Health System

Alameda Health System provides hospital care, outpatient clinics, specialty treatment, behavioral health services, and rehabilitation for people in Alameda County. This article explains how to identify the right service and location, contact the appropriate patient office, manage care through MyChart, seek health coverage assistance, and prepare a financial assistance application. It also outlines clinic hours, transportation options, medical record access, and the differences between insurance enrollment, appointments, and billing support.

How Alameda Health System Serves Patients

Alameda Health System’s official website is the central source for its patient services, facilities, and care information. The system, commonly called AHS, includes hospitals, wellness clinics, psychiatric services, and facilities providing rehabilitation and other care after an acute illness or hospital stay. Its outpatient services include primary care, specialty clinics, dental services, urgent care, homeless services, and behavioral health.

The correct point of contact depends on the task. Appointments and referrals go through the patient scheduling contact, while coverage questions belong with enrollment staff or financial counselors. Medical record requests have a separate contact, and billing inquiries have their own online form. Choosing the appropriate office helps keep an administrative request from being directed to a clinical department that handles a different need.

AHS also distinguishes between its hospitals and outpatient clinics. For example, Wilma Chan Highland Hospital Campus and Highland Wellness share a street address, but the locations directory gives them different telephone numbers. A hospital’s general number and a wellness clinic’s number should not be treated as interchangeable.

Care Options Across the System

The AHS services directory organizes care by specialty and patient need. It includes adult specialties, children’s health, community health, emergency care, maternity services, cancer care, kidney care, pharmacy, and rehabilitation. The directory is useful for identifying the service name before contacting Appointments & Referrals.

Primary Care and Specialty Services

Outpatient care includes primary care and specialty clinics. Adult specialties include cardiology, dermatology, gastroenterology, eye care, ear, nose and throat care, general surgery, gynecology, infectious diseases, neurology and neurosurgery, orthopedics, podiatry, rheumatology, urology, vascular care, and wound care. Dental, oral, and maxillofacial surgery services are also included.

Related diagnostic and treatment services include imaging, mammograms, laboratory services, dialysis and infusion, and pharmacy. Cancer services include oncology, infusion therapy, breast cancer treatment and education, gynecologic oncology, and Screening for Life. Identifying the specific department makes an inquiry more precise than requesting a general “specialist appointment.”

Children’s Health and Maternity Care

AHS lists pediatrics under children’s health. Maternity services include the Family Birthing Center, obstetrics and gynecology, Centering Maternal Health, and BElovedBIRTH Black Centering. These service categories help patients distinguish pediatric care from women’s health appointments and hospital-based birthing services.

Highland Wellness publishes separate schedules for adult medicine, women’s services, and pediatrics. An evening opening for one department does not mean that every department at the clinic is open at that time. Match the appointment’s department to its schedule when planning a visit.

Behavioral Health and Community Care

Psychiatry and behavioral health services include psychiatry, integrated behavioral health, psychology, substance abuse services, medical counseling, and social work. AHS also operates John George Psychiatric Hospital and outpatient behavioral services at Highland and Fairmont. Those outpatient services include partial hospitalization programs, intensive outpatient programs, outpatient clinics, and wellness clinics.

Community health services include community health workers, a Homeless Health Center, a Mobile Health Clinic, and refugee health services. These are distinct service categories within AHS. The services directory provides a way to identify the relevant program before requesting assistance through the system’s patient contacts.

Rehabilitation and Care After Hospitalization

AHS rehabilitation services include physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and acute rehabilitation at San Leandro. Its service listings also cover skilled nursing facilities, subacute care, senior health, and stroke services. These categories represent different types of care; a rehabilitation facility, an outpatient therapy service, and a hospital are not interchangeable destinations.

Appointments, Referrals, and Treatment Questions

The official AHS contact page identifies separate contacts for Appointments & Referrals, Health Records, Insurance & Eligibility, Pharmacy, and general operator assistance. Appointments & Referrals is also the contact AHS directs patients to when they have questions about their treatment. The relevant telephone numbers appear in the department list at the end of this article.

