hospital referral, specialized pediatric surgical care, high quality medical care,

"Children's hospitals are well known as centers of excellence in pediatric care. Within their walls and outpatient clinics reside the world's finest practitioners of medicine, nursing, therapy and social work, who are devoted to children with the most challenging needs."

"Children's hospitals are expert in the most basic health care needs of all children. Because they are on the front lines of medical care, education and research, they serve the majority of the nation's children with special needs."

"Children's hospitals are centers of medical education and research, training one-quarter of the nation's pediatricians and most pediatric specialists and pioneering new approaches to organ transplants, open heart surgery and the treatment of trauma."

"Founded more than a century ago as charitable refuges for sick and abandoned children, children's hospitals today remain the bedrock of a community's response to children's health care needs."

"On average, children's hospitals devote three-quarters of their care to children with one or more congenital or chronic conditions."

"Because of their commitment to children, children's hospitals meet their primary and preventive health care needs in extensive ambulatory care programs as well as their acute care, rehabilitative, and specialty care needs."

*Source: The National Association of Children's Hospitals and Related Institutions (NACHRI)