It includes a network of county-owned hospitals and clinics called Santa Clara Valley Healthcare, health-related county agencies including the Public Health Department, and a health insurance plan.

The Santa Clara Valley Health and Hospital System was established in 1993.

It became the Santa Clara County Health System in March 2019 after the county acquired O'Connor Hospital, Saint Louise Regional Hospital, and DePaul Health Center (now VHC Morgan Hill) from Verity Health System to prevent the hospitals' closure.

[2] In 2024, the county reached an agreement to purchase Regional Medical Center of San Jose from HCA Healthcare to reverse service cuts.

[3] Valley Medical Center, in San Jose, is the flagship hospital of the system.