The agreement between Hill Physicians Medical Group and the physicians of the UCSF Medical Group took effect this week, increasing the total of number of physicians in San Francisco affiliated with Hill to more than 2,000. According to a Hill Physicians release, almost 900 of these physicians are in private practice or clinics.

Steve McDermott, CEO of Hill said in the SF Business Times that the affiliation will create a “robust, integrated network of university and community-based physicians for HMO enrollees in San Francisco.”

Sam Hawgood, president of the UCSF Medical Group and dean of the UCSF School of Medicine, said the affiliation "strengthens both organizations capabilities to provide patients with easy access to quality health care."

This agreement affects patients in San Francisco and Daly City who have an HMO or POS plan from Aetna, Anthem Blue Cross (California Care), Blue Shield, CIGNA, Health Net, or United Healthcare/PacifiCare. Hill Physicians represents more than 3,000 physicians in the Bay Area, Sacramento, and the Central Valley with about 300,000 HMO enrollees.