The list below features brief descriptions of San Diego's excellent hospitals and specialty medical facilities. Most of them have physical referral services, radiology, physical therapy, home health care and patient education. As is the case in other major metropolitan areas, the health care industry in San Diego has undergone a series of consolidations, acquisitions,

Specific services offered at each hospital may vary from the information presented below due to partnerships and changes in facilities over the last several years.

Alvarado Hospital Medical Center

6655 Alvarado Rd., San Diego (619) 287-270 This 231-bed acute-care hospital serves central and eastern San Diego County.

Services include: intensive and critical care units, obstetrics, emergency care, laser surgery, orthopedics, oncology, reproductive medicine and ambulatory surgery.

Fallbrook Hospital

624 East Elder St., Fallbrook (760) 728-1191

Fallbrook Hospital is a smaller community hospital that serves north inland San Diego County. This 146-bed general and acute-care facility is a part of the Community Health System (Brentwood, TN). Services include: emergency room care, outpatient surgery and cardiac rehabilitation.

Green Hospital of Scripps Clinic

10666 North Torrey Pines Rd., La Jolla (858) 455-9100

Established in 1977, Green Hospital is located on Torrey Pines Mesa. This 173 bed hospital has a staff of more than 800. Its Anderson Outpatient Pavilion offers outpatient services.

Services include: intensive and critical care units, obstetrics/gynecology, psychiatric care, pediatric services, physical therapy, geriatric services, oncology, urgent care, arthritis treatment, audiology, epilepsy surgery, insomnia treatment, in vitro fertilization, organ and bone marrow transplantation, osteoporosis program, heart, lung and vascular center.

Grossmont Hospital

5555 Grossmont Center Dr., La Mesa (619) 465-0711

With 450 beds, Grossmont Hospital is the largest health care provider in East County. Part of the Sharp HealthCare program, this medical center serves more than 467,000 residents in its 750-square-mile service radius. Its David and Donna Long Center for Cancer treatment and Cardiovascular Diagnosis is an outpatient center providing day treatment and diagnostic services and was the first of its kind in San Diego County.

Services include: hyperbaric medicine, total joint replacement, wound care, sleep disorders, cardiovascular institute with chest pain center, senior resource center, outpatient surgery center and transitional care unit.

Kaiser Permanente San Diego Medical Center

4647 Zion Ave., San Diego (619) 528-5000 Kaiser Permanente is one of the major health care networks in the San Diego area. This 928-bed medical center, along with its 18 regional clinics and outpatient facilities, provides general and acute medical care. Services include: special care nursery, cancer registry and oncology, hospice, pediatrics, general surgery, nuclear medicine, orthopedics, intensive care unit, urgent and emergency care and geriatric services.

Mary Birch Hospital for Women

3003 Health Center Dr., San Diego (858) 541-3400 This 169-bed hospital is the largest medical center dedicated exclusively to women's health care in San Diego County. The hospital delivers more babies than any other hospital in California.

Services include: twenty-two labor, delivery and recovery rooms and 61 bed neonatal intensive care unit.

Mission Bay Hospital

3030 Bunker Hill St., San Diego (858) 274-7721 Mission Bay Hospital is a 128-bed medical/surgical facility  that  serves  the  beach  and  Clairemont communities.

Services include: intensive care unit, 24-hour emergency care, senior behavioral health, physical therapy, geriatric services and wound care.

Palomar Medical Center

555 East Valley Pkwy., Escondido (760) 739-3000

A full-service 299-bed facility, Palomar Medical Center serves the inland area. It boasts North County's only designated Level I trauma center and sleep lab, a 24-hour emergency department and the area's  finest  cardiac,  oncology  and  general/medical/surgical services. Its Birth Center provides mothers a home like environment during labor, delivery and recovery.

Services include: newly redesigned pediatric unit, Level II neonatal intensive care unit, wound care, orthopedics, hospice and continuing care, mental health unit, sleep disorders unit, home health care and outpatient surgery through the Escondido Surgery Center.

Paradise Valley Hospital

2400 East Fourth St., National City (619) 470-4321 This 236-bed nonprofit acute-care community hospital is owned and operated by Adventist Health and is home to the South Bay Rehabilitation Center and West Health Care.

Services include: intensive care, 24-hour emergency services, oncology, obstetrics, pediatrics, senior and family health centers and outpatient surgery.

Pomerado Hospital

15615 Pomerado Rd., Poway (858) 485-6511 Pomerado Hospital is one of the few medical centers in California to offer private rooms at semi-private rates.  Pomerado started the first Sexual  Assault Response Team (SART) program in San Diego County. This Ill-bed facility is home to a family-friendly Birth Center, Level II neonatal intensive care unit and, through Villa Pomerado, offers long-term convalescent care.

Services include: obstetrics and women's services, oncology, cardiology, behavioral health services, ophthalmology, wound care, outpatient surgery and chemical dependency treatment.

Scripps Memorial Hospital Chula Vista

435 H St., Chula Vista (619) 691-7000 As a 159-bed facility, Scripps Memorial Hospital Chula Vista serves Chula Vista residents and surrounding southern San Diego County residents.

Services include: intensive care unit, critical care unit, obstetrics/gynecology, emergency care, oncology, comprehensive outpatient center, diabetes education program and neonatal intensive care unit.