Children’s Hosp. of Pittsburgh of: Pediatric Care & Info

The Emergency Department entrance is located off 44th Street. Families may use nearby on-campus parking, including the Penn Garage, which is primarily used for outpatient and emergency parking.

Valet service is also available when needed through the hospital’s main drive entrance on 45th Street.

Emergency registration

UPMC Children’s Patient Access staff is available in the Emergency Department 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Insurance eligibility and demographic details are verified as part of registration, but emergency care should not be delayed for routine billing paperwork.

Poisoning

UPMC Children’s has an after-hours Express Care clinic inside the main hospital for minor injuries and illnesses. It is not a substitute for emergency care.

No appointment is required for in-person Express Care. Families can also use Save Your Spot to reduce waiting uncertainty.

When the main Admissions office is closed, an admissions team member remains available through the Emergency Department.

Scheduled admission

1. Confirm insurance authorization before a non-emergency admission.
2. Bring the child’s insurance cards.
3. Bring required physician referrals/authorizations.
4. Allow at least 30 extra minutes for traffic and parking.
5. Go to Admissions on Floor 1B.
6. A parent or legal guardian must accompany a child being admitted.

Same-Day Surgery check-in

Patients having scheduled outpatient procedures check in at Same-Day Surgery on Floor 4. Current check-in service operates approximately 5:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday, excluding holidays. Same-Day Surgery phone: 412-692-5240.

UPMC Children’s current campus information identifies 124 critical-care beds:

The campus also identifies 181 acute-care beds and a 12-bed inpatient rehabilitation unit.

Services include

• Pediatric cardiology.
• Congenital heart disease care.
• Arrhythmia/electrophysiology.
• Fetal and perinatal cardiology.
• Interventional cardiology.
• Preventive cardiology.
• Cardiac imaging.
• Cardiothoracic surgery.
• Cardiac intensive care.
• ECMO and mechanical circulatory support.
• Heart and lung transplantation.

The Brain Care Institute combines pediatric neurologists, neurosurgeons, critical-care physicians, neuro-oncology, rehabilitation, neurogenetics, neuroimaging and behavioral health teams.

Conditions/programs include

• Epilepsy.
• Brain tumors.
• Hydrocephalus.
• Chiari malformation.
• Neuromuscular disease.
• Neurovascular disorders.
• Neurocritical care.
• Neurogenetic and rare brain disorders.

The program treats childhood cancers and blood disorders and works closely with neurosurgery, orthopedics, surgery, ophthalmology, pathology, radiology and urology.

Programs include

• Leukemia and lymphoma care.
• Solid tumor treatment.
• Neuro-oncology.
• Sickle cell and other hemoglobin disorders.
• Hemophilia and clotting disorders.
• Stem cell transplantation and cellular therapy.
• Adolescent and young adult oncology.
• Palliative/supportive care.

UPMC Children’s main campus includes 14 operating suites, seven of which are equipped for advanced minimally invasive surgery, plus four procedure rooms.

Before surgery, confirm

1. Arrival time.
2. Food and liquid restrictions.
3. Which medications to take or hold.
4. Whether the child will stay overnight.
5. Parking garage and entrance.
6. Expected hospital and physician charges.
7. Insurance authorization.
8. Postoperative follow-up date.

Imaging services include

• General X-ray.
• EOS imaging.
• Fluoroscopy.
• CT.
• MRI/MRA.
• Ultrasound.
• Nuclear medicine.
• PET imaging.
• Interventional radiology.

Managed-care insurance plans may require prior authorization even when UPMC Children’s itself does not require a primary-care referral for the imaging service.

2026 hospital price transparency

UPMC Children’s publishes a Charge Description Master and CMS machine-readable standard-charge file. The current machine-readable file is dated March 6, 2026.

The file includes gross charges, discounted cash prices and payer-negotiated amounts, but UPMC explicitly warns that these figures are not a reliable substitute for a personalized out-of-pocket estimate.

Why a pediatric ER bill may have several parts

• Emergency facility level.
• Emergency physician.
• Laboratory testing.
• X-ray, CT, MRI or ultrasound.
• Medication.
• Medical supplies.
• Sedation or anesthesia.
• Surgery/procedure.
• Specialist consultation.
• Hospital admission.

A single hospital visit can result in more than one bill. UPMC explains that charges can come separately from the hospital and the physician/professional group.

Payment-plan help

If the full balance cannot be paid at once, UPMC hospital customer service can discuss payment plans.

UPMC’s current assistance program can reduce or eliminate eligible hospital and physician charges for families that meet financial criteria.

How to apply

1. Request the UPMC Financial Assistance Application.
2. Complete the household information.
3. Attach requested income documentation.
4. Send it to UPMC Financial Assistance, 2 Hot Metal Street, Pittsburgh.
5. Call option 2 to check application status.

UPMC says completed applications generally require processing time, so families should apply as early as possible rather than waiting until collection activity begins.

UPMC Children’s states that