For a medical emergency, AHS instructs patients to call 911 or go to their local emergency room. Its routine contact forms and administrative offices serve different purposes from emergency care.

When reviewing appointment information, pay attention to both the facility name and the department. This is especially useful at campuses with multiple services. The Highland hospital campus and Highland Wellness, for example, occupy the same address but have different directory entries and contacts.

Clinic Hours and Visit Planning

The AHS locations directory provides facility addresses, telephone numbers, clinic hours where published, parking information, and selected shuttle schedules. Several wellness clinics have different operating patterns, and Hayward publishes separate hours for its clinic and laboratory.

Eastmont, Hayward, and Newark Hours

Eastmont Wellness lists hours of Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. It is located in the Eastmont Mall Shopping Center. Free parking is available for patients and families.

Hayward Wellness lists clinic hours of Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Its laboratory hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. The earlier laboratory closing time matters when arranging a visit involving lab services. The clinic is in Southland Mall, between Macy’s and the bowling alley, and provides free parking for patients and families.

Newark Wellness lists weekday hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and service on the second Saturday of the month. Free parking is available for patients and families. Its Saturday listing differs from Eastmont’s weekly Saturday schedule, so the two clinics should not be assumed to follow the same weekend pattern.

Highland Wellness Department Schedules

Adult medicine at Highland Wellness operates Monday, Thursday, and Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday hours extend to 8 p.m. The Tuesday evening listing covers convenient care and the procedure clinic; Wednesday evening covers convenient care.

Women’s services operate Monday, Tuesday, and Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday hours extend to 8:30 p.m., with evening OB-GYN services. The directory also identifies OB-GYN hours on some Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. “Some Saturdays” should not be read as a weekly Saturday schedule.

The published pediatric schedule includes Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 3:50 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday also include sick child visits from 4:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. These evening visits are specifically identified as pediatric sick child services.

Parking and Hospital Shuttle Options

At the Highland campus, visitors may use the public garage at 14th Avenue and East 31st Street. Parking carries a fee and does not include in-and-out privileges. Garage levels P5 and P6 connect directly to the hospital, and the garage offers valet parking. The HCP underground lot provides another parking option. If using nearby street parking, observe signs restricting parking hours.

A free Highland shuttle runs between the hospital and Lake Merritt BART Station every 15 minutes, Monday through Friday, from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Boarding is on the 8th Street side of the station parking lot. Fairmont has a separate free shuttle to Bayfair BART Station every 20 minutes, Monday through Friday, from 6:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. These routes serve different campuses and have different schedules.

Alameda Hospital offers complimentary assisted parking in its main visitor lot, entered from Willow Street. San Leandro Hospital provides free parking in front of the hospital. Fairmont provides metered parking, while John George Psychiatric Hospital has a limited number of metered spaces.

Creedon Advanced Wound Care offers complimentary lot parking and specifies that street parking is unavailable. Marina Wellness & Surgical Associates also provides free lot parking. Park Bridge has limited free parking, and South Shore provides free parking in the shopping center lot.

MyChart and Electronic Health Records

The AHS MyChart information page explains how patients can access health information online. MyChart allows patients to communicate with their primary care doctor, view test results, request prescription refills, read after-visit summaries, and view upcoming appointments.

Account Activation and Caregiver Access

The MyChart page offers separate options for activating an account with an activation code and signing up online without one. Parents and caregivers who need access to another person’s records are directed to the proxy access option. Family record access should therefore be approached through the designated proxy process.

AHS provides account support materials covering signup, activation codes, password resets, account management, two-step verification, sending messages, and changing the app’s language. Tip sheets are available in Spanish, Chinese, and Vietnamese. The page also identifies the MyChart mobile app for use on mobile devices.

MyChart Bedside During Hospital Stays

MyChart Bedside is available on patients’ phones at San Leandro Hospital, Alameda Hospital, and Wilma Chan Highland Hospital Campus. It provides information related to an inpatient stay, including care plans, health information, test results, and discharge treatment plans.

