UCSF Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery

What UCSF Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery does

The Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery at UCSF is an academic medical department within the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), founded in 1873 and headquartered at the Parnassus campus in San Francisco. It delivers tertiary patient care, biomedical research, and medical education across the full ENT spectrum, organized into subspecialty divisions including head and neck oncologic surgery, rhinology and sinus surgery (with an allergy clinic), otology and lateral skull base, minimally invasive skull base surgery, facial plastic and reconstructive surgery, sleep surgery, pediatric otolaryngology, audiology, and the Voice and Swallow Center. The department operates from seven clinical sites spanning San Francisco, Berkeley, and Redwood City, including the UCSF Helen Diller Family NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center at Mission Bay and Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital.

The department's technological base spans minimally invasive endoscopic skull base surgery, transoral robotic surgery (TORS) using the DaVinci platform, microvascular reconstructive surgery, sialendoscopy with 0.8–1.6 mm endoscopes, cochlear implant technology (founded on Dr. Michael Merzenich's pioneering work), and a Virtual Reality Anatomic Lab for skull base surgical planning. Annual surgical volumes include approximately 125 salivary gland, 150 thyroid/parathyroid, 140 microvascular free flap, 60 TORS, and 70 anterior skull base cases, with more than 500 new head-and-neck cancer patients evaluated per year.

The business model combines insurance-reimbursed clinical services (private, Medicare, Medicaid), revenue from clinical-trial participation, and CME-accredited medical education (Pacific Rim Otolaryngology Update, Audiology Update XVI, endowed lectureships, the five-year #7-ranked residency, and the Bryan Hemming Endowed Fellowship). Patients are sourced via tertiary referrals from general otolaryngologists and other specialists across Northern California. The department is funded through clinical revenue, NIH grants (#23 nationally), endowments, and university support, with no private-equity or venture-capital ownership; governance sits with The Regents of The University of California.

Name

UCSF Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery

Legal name

The Regents of The University of California

Website

https://ohns.ucsf.edu

Company type

Public

Founded year

1873

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery at UCSF delivers tertiary ENT patient care, biomedical research, and medical education across subspecialties including head and neck oncology, skull base surgery, rhinology, otology, and facial plastic surgery, serving patients across Northern California and training clinicians through a #7-ranked residency program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Otolaryngology Academic Healthcare Services

NAICS

Offices of Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapists, and Audiologists (621340)

SIC

Services-Offices & Clinics Of Doctors Of Medicine (8011)

akta.pro primary industry

General Otolaryngology (ENT) (HLAKAMAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Head & Neck Surgery (ENT Oncology) (HLAKAMAF), Rhinology & Sinus Surgery (HLAKAMAD), Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery (ENT) (HLAKAMAG), Otology & Neurotology (Ear/Hearing/Balance) (HLAKAMAC), Pediatric Otolaryngology (HLAKAMAB)

Keywords

• Otolaryngology clinical services
• Head and neck surgery
• Medical residency training
• Surgical oncology care
• Audiology hearing services

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Patient Care Services: Clinical care reimbursement through insurance plans including private insurance, Medicaid, and Medicare. UCSF Medical Center accepts wide range of insurance plans. Services include diagnostic evaluations, treatment plans, and surgical interventions.
2. Clinical Trials: Research-based patient care through participation in clinical trials for various head and neck conditions and cancers.
3. Medical Education: CME-accredited courses, residency and fellowship training programs generating educational revenue streams.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery at UCSF is an academic medical department delivering clinical patient care, biomedical research, and medical education. It provides specialized ENT services across multiple divisions including Adult ENT, Rhinology, Otology, Head and Neck Oncologic Surgery, Minimally Invasive Skull Base Surgery, Facial Plastic Surgery, Sleep Surgery, Pediatric Otolaryngology, Audiology, and Voice & Swallow Center, while also operating a five-year residency program and fellowship training.

Product overview

The Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery at UCSF provides a comprehensive portfolio of clinical services organized into distinct clinical divisions: Adult Ear/Nose/Throat and General Otolaryngology, Rhinology & Sinus Surgery (including Allergy Clinic), Otology & Neurotology, Head and Neck Oncologic Surgery (including Transoral Robotic Surgery/TORS, Microvascular Reconstruction, and Thyroid/Parathyroid Surgery), Minimally Invasive Skull Base Surgery, Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Sleep Surgery, Pediatric Otolaryngology, Audiology, and Voice & Swallow Center. The department operates the Bryan Hemming Endowed Fellowship in Head and Neck Cancer and a five-year Residency Program. Patient-facing digital services include UCSF MyChart for scheduling and telehealth video visits. Research programs encompass the cochlear implant development work (with Dr. Merzenich's foundational contributions), head and neck cancer research, and Virtual Reality anatomical training. The department is ranked #7 in Otolaryngology residency and #17 Best Hospital for ENT care, and #23 in NIH funding.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Bakar Hearing Institute: A newly established institute at UCSF dedicated to transforming hearing care, approved by UC Regents in 2026.

