San Mateo Medical Center

What San Mateo Medical Center does

San Mateo Medical Center is the hospital and clinic division of San Mateo County Health, a public county government health department serving all residents of San Mateo County, California. The organization operates as the county's designated safety-net provider, delivering emergency, primary, behavioral, and preventive healthcare regardless of ability to pay through a 24/7 hospital at 222 W. 39th Avenue in San Mateo, regional clinics in Daly City, Half Moon Bay, Redwood City, and South San Francisco, a Mobile Clinic for people experiencing homelessness and uninsured residents, a Public Health Laboratory, an Emergency Medical Services Agency, and a Behavioral Health & Recovery Services network spanning seven regional clinics plus contracted providers. Its underlying technology platform is SMC Connected Care, a Health Information Exchange enabling secure encrypted sharing of health records across the county health network, supplemented by the October 2025 launch of the MyEHS Environmental Health Services Online Portal.

The business model is government-funded rather than commercially market-driven. Revenue derives from Medi-Cal and Medicare provider reimbursements, direct county budget allocation from the County of San Mateo, and transactional service fees including animal licensing ($8–$160 per license depending on species, alteration status, and term), vital records issuance, and medical marijuana ID card applications ($50–$100). Customers are categorical public-pay populations: Medi-Cal beneficiaries, Medicare recipients, uninsured low-income residents eligible for the Access to Care for Everyone (ACE) program, pregnant women and families enrolled in WIC, older adults and people with disabilities, behavioral health and substance use clients, and people experiencing homelessness. Distribution is direct through county-operated facilities plus contracted partners including Telecare (crisis line and Mobile Crisis Response Team), American Medical Response (9-1-1 ALS ambulance transport), Peninsula Humane Society & SPCA (animal control), and the Health Plan of San Mateo (managed care).

The entity is wholly owned by the County of San Mateo, a government entity, and is not a venture or growth-equity investment target in the conventional sense. Competitive positioning is anchored in statutory regulatory authority over public health, environmental health, vital records, animal control, and EMS policy within the county — a structural monopoly with no private-sector substitutes for mandated functions. Marketing and outreach operate through the official website (smchealth.org), Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, community outreach, and multilingual communications across 14 languages. The organization maintains iOS and Android applications for EMS reference but has no disclosed AI/ML capabilities, patents, or external funding.

Name

San Mateo Medical Center

Legal name

San Mateo County Health

Website

https://smchealth.org

Company type

Public

Founded year

1923

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

San Mateo Medical Center is the hospital and clinic division of San Mateo County Health, a public county government safety-net provider delivering emergency, primary, behavioral, and preventive healthcare to all San Mateo County residents regardless of ability to pay.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Healthcare Services

NAICS

General Medical and Surgical Hospitals (6221), Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers (621420), Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers (62142)

SIC

Services-Hospitals (8060), Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Home Health Care Services (8082)

akta.pro primary industry

County/District/Local Health Departments (HLAJAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Local Public Health & Human Services Administration (BPAIACAK), Substance Use Disorder Prevention & Recovery Services (BPAGACAE), Chronic Disease Management & Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) (HSABACAD)

Keywords

• County hospital services
• Public health programs
• Behavioral health services
• Emergency medical services
• Environmental health services

Headquarters

HQ city

San Mateo

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Government Healthcare Programs: Revenue from Medi-Cal, Medicare, and other government health coverage programs through provider reimbursements for covered services to eligible county residents.
2. County Budget Allocation: Funding allocated from San Mateo County budget to support public health programs and safety-net healthcare services.
3. Service Fees: Various service fees including animal licensing, vital records (birth/death certificates), medical marijuana ID cards, and other county health services.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

San Mateo Medical Center, a division of San Mateo County Health, is a publicly operated safety-net health system that runs a hospital and outpatient clinic network providing primary, specialty, urgent, and emergency care to county residents regardless of ability to pay. The broader San Mateo County Health organization additionally delivers public health programs, behavioral health and substance use treatment, emergency medical services (EMS), environmental health inspections and permitting, animal control and sheltering, and vital records (birth and death certificates).

Product overview

San Mateo County Health operates as a county health department providing public health programs and clinical services through its core facilities including San Mateo Medical Center (hospital and clinics), the SMC Connected Care Health Information Exchange (HIE), Public Health Laboratory, and Behavioral Health & Recovery Services. The organization offers specialized services including Emergency Medical Services, the Health Coverage Unit for insurance enrollment, Mobile Clinic for underserved populations, Crisis Line Services, Vital Records, Animal Control & Licensing, and Immunization Programs. SMC Connected Care serves as the electronic health information exchange platform connecting EHR systems across the health system for treatment purposes.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SMC Connected Care: Health Information Exchange (HIE) for electronic sharing of health-related information for patients and clients receiving services from San Mateo County Health

Products and services

• Hospital and Outpatient Clinic Care

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Peninsula Humane Society & SPCAcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe County contracts with Peninsula Humane Society & SPCA, a private non-profit organization, to enforce all animal control laws, shelter homeless animals, and provide services including rescue of injured animals, capture of stray animals, investigation of animal bites and attacks, removal of dead animals from public property, and enforcement of leash laws.
• TelecarecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTelecare operates the San Mateo County Crisis Line and The Mobile Crisis Response Team, providing 24/7 mental health crisis intervention, substance use support, and suicide prevention services.
• Health Plan of San MateocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealth Plan of San Mateo (HPSM) is a sponsor and partner organization providing dental and health coverage services for Medi-Cal members in San Mateo County. The Medical Center works with HPSM for health plan provider networks.
• Kaiser PermanenteminorOthersHospital serving San Mateo County residents at locations in Redwood City and South San Francisco. Part of the county hospital network.
• Mills-Peninsula Health ServicesminorOthersHospital serving San Mateo County residents at locations in Burlingame and San Mateo.
• Sequoia HospitalminorOthersHospital serving San Mateo County residents in Redwood City.
• Seton Medical CenterminorOthersHospital serving San Mateo County residents in Daly City and Moss Beach.
• Participating Veterinary Clinics (Spay/Neuter Program)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNetwork of veterinary clinics participating in the Spay/Neuter Assistance Program including Peninsula Humane Society, Burlingame Family Pet Hospital, Half Moon Bay Veterinary Hospital, Pescadero Veterinary Services, and others.
• American Medical Response (AMR)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAMR contracts with San Mateo County EMS Agency to provide Advanced Life Support (ALS)/Paramedic first response and ambulance transport services for all 9-1-1 emergency medical calls.
• Local Fire DepartmentscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal fire departments contract with San Mateo County EMS Agency to provide Advanced Life Support (ALS)/Paramedic first response services for emergency medical calls.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• San Francisco Department of Public Health: Operates Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital plus a county-wide network of clinics, behavioral health, EMS, and public health programs serving San Francisco County — a near-identical county health department operating model in the same Bay Area region.
• Santa Clara Valley Healthcare: County-operated hospital system (Valley Medical Center) and clinic network providing safety-net care, behavioral health, and public health services across Santa Clara County — directly comparable operating model and Bay Area county scale.
• Contra Costa Health Services: Integrated county health system operating Contra Costa Regional Medical Center, health centers, behavioral health, and public health divisions — a comparable Bay Area county health enterprise with similar service breadth.
• Alameda County Health: Bay Area county health department providing ambulatory, behavioral, public health, and environmental health services through ambulatory care network and Highland Hospital partnership — closest geographic and demographic peer to SMC.

Broad incumbents

• Los Angeles County Department of Health Services: Largest public safety-net system in the US operating multiple hospitals and clinics across LA County — substantially larger but provides the same county-owned hospital, clinic, and behavioral health model.
• Riverside University Health System: County-operated hospital and clinic network in Riverside County providing safety-net care, behavioral health, and public health — comparable operating model at a larger population scale.

Regional players

• Sacramento County Health Services: California county health department providing primary care, behavioral health, and public health services across Sacramento County — same California county health framework but serving a different regional population.
• San Bernardino County Department of Public Health: County public health and clinical services provider in San Bernardino County providing similar safety-net, environmental health, and behavioral health programs — comparable functional scope in a different California region.
• Orange County Health Care Agency: Orange County's integrated health agency operating behavioral health, public health, and clinical services — a comparable California county health department model with similar service diversification.
• Kern County Public Health Services Department: California county public health department providing similar clinical, environmental, and behavioral health programs throughout Kern County — comparable service model serving a different geographic footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/smchealth
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCs-2d66h3646xxCm70gyzOg
• Facebookfacebook.com/172696812834645
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/san-mateo-county-health-dept

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about San Mateo Medical Center