Children may have to wait in an emergency room, doctor's office, or at home with special care until space is available. Centralized Services Make Sense Pediatric care requires more clinical staff since children need more constant supervision. We must also have on hand specialized equipment in a range of sizes. To keep care affordable, Children's Hospitals must serve a large region. This provides enough patient volume to justify the cost and avoids costly duplication of services.
Many illnesses affect multiple organ systems.
A child with Cystic Fibrosis, for example, may need care from both a pediatric pulmonologist and gastroenterologist. Having pediatric specialists in one location is more convenient for families and allows for better communication between care providers. A large, tertiary center is better able to attract the variety of expert subspecialists needed. Children Benefit From a Place of Their Own General hospitals are built primarily to serve adults and to accommodate routine pediatric needs. Children's hospitals serve the most critically ill and injured children.