Founded in 1907, Seattle Children's Hospital provides excellent patient care with compassion and respect, and conducts leading-edge pediatric research. The hospital also serves as an educational resource for patients, families and healthcare professionals.
Ranked as one of the top 10 children's hospitals in the country by U.S. News & World Report, Children's serves as the pediatric referral center for Washington, Alaska, Montana and Idaho.
In addition to nearly 60 subspecialty areas from adolescent medicine to virology, Children's provides comprehensive care through day surgery, outpatient clinics, 24-hour emergency services and urgent after-hours care.
Networks of regional critical care ground and air transport bring patients to Children's from community hospitals located throughout the region. The hospital services also include childcare, social work, pastoral care, interpreter services, respiratory therapy, nutritional care, occupational therapy, speech therapy and physical therapy.
Children's uses a modified version of Toyota Lean Process Improvement called Continuous Performance Improvement (CPI) to evaluate and improve healthcare from the patient and family point of view. Our work is about improving the quality of our care and service, our cost-effectiveness and financial strength, access to specialists, the safety of our environment and the engagement of our people.
As the primary pediatric training site for the University of Washington School of Medicine, Children's provides broad clinical experiences for more than 683 residents and fellows each year.
Through work at Seattle Children's Hospital Research Institute and partnerships with the University of Washington and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Children's is at the forefront of leading-edge pediatric treatment, prevention and research.
Our Mission
We believe all children have unique needs and should grow up without illness or injury. With the support of the community and through our spirit of inquiry, we will prevent, treat, and eliminate pediatric disease.
History
Seattle Children's celebrated its centennial in 2007. Read more about our history.
Key Facts and Statistics
Seattle Children's is the pediatric and adolescent referral center for Washington, Alaska, Montana and Idaho. Founded in 1907, we deliver superior patient care and advance new treatment through pediatric research. View our Facts and Stats page.
Recognition
In May 2011, U.S. News & World Report magazine placed Seattle Children’s Hospital among the nation’s top children’s hospitals for the 19th consecutive year. Children’s was ranked 2nd in the country for kidney disorders, 7th for urology, 8th for cancer and 10th for neurology/neurosurgery. Children’s also ranked 7th in this year’s honor roll – meaning it’s the 7th highest ranked children’s hospital in the nation. Other Children’s programs receiving top recognition by U.S. News included cardiology, pulmonary, orthopedics, neonatology, gastroenterology and diabetes.
In 2010, Seattle Metropolitan magazine featured 77 Seattle Children’s medical staff members in its annual Top Doctors issue, and Seattle magazine featured 107 Seattle Children’s medical staff members in its annual Top Doctors issue.
In February 2009, Parents magazine placed Seattle Children's Hospital among the nation's top children's hospitals for the fifth consecutive time. Children's was ranked 13th overall, up two spots from the previous ranking, and was the only children's hospital in the Pacific Northwest to make this list. Children's cancer program also received special recognition by Parents as one of the top five in the country. The results were announced as part of the magazine's biannual survey to identify the nation's best children's hospitals.
Children's is home to the Treuman Katz Center for Pediatric Bioethics, the nation's first center devoted exclusively to pediatric bioethics.
Children's was named Large Non-profit Employer of the Year by the Washington state Governor's Committee on Disability Issues and Employment.
Affiliations
Children's, the Fred Hutchison Cancer Research Center, and the University of Washington form the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance (SCCA).
Children's is a member of the National Association of Children's Hospitals and Related Institutions (NACHRI).
Continuous Growth
In 2007, Children's announced plans to expand facilities on the main campus. The expansion, which includes increasing inpatient beds, will meet the region's growing demand for Children's services while ensuring we continue to provide safe quality care in a healing environment. For more information, please visit the website.
Seattle Children's Hospital Research Institute opened in Fall 2006 with nine research centers:
- Center for Immunity and Immunotherapies
- Center for Childhood Infections and Prematurity Research
- Center for Tissue and Cell Sciences
- Center for Clinical and Translational Research
- Center for Childhood Cancer (FHCRC)
- Center for Genetics and Development (UW)
- Center for Child Health, Behavior and Development
- Center for Integrative Brain Research
- Center for Developmental Therapeutics
Seattle Children's also announced and developed a new initiative in 2008, forming the Global Alliance to Prevent Prematurity and Stillbirth (GAPPS). The mission is to lead a collaborative, global effort to increase awareness and accelerate innovative research and interventions that will improve maternal, newborn and child health outcomes. The alliance includes international stakeholders in maternal, newborn and child health.
Achievements of 2010
Seattle Children’s is advancing care for children and teens one achievement at a time. Read on to see how our world-class faculty from the University of Washington School of Medicine and our exceptional staff dedicated to pediatrics are bringing the future of pediatric medicine to patients and families today. View Achievements of 2010.
Recent Research Accomplishments
As one of the nation’s top five pediatric research centers, Seattle Children's Research Institute is dedicated to making breakthrough discoveries that help prevent, treat and cure childhood disease.
The research institute attracts the world's best pediatric physicians and scientists. Over 250 investigators are supported by nearly $53 million in federal grants for fiscal year 2010. The almost 1000 faculty and staff conduct research in 300,000 square feet of laboratory and support space and the institute has acquired 2 million square feet of developable space devoted specifically to growing our research programs in the coming years.
Our location in downtown Seattle puts us close to other biotech leaders as well as our partners, the University of Washington and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.
Our scientists work in interdisciplinary research centers where they have pioneered groundbreaking cystic fibrosis treatments, cutting-edge cancer therapies that help a child’s immune system defeat cancer, and made other major contributions to pediatric medicine.
View featured research findings.
Family-Centered Care
When a child is hospitalized, the whole family is affected. Our patient care units include amenities to help reduce the inevitable stress of a hospitalization by providing private spaces on each floor for parents to meet with doctors or family members and pull-out couches in each room.
The Family Resource Center provides information and support for patients, families, staff and the community. Child health information is available on specific illnesses and conditions, parenting, growth and development, grief and loss and safety.
Services and facilities are free and include parent massage, vending area with coffee and tea, computers with Internet access, phones, fax, lockers, showers and laundry.