Bedside features include an expected discharge date, care team biographies, admission diagnoses, provider notes, laboratory results, medications and schedules, care team requests, educational materials, and feedback. These hospital-stay features are distinct from the general MyChart tools used for outpatient communication and upcoming appointments.

Patient Requests Versus External Data Requests

AHS distinguishes personal medical record access from its electronic health information sharing request form. That form is intended for external entities seeking information sharing under the 21st Century Cures Act. It asks for organizational and business information and is not the patient request portal.

Patients seeking their own electronic health information are directed toward the patient portal or medical records staff. Use the Health Records contact for a records inquiry rather than submitting a request through the external-entity form. A records request, an appointment request, and a coverage application are separate tasks handled through different channels.

Health Coverage and Medi-Cal Assistance

The AHS health coverage guidance identifies BenefitsCal as an online route for seeking coverage. It also directs residents to enrollment sites and telephone assistance. AHS patients can obtain help from Patient Access – Enrollment Services and Financial Counselors, available Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Alameda County Social Services Agency provides application support Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Alameda County Health Insurance Technicians provide information about additional health coverage programs Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. These county contacts have different responsibilities from AHS appointment scheduling.

Application Decisions and Health Plan Selection

The Social Services Agency determines Medi-Cal eligibility after receiving a completed application. AHS enrollment staff can help patients understand the application process, but application assistance and the county’s eligibility determination are different steps.

AHS patient guidance describes application options by telephone, mail, and in person as well as online. For a mailed application, fill-and-print forms can be completed electronically, printed, signed, and mailed to a Social Services Agency office. County offices handling in-person applications are identified as open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Most people approved for Medi-Cal must then enroll in a medical plan and select a clinic or doctor. AHS guidance states that Health Care Options information arrives within 30 to 45 days after approval. That interval concerns information sent after approval; it is not an application processing deadline.

Insurance Acceptance at Individual Facilities

AHS cautions that not every doctor or hospital in its system accepts every health insurance plan. Its patient customer service staff can help determine what coverage is available. Customer service hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Plan acceptance should be considered at the doctor or facility level. General participation somewhere in the health system does not establish acceptance by every AHS provider. Coverage enrollment, provider selection, and confirmation of insurance acceptance each address a different part of obtaining care.

Financial Assistance and Clinic Discounts

The AHS patient and visitor information page explains financial assistance for qualified low-income patients and patients whose insurance requires them to pay a significant portion of their care. Patients meeting applicable income requirements may qualify for financial assistance or Charity Care.

Patients receiving services at the Highland, Hayward, Newark, or Eastmont ambulatory clinics may be eligible for the clinic sliding scale discount program. AHS provides a clinic-services application for that program. The clinic discount application should be distinguished from a Medi-Cal application, which seeks health coverage through the county eligibility process.

Income Documents for the Application

AHS requires applicants to complete, sign, and return the application with proof of income. Its instructions state that proof of income is required for every applicant and cannot be waived. The required person’s income documentation depends on the applicant’s circumstances:

For a patient under 18 or a patient who is disabled, proof of income is required for the patient’s parent or parents, or guardian or guardians.

For a patient age 18 or older, the patient’s own proof of income is required.

For a married patient or a patient with a domestic or life partner, the spouse’s or partner’s proof of income is also required.

Applicants must select one of the accepted documentation options: copies of the two most recent payroll, unemployment, pension, or disability pay stubs, or a full copy of the federal income tax return for the most recent tax year. A joint return serves as proof of income for both the applicant and spouse or partner. The tax-return option requires a full copy, rather than an individual page.

Submission and Eligibility Review

AHS accepts application documents by mail to Highland Hospital Enrollment Services or in person at an Enrollment Services Department at an AHS facility. The mailing address appears in the final department list. Applications are also available in Spanish and Chinese.