Products and services

• Adult Ear, Nose, and Throat Services
• Audiology
• Cancers and Tumors Treatment
• Facial Plastic Surgery
• Nose and Sinus / Rhinology Services
• Allergy Clinic
• Otology & Lateral Skull Base
• Pediatric Ear, Nose, and Throat
• Sleep Surgery
• Voice and Swallow Center
• Minimally Invasive Skull Base Surgery
• Head and Neck Oncologic Surgery
• Transoral Robotic Surgery (TORS)
• Sialendoscopy / Salivary Duct Surgery
• Microvascular Reconstruction
• Thyroid and Parathyroid Surgery
• Residency Program
• Bryan Hemming Endowed Fellowship in Head and Neck Cancer
• Clinical Trials
• Virtual Reality Anatomic Lab

Quantifiable outcome

• 500+ new head and neck cancer patients evaluated per year
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe department is based in the NCI-designated UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center at Mission Bay campus featuring state-of-the-art operating rooms and technology including lasers, robotics and telemedicine.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Cleveland Clinic Head & Neck Institute: Cleveland Clinic's Head & Neck Institute is a multi-specialty ENT practice organizationally similar to UCSF OHNS in offering otology, facial plastics, head/neck oncology, and sleep surgery under a single institute, and is a fellow training destination where UCSF faculty like Dr. Knott completed their OHNS residency.
• Mayo Clinic Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery: Mayo Clinic's Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery is among the largest multi-site academic ENT practices in the U.S., with comprehensive subspecialty coverage (otology, head/neck oncology, facial plastics, rhinology/skull base) and fellowship programs that directly parallel UCSF OHNS's structure.
• Johns Hopkins Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery: Johns Hopkins' Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery is one of the oldest and most consistently top-ranked ENT programs in the U.S., directly comparable to UCSF OHNS across all subspecialties including head and neck oncology, otology, rhinology, skull base surgery, and residency training. Both compete for top residents, NIH funding, and tertiary referrals.
• UCLA Head and Neck Surgery: UCLA's Department of Head and Neck Surgery is a direct California peer with comparable offerings in head and neck oncology, facial plastic and reconstructive surgery, rhinology/skull base, and otology — competing with UCSF OHNS for Southern California referrals and West Coast academic positions.
• Massachusetts Eye and Ear (Mass General Brigham) Otolaryngology: Mass Eye and Ear, the Harvard-affiliated otolaryngology program, is a leading academic ENT department with parallel offerings in head and neck surgery, skull base, otology/neurotology, and audiology — including pioneering cochlear implant history that intersects with UCSF's Merzenich legacy. Competes with UCSF for ranking, faculty, and federal research funding.
• Vanderbilt Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery: Vanderbilt's Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery operates a comparable portfolio including head and neck oncology, skull base surgery, and a Voice Center (where UCSF SLP director Sarah Schneider trained) — directly overlapping with UCSF OHNS in subspecialties, training programs, and research output.
• MD Anderson Cancer Center – Head and Neck Surgery: MD Anderson's Head and Neck Surgery program is the largest pure oncology-focused peer, with comparable depth in microvascular reconstruction, TORS, skull base surgery, and head and neck oncology fellowship training that mirrors UCSF's Bryan Hemming Endowed Fellowship.
• Stanford Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery: Stanford's Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery is the most direct Bay Area academic peer, sharing the same patient catchment and competing with UCSF OHNS for faculty recruits, NIH grants, residency applicants, and head/neck oncology referrals in Northern California.
• University of Pennsylvania Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery: Penn Medicine's Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery is a peer-ranked academic ENT program with overlapping subspecialty depth in head and neck oncology, otology, rhinology/skull base, and facial plastic surgery — comparable to UCSF OHNS in residency training and NIH-funded research volume.
• University of Michigan Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery: Michigan's department is one of the highest-ranked and largest academic ENT programs in the U.S., providing comparable subspecialty coverage (otology, rhinology, head/neck oncology, facial plastics, pediatrics), NIH-funded research, and residency/fellowship training — a consistent competitor in national rankings alongside UCSF.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ucsf_ohns
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ucsf-otolaryngology---head-&-neck-surgery
• Instagraminstagram.com/ucsfohns

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

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 UCSF Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery