Shriners Children’s Hospital: Pediatric Care & Info

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Pediatric Specialty Guide · Shriners Children’s · Appointments & Care Info

Shriners Children’s Hospital guide for pediatric specialty care, locations, appointments, referrals, insurance, medical records, and family support

Shriners Children’s is an international pediatric specialty healthcare system with hospitals, clinics, ambulatory care centers, and outreach locations. Families most often search for it when a child needs orthopedic, burn, spinal cord, spine, cleft lip/palate, rehabilitation, sports medicine, or other specialty pediatric care.

This guide explains how to find the right Shriners Children’s location, request an appointment, prepare a referral, understand insurance and financial-assistance basics, access patient records, use MyChart, and know when to seek emergency care elsewhere.

Request an Appointment Find a Location Pediatric Care Emergency Guidance
Medical emergency? Shriners Children’s is a specialty pediatric healthcare system, but it is not the right first stop for every emergency. If a child has trouble breathing, severe trauma, heavy bleeding, seizure, loss of consciousness, life-threatening injury, poisoning, or another emergency, call 911 in the U.S. or go to the nearest emergency department.
Best first step Request appointment

Use the official appointment request form so intake staff can route the child to an appropriate location.

Location type Network care

Shriners includes hospitals, clinics, ambulatory care centers, and outreach locations, not one single hospital.

Care model Specialty pediatric

Common focus areas include orthopedics, burn care, spine and spinal cord, cleft lip/palate, and rehabilitation.

Inpatient care Select locations

Outpatient care is available across locations, while inpatient admissions depend on medical need and location capability.

Insurance note Most major plans

Shriners accepts most major insurance providers, but insurance coverage is not required for care.

Patient portal MyChart

U.S.-based patients can use MyChart for records, visit details, appointments, and care-team communication.

Start here: what do you need from Shriners Children’s?

The right path depends on whether the child is a new patient, existing patient, referred patient, international patient, or emergency patient.

Family need Best action What to prepare
New patient evaluation Use the official request-an-appointment form or ask the child’s physician to start a referral. Child’s diagnosis, symptoms, age, records, imaging, insurance if any, preferred location, and parent/guardian contact information.
Existing patient appointment Use MyChart or call the Shriners location where the child receives care. Patient name, date of birth, location, provider/team, reason for follow-up, symptoms, and preferred dates.
Physician referral Ask the provider to contact the nearest Shriners location or use the provider referral pathway. Referral order, diagnosis, clinic notes, imaging reports, therapy notes, surgical history, and family contact details.
Find closest location Use the official location finder and filter by condition, treatment, service, or specialty. City, state, ZIP code, child’s condition, desired service, and travel limitations.
Medical records Use MyChart or submit a release request through Shriners medical-record instructions. Patient identifying information, requested date range, records needed, recipient, email/fax/mail destination, and authorization.
Insurance or financial help Contact the care manager or billing/insurance contact at the child’s Shriners location. Insurance card, denial letter if any, household hardship details if requested, referral, and appointment information.
Emergency care Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department. Medication list, allergy list, diagnosis, Shriners location if already a patient, and recent records if safely available.
Fastest routing rule: New families should use appointment request or physician referral. Current patients should use MyChart or call their specific Shriners location. Emergency symptoms should go to emergency services first.

How to find the right Shriners Children’s location

Shriners Children’s is a network. The best location depends on the child’s condition, age, needed service, distance, and whether inpatient admission is required.

Open the official location finder. Use the Shriners location page instead of relying on a search-engine map result alone.
Enter city, state, or ZIP code. Sort locations by distance from the family’s home, school, referring hospital, or caregiver address.
Filter by the child’s condition or specialty. Search for services such as orthopedics, burn care, spine, spinal cord injury, cleft lip/palate, sports medicine, rehabilitation, or pediatric surgery.
Open the location’s own page. Confirm phone number, address, appointment process, care areas, parking, arrival instructions, and whether the service is available there.
Ask intake to choose the best location. If more than one location appears, appointment intake can help route the child based on medical need.
Plan for follow-up visits. Specialty pediatric care may involve repeat visits, imaging, therapy, bracing, surgery planning, or long-term monitoring.
Location warning: Do not assume every Shriners Children’s location offers every service. Some locations are outpatient clinics, some offer inpatient care, and some specialties are concentrated at specific sites.

How to request an appointment at Shriners Children’s

Families can request evaluation directly, and healthcare professionals can help with referrals. Intake uses the child’s medical details to select an appropriate care location.

Appointment path Best for What to include
Online appointment request New families seeking evaluation or care. Child’s condition, current diagnosis if known, symptoms, prior treatment, location preference, parent/guardian contact, and records if available.
Physician referral Children already being seen by a pediatrician, surgeon, orthopedist, burn team, therapist, school clinic, or hospital. Referral order, clinic notes, imaging, therapy reports, operative notes, medication list, and diagnosis details.
Existing patient request Children already receiving care through Shriners. Use MyChart when possible or call the location where care is provided.
Transfer or provider-to-provider contact Hospitals and clinicians managing a child who may need specialized Shriners care. Clinical summary, acuity, imaging, treatment already completed, and family contact information.
International patient inquiry Families outside the U.S. seeking specialty evaluation or outreach-clinic information. Country, diagnosis, records in English if possible, imaging, photos if relevant, travel limitations, and contact details.
Appointment request script: “My child needs evaluation for _____. We have records from _____. The closest location is _____. What should we upload or send, and which Shriners Children’s location is best for this condition?”

Provider referrals and what families should ask for

A strong referral helps Shriners intake understand the child’s medical need and choose the correct specialty team.

Ask the current doctor to send

  • Referral order or consult request
  • Diagnosis and reason for referral
  • Recent clinic notes
  • Medication and allergy list
  • Growth, mobility, pain, wound, or function notes

Ask for images and reports

  • X-ray reports and image files
  • MRI or CT reports when relevant
  • Burn photos or wound-care notes if requested
  • Therapy evaluations
  • Operative reports from prior surgery

Referral phone numbers

Shriners lists provider referral contact at 855-823-7855 in the U.S. and 833-229-9536 in Canada. Families should still use the official appointment form or local location contact when appropriate.

After referral is sent

Ask who will call the family, how long intake review may take, which records are missing, and whether the child should continue current care while waiting.

Do not stop current care: A referral request is not the same as an accepted appointment, emergency transfer, or treatment plan. Continue the child’s current doctor or emergency care instructions until Shriners confirms next steps.

Pediatric specialty care areas at Shriners Children’s

Shriners is best known for specialty pediatric care. Services vary by location, so confirm the exact program before traveling.

Care area What families commonly need Helpful records to prepare
Pediatric orthopedics Clubfoot, limb differences, scoliosis, fractures after initial emergency care, hip conditions, cerebral palsy-related orthopedic needs, gait issues, and musculoskeletal problems. X-rays, orthopedic notes, therapy reports, bracing history, surgical records, gait videos, and school/activity limitations.
Burn care Specialized pediatric burn care, burn reconstruction, scarring, contractures, functional recovery, and emotional support after burn injury. Hospital discharge summary, wound-care notes, burn photos if requested, graft/surgery notes, medications, and therapy reports.
Spine and scoliosis Scoliosis, kyphosis, spine deformity, back-related functional issues, bracing decisions, and surgery planning. Standing spine x-rays, Cobb angle notes, brace history, growth status, pain history, and prior spine consults.
Spinal cord injury Rehabilitation, mobility support, equipment planning, bladder/bowel programs, therapy, and long-term recovery planning. Injury summary, rehab notes, imaging, hospital discharge plan, medication list, equipment list, and therapy goals.
Cleft lip, cleft palate, and craniofacial care Cleft repair, speech, feeding, dental/orthodontic coordination, facial differences, and long-term craniofacial team care. Birth history, prior surgery notes, speech reports, dental records, feeding notes, photos if requested, and imaging.
Sports medicine and injury recovery Youth sports injuries, joint pain, overuse injuries, rehabilitation, return-to-play planning, and pediatric orthopedic evaluation. Injury date, sport/activity, x-rays, MRI if done, athletic trainer notes, therapy reports, and pain/function details.
Pediatric surgery and complex specialty care Selected specialty surgical services tied to Shriners programs and location capability. Referral notes, prior operative reports, anesthesia concerns, imaging, labs, specialist recommendations, and family questions.
Service-matching note: Use the official location finder and appointment intake to confirm which Shriners location treats the child’s exact condition. Care offerings can differ by hospital, outpatient clinic, ambulatory center, and outreach site.

Care management, social services, and family support

Shriners care is not only a clinic visit. Families may need help coordinating records, insurance, transportation questions, therapy, school documentation, and follow-up planning.

Care manager support

Ask the child’s local Shriners location whether a care manager can help coordinate appointments, records, referrals, insurance questions, and follow-up needs.

Social services

Social-service teams may help families understand resources, care coordination, emotional support, and practical barriers during treatment.

School and therapy documents

Families may need visit notes, therapy recommendations, activity restrictions, brace instructions, or letters for school and care teams.

Long-term care planning

Children with orthopedic, burn, spinal cord, cleft, or rehabilitation needs may require repeated visits, therapy, equipment, imaging, and milestone-based follow-up.

Insurance, financial assistance, and ability-to-pay questions

Shriners Children’s says care is based on medical need and not denied because a family lacks insurance or cannot pay. Families should still share insurance information when available.

Insurance accepted
Shriners states it accepts insurance from most major providers. Families should confirm network status, authorization, referral requirements, and location-specific billing questions.
Insurance not required
The official patient and provider pages state insurance coverage is not required for care.
Financial hardship
If a child is uninsured or medical bills would cause hardship, Shriners directs families to contact the care manager at the child’s Shriners location.
Outside services
Outside labs, imaging, emergency care, outside physicians, travel, lodging, or non-Shriners services may have separate billing rules.
Before the visit
Ask whether referrals, authorizations, imaging discs, records, or insurance cards are needed before the appointment date.
Billing script: “My child has an appointment or referral for _____. We have insurance through _____. What authorizations, referrals, documents, or financial-assistance steps should we complete before the visit?”

MyChart patient portal for Shriners Children’s

MyChart is useful for U.S.-based Shriners patients who need visit information, appointment details, records, and communication with the care team.

Portal task How it helps When to call instead
View visit information Review outpatient or inpatient visit documentation, therapy-related notes, and care-plan details when available. Call if a note is missing, unclear, incorrect, or needed urgently for another provider.
Manage appointments View upcoming or past appointment details and use portal tools for certain scheduling needs. Call the child’s Shriners location for urgent scheduling changes or same-day concerns.
Communicate with care team Send non-emergency questions to the care team when portal messaging is available. Call or use emergency care for severe symptoms, sudden worsening, or urgent medical needs.
Share records outside Shriners Portal tools may help share medical records with outside providers. Use medical-record release instructions if a school, court, insurer, or outside doctor needs formal records.
Portal safety: Do not use portal messaging for emergencies. Call 911, local emergency services, or the nearest emergency department when a child may be in danger.

How to request Shriners Children’s medical records

Medical records may be needed for a pediatrician, school plan, insurance claim, disability benefits, therapy team, second opinion, specialist referral, or travel documentation.

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