Gardner's service area is all of Santa Clara County. Gardner is considered to be a 'safety net' health care provider, service the area's population who face barriers created by financial, cultural, linguistic, or other factors. Gardner is dedicated to serving any person who steps through its doors. In practice this means low-income, non-English-speaking, publicly insured or uninsured patients.

A sliding fee policy allows uninsured, low-income patients to be seen at a price they can afford.