UCSF Health set out to enhance its engagement with external referring providers while preparing for a more comprehensive provider relationship management (PRM) program. The initiative also aimed to reinforce UCSF Health’s reputation for clinical excellence and support continued recognition in U.S. News & World Report rankings. To meet both immediate and long-term goals, UCSF Health partnered with HealthLink Dimensions.
The partnership focused on two key needs: access to accurate, verified healthcare provider data and the ability to execute scalable, professional email communications. HealthLink Dimensions delivered on both fronts. By combining highly verified healthcare provider data with turnkey deployment services, the company supported UCSF Health’s current outreach goals while helping build a foundation for future internalized physician engagement capabilities.
Throughout the engagement, HealthLink Dimensions proved to be more than a vendor, it became a trusted partner known for its transparency, responsiveness, and operational excellence.
HealthLink Dimensions stood out during the competitive RFP process by offering clear communication, setting realistic expectations, and aligning with UCSF Health’s organizational culture. This approach established immediate trust and laid the groundwork for a strong partnership. Once selected and onboarded, HealthLink Dimensions provided accurate data files, executed timely deployments, and maintained open, consistent communication. The team was quick to resolve issues, providing UCSF Health with confidence in the partnership from day one.
As part of its infrastructure overhaul, UCSF Health replaced a well-known third-party data vendor with HealthLink Dimensions’ healthcare provider database. HealthLink’s accurate and privacy-safe email data and deployment solutions allowed UCSF Health to target physicians both at the local and national level to drive awareness and referrals for priority service lines. Working closely with the HealthLink email deployment team, UCSF Health’s marketers moved away from rigid email templates and adopted a modular content system. This new approach aligned more closely with UCSF Health’s agile marketing approach, accelerating campaign production, improving design consistency, and simplifying performance tracking.
Outcomes and Early Results
In the first year of the partnership, UCSF Health launched 47 campaigns reaching over 1.2 million healthcare professionals.
Based on internal estimates, UCSF Health generated up to $35 million in referral revenue through its initial work with HealthLink Dimensions, translating to a strong marketing return on investment that has helped validate this marketing channel.
In the 2025–2026 U.S. News & World Report rankings, UCSF Medical Center was named to the national Honor Roll and ranked as No.1 hospital (tied) in California. Additionally, seven specialty areas ranked in the Top 10 nationwide, including cancer, neurology and neurosurgery, pulmonology and lung surgery. UCSF Health continues to set the standard in complex care, making provider engagement a critical strategic priority.
The day-to-day relationship between UCSF Health and HealthLink Dimensions was marked by a high level of collaboration. HealthLink was viewed as an extension of UCSF Health’s internal team, regularly providing proactive reminders, support with proofing and production, and campaign tracking updates. When challenges arose such as file formatting complications or segmentation changes, the HealthLink team responded within 24 hours. The team also showed a strong commitment to continuous improvement, actively integrating client feedback and initiating enhancements to reporting dashboards ahead of UCSF Health’s formal requests.
The human element of the partnership was just as strong as the operational one. HealthLink Dimensions built strong working relationships with UCSF Health, sustaining a collaborative and personable engagement culture. They were valued not just for what they delivered, but for the genuine investment they showed in UCSF Health’s success.
The partnership between UCSF Health and HealthLink Dimensions was transformative for provider outreach efforts. It brought accuracy, speed, and scalability to the health system’s marketing operations, enabling smarter execution through modular workflows and trusted provider data. More importantly, it delivered a consistently high level of service and collaboration. UCSF Health now stands on a stronger foundation, ready to expand its PRM capabilities, unify departments under a centralized engagement strategy, and pursue new opportunities in provider lifecycle marketing with HealthLink Dimensions strategically committed to supporting their long-term goals.