Who We Are
Established nearly 100 years ago, our charge remains clear- to provide the best possible care to children regardless of their family's ability to pay, Children's is the regional pediatric referral center for children serving the states of Washington, Alaska, and Idaho. At the turn of the century, Anna Clise, a prominent, influential woman of Seattle, suffered a tragic loss: the death of her five-year-old son to inflammatory rheumatism. Her grief brought with it the recognition of this region's great need for medical care for children, and compelled her to establish a legacy that we know today as Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center. Nine years later in February, 1907, Anna Clise and 23 women friends established the first orthopedic facility for children on the West Coast, Children's Orthopedic Hospital in a wing of Seattle General Hospital. From its inception, Children's served as a regional hospital. In October 1907, the Board of Trustees established Children's mission. The board adopted a policy to accept any child regardless of race, religion, or the parents' ability to pay. This policy has become the essence of Children's philosophy throughout its history. Children's moved to its own facility in 1908, a 12-bed cottage on Queen Anne Hill. In 1911, a self-supporting 40-bed hospital opened on an adjacent site. In 1953, Children's moved to its current location in the Laurelhurst area of Seattle.
What We Do
We are on the forefront of pediatric medicine, providing a high-tech, high-touch to those who need our care. Our staff and physicians specialize in meeting the unique physical, emotional, and developmental needs of children from infancy through young adulthood. Guided by a philosophy of family-centered care, we focus on more than just the medical needs of our patients. We strive to treat the whole person. And we recognize that families are an invaluable resource in providing the best possible care to our patients. That is why our facilities are designed to enable a range of activity. Operating rooms can accommodate 30 members of a surgical team for one highly complicated surgery, while patient areas provide space for recreation, arts and crafts, social gatherings and the child who wants to "hang" and play Nintendo with friends.