After submission, Enrollment Services reviews the information and sends written notice about eligibility. Staff may request additional information. A signed application and the required income documentation are both parts of the submission; completing the form alone does not satisfy the documented requirements.

Billing Questions and Published Prices

AHS separates billing inquiries from other inquiries and complaints. Its contact page directs billing questions to a billing contact form and other inquiries or complaints to a regular contact form. Treatment questions go through the patient telephone contact instead.

The system’s standard pricing files include chargemaster and payer contracting information. They do not establish an individual patient’s insurance liability, including deductibles and copayments, and do not include potential self-pay or financial assistance discounts. AHS encourages insured patients to contact their insurance provider to confirm coverage and patient liability.

Published pricing can change because of charges, payer rates, network participation, or other data elements. AHS also provides an estimate option for shoppable services. A published hospital charge, an insurance coverage determination, and a financial assistance decision answer different questions about the cost of care.

Patient Departments and Facility Contacts

Appointments & Referrals
510-437-8500

Health Records
510-437-4469

AHS Patient Access – Enrollment Services and Financial Counselors
Highland Hospital, Attn: Enrollment Services, QIC #22105, 1411 East 31st Street, Oakland, CA 94602
510-437-4961

Pharmacy
510-437-4222

Alameda County Social Services Agency
1-888-999-4772

Alameda County Health Insurance Technicians
800-422-9495

Wilma Chan Highland Hospital Campus
1411 E. 31st St., Oakland, CA 94602
510-437-4800

Alameda Hospital
2070 Clinton Ave., Alameda, CA 94501
510-522-3700

Creedon Advanced Wound Care
815 Atlantic Ave., Suite 100, Alameda, CA 94501
510-535-7434

Eastmont Wellness
6955 Foothill Blvd., #200, Eastmont Mall Shopping Center, Oakland, CA 94605
510-567-5700

Fairmont Rehabilitation and Wellness
15400 Foothill Blvd., San Leandro, CA 94578
510-895-4200

Hayward Wellness
664 Southland Mall, Hayward, CA 94545
510-266-1700

Highland Wellness
1411 E. 31st St., Oakland, CA 94602
510-437-5039

John George Psychiatric Hospital
2060 Fairmont Dr., San Leandro, CA 94578
510-346-1300

Marina Wellness & Surgical Associates
815 Atlantic Ave., Suite 100, Alameda, CA 94501
510-535-7363

Newark Wellness
6066 Civic Terrace Ave., Newark, CA 94560
510-505-1600

Park Bridge Rehabilitation and Wellness Center
2401 Blanding Ave., Alameda, CA 94501
510-522-1084

San Leandro Hospital
13855 E. 14th St., San Leandro, CA 94578
510-357-6500

South Shore Rehabilitation and Wellness
625 Willow St., Alameda, CA 94501
510-523-3772

Health System FAQs

How can I recognize an exceptional nurse?

Patients and family members can nominate an Alameda Health System nurse for a DAISY Award through the patient and visitor page. The nomination form asks for the nurse’s name, facility location, and an explanation of how the nurse made a difference. Describe a specific experience, such as how the nurse explained your care, helped you through a difficult moment, or supported your family. The form also asks about your relationship to the health system and information that would allow you to participate in the celebration if your nominee is selected.

Where can I read board meeting records?

The official About Us page lists meeting materials by date, including agendas, agendas with attachment links, audio recordings, and minutes where available. Choose the meeting date relevant to your question. An agenda identifies scheduled business, attachments provide supporting documents, and available minutes document the meeting afterward. If minutes are not listed for a particular date, check whether an audio recording is available. These materials can help residents follow decisions affecting the health system.

Can a reporter photograph or interview patients?

Alameda Health System requires written consent from the patient and verbal consent from the patient’s physician before a media interview or patient photograph for a story. Its published media guidance explains that arranging these permissions takes lead time. If you or a family member is considering participating in a story during treatment, allow time for the consent process before making plans with a reporter. Agreeing to participate does not replace the health system’s required permissions.