Shriners Hospital for Children in Philadelphia, PA, one of 22 Shriners Hospitals nationwide, is a 59-bed pediatric orthopedic hospital providing a complete range of specialized medical, surgical, and rehabilitation services to children (ages 0-21) with spinal cord injury (SCI), orthopedic spine deformities, and upper and lower extremity conditions. Through our expanded patient care programs, including research and education, we have improved the quality of life for families with children who have these conditions.
There is never a charge for any of the care or services provided by Shriners Hospitals for Children. The hospital accepts no money from the federal, state or local government or from insurance companies. The Shriners Hospital System and friends pay for our services.
Of the Shriners System’s 22 hospitals, three are designated as Centers of Excellence in Spinal Cord Injury: Philadelphia, Chicago, and Northern California. It is our goal that with the geographical locations of the three SCI programs, we can meet the needs of a large percentage of children who have SCI.
The Spinal Cord Injury Program at Shriners Hospital Philadelphia provides comprehensive care, to children, adolescents, and young adults who have received an injury to their spine, whether traumatic or non-traumatic (i.e., transverse myelitis). This comprehensive care includes an individualized medical and rehabilitation plan for each child that involves many team members, including physicians and nurses, occupational and physical therapists, recreational therapists, social workers and psychologists, and many other medical professionals. Additionally, we have an innovative research department, with many active studies that aim to improve the health, wellness, and functional independence of children with SCI.
Treatment Specialties
In addition to expertise in SCI, the Philadelphia Hospital has developed special expertise in the areas of:
• scoliosis
• cerebral palsy
• brachial plexus palsy
• limb deficiencies • spina bifida
• hand disorders
• pediatric hip disorders
Family-Centered Care
Shriners Hospitals recognize that the family plays a vital role in the child’s ability to overcome an illness or injury. Using a teamcentered approach together with a familycentered philosophy, the Philadelphia Hospital encourages and supports the family’s participation in all aspects of the child’s care and recovery. By promoting the importance of the family in the care of the child, the Philadelphia Hospital can accomplish its purpose more effectively.
Eligibility Requirements
Referrals to the Philadelphia Hospital Anyone can refer a child to the Philadelphia Hospital. Although many of our children are from the Mid-Atlantic States, our geographical catchment area is very large. We see children from anywhere in the United States, the Caribbean Islands, and can even accept some foreign patients through a special approval process.
We offer numerous outreach clinics throughout the year in Boston, MA, Tampa, FL, Greenville, SC, and San Juan, Puerto Rico. Some focus on orthopedic needs, while others are solely for the children with SCI.
To make a free appointment or to request an application form, call 800-281-4050 or 215- 430-4140, or visit our Web site, www.shrinershq.org. For any questions related specifically to the Spinal Cord Injury Program specifically, call Kim Curran, SCI care coordinator, at 215-430-4087 or Christin Krey at 215-430-4117.
Christin Krey is SCI program coordinator at the Philadelphia Shriners Hospital for Children.
