State assemblymember Matt Haney (D-San Francisco) awarded a "Woman of the Year" accolade to the lead practitioner and CEO of Chinese Hospital, Dr. Jian Zhang, on Friday morning.
Zhang earned the title by making strides to close the gap in healthcare services for San Francisco's Asian population, especially during COVID-19 and a rising tide of Asian hate crimes, said Haney.
"Dr. Zhang has been an unwavering leader and advocate for the Asian American community, fighting tirelessly to ensure that everyone has access to quality healthcare," he said in a statement. "I am honored to nominate her as Woman of the Year and commend her inspiring leadership as a champion for the Asian American community and a remarkable role model for all Californians."
The Chinese Hospital acts as a counterpart to SF General Hospital for patients who may have a language barrier — offering free translation services for Mandarin, Cantonese, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Korean and Spanish. It combines both Western and Eastern medicine traditions to provide holistic care to its clients.
Dr. Jian Zhang has spent most of her career in San Francisco and about 20 years as a leader in the Chinese-American healthcare system. She has been the CEO of Chinese Hospital since 2017, and oversaw the system's management of the COVID-19 pandemic with aplomb.
Outside of practicing medicine, she is also a vocal advocate for healthcare equity and for Asian American rights. Over the past five years, Zhang collaborated with lawmakers at all levels, from the White House to down the block, to raise awareness about anti-Asian hate.
Ass. Matt Haney (D-SF) presents a "Woman of the Year" award to Dr. Jian Zhang for her work during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.
