of the most important factors for many individuals will be where their insurance provides the most coverage. The next most important deciding factor in choosing from the various San Diego hospitals is whether or not that hospital provides the procedure you need. From treating cancer, tending old surgical wounds, or dealing with a broken bone – where you go depends upon your needs and preferences. Additionally, you’ll want to learn more about their success rates and percentage of complications. Some individuals may prefer to use a specific gender of doctor as well, so it’s important to know the ratio of male to female medical staff if that information is available.

If You Have A Medical Emergency, Please Call 911

This page is here for informational purposes. However, if you have a medical emergency, please call 911 immediately.

The Best Hospitals in San Diego

These are some of the best hospitals in San Diego, so if you’re looking for a great place to have a baby, get cancer treatment, have a complex surgery, or seek out pediatric care, it’ll likely be at one of these locations

Kaiser Permanente Zion Medical Center – Grantville (Mission Valley Area)

Kaiser Permanente offers services for primary care, obstetrics and gynecology, and even pediatrics. They provide a whole patient approach to improve health and quality of life. They are among the hospitals in San Diego that provide exceptional surgical care due to advanced technology and best in class medical professionals. Their large network of care providers ensure that everyone gets the quality medical treatment they deserve.

• Address: 4647 Zion Ave, San Diego, CA 92120
• Phone: (833) 574-2273

Scripps Mercy Hospital – Bankers Hill and Chula Vista

Scripps Mercy Hospital is not only one of the best hospitals in San Diego, it is also the oldest. It opened in 1890 and still continues to offer exceptional care to all of its patients. They offer a 24-hour emergency room, level I trauma care, a childbirth center with a level II NICU, and more. Their heart attack program is also considered one of the best performing in the nation.

• Scripps Mercy Bankers Hill: 4077 Fifth Ave, San Diego, CA 92103
• Phone: (619) 294-8111

• Scripps Mercy Chula Vista: 435 H St., Chula Vista, CA 91910
• Phone: (619) 691 – 7000

Kindred Hospital – North Park/University Heights/Hillcrest

When you need extended care, you’ll want to search San Diego hospitals for the best. Kindred Hospital is known for their acute care units that allow for longer stays than at traditional hospital locations. They even offer ICU and negative pressure suites that allow for specialized care. Their trained medical staff provide exceptional care and they connect with other local providers to ensure each patient is cared for appropriately. This hospital is located on El Cajon Blvd. by the classic art deco neon sign that reads “the Boulevard,” on the border of North Park, Hillcrest, and University Heights.

• 1940 El Cajon Blvd., San Diego, CA 92104
• (619) 543-4500

Balboa Naval Hospital – Balboa Park/North Park Area

Hospitals in San Diego include military facilities as well. Balboa Hospital San Diego, also known as Balboa Hospital, is one of the best in the region. They’ve been serving families for over 100 years. Their focus is on serving the military servicemen and women and their children and they do it with excellence. With technologically advanced procedures, they are more efficient and effective at what they do. Naval hospital San Diego provides services for children as well. While they are not one of the many childrens hospitals in San Diego, their excellent care of children makes them a preferred choice for many military families. This hospital is located off Florida Drive as it runs from Golden Hill to North Park.

• Address: 34800 Bob Wilson Dr., San Diego, CA 92134
• Phone: (619) 532-6400

Sharp Memorial Hospitals – Birdland/Linda Vista

While they are not one of the places to get plastic surgery in California — we’ve actually got recommendations for La Jolla and all of San Diego for cosmetic surgeons — Sharp Memorial Hospitals are known for their cardiac care, orthopedic services, and their cancer treatments. They provide world-class healthcare in those areas. People love their experienced and patient-centered providers. If you need one of the hospitals in San Diego, this is one to check out.

• Address: 7901 Frost St., San Diego, CA 92123
• Phone: (858) 939-3400

Alvarado Hospital Medical Center – SDSU/College Area

Alvarado Hospital Medical Center is one of many hospitals in San Diego that offers a speedy emergency room with a focus on patient safety. In fact, patient safety is one of their core values. They recently received an “A” rating and a Patient Safety Excellence Award. This means that their efforts to provide safe, quality medical treatments are working.

• 6655 Alvarado Road
• San Diego, CA 92120
• 800-258-2723

Rady’s Children Hospital – Birdland/Linda Vista

No parent loves to bring their child to the hospital. But of the childrens hospitals in San Diego, this one is the best. Services at Rady’s Children Hospital include neonatology, orthopedics, autism care, neurology, and pediatric surgery. Their compassionate providers are experts in pediatric medical care.

• Address: 3020 Children’s Way, San Diego, CA 92123
• Phone: (858) 576-1700

Ways to Stay Out of the Hospital

If you want to stay out of the hospital, you need to focus on doing the things that help you maintain your physical and emotional health. Here are four of the best things you can do regularly to keep you out of the hospital.

Sleep

Did you know that people who drive while sleep-deprived are in a similar state as those who are under the influence of alcohol? Sleep deprivation causes a number of issues. Weight gain, hormone imbalances, sleepiness, and poor decision-making are amongst those problems. To get a good night’s sleep, lay off the caffeine later in the day and create a consistent sleep routine. Good sleep helps you stay out of the hospital in many ways.

Proper Nutrition

You might think of vitamins for kids as an appropriate way to get in your daily nutrients. While a high-quality supplement can help, it’s also important to focus on eating a whole food diet with minimal processed foods. Fresh fruits and vegetables alongside high quality meats help you get the nutrition you need. A good diet can help prevent cancer, heart disease, and more.

Exercise and Stretching

Many people exercise, but not as many remember to stretch. Poor stretching habits can put you at greater risk of injury when you exercise. These injuries can lead to surgeries and hospital stays. By easing into an exercise regimen and adding in good stretches you can reduce your risk of injury and hospitalization.

Rest After Minor Injuries

Too often people don’t give their bodies adequate time to heal after minor injuries. What should’ve been just a week of downtime can easily turn into months’ worth of recovery if you’re not careful. It’s important to rest after minor injuries and allow your body to heal if you want to avoid hospitalization and a longer recovery. If you aren’t your best, be careful at work too. Many workplace injuries come about because you aren’t performing your best due to a physical or mental ailment, which can lead you into a whole mess of medical care and maybe the need for a personal injury lawyer should your injury be serious and hospital care is needed.

Conclusion

San Diego’s hospitals are some of the best in the nation. With specialties in pediatrics, acute care, and cancer, there are many great options when you need quality medical care. Their proximity to university sciences, research hospitals, and biotech companies, means they are surrounded by some of the best medical and scientific minds.

About the author: Kristi Crosson is a writer, photographer, and farmer. She and her family raise chickens and rabbits and they are attempting to grow herbs as well. Her favorite part about summer is the time in the evening when the fireflies light up the fields with their luminescent glow. You can find her at KristiCrosson.com.

The banner photo of Jacobs Medical Center for this article is from IG user @dsl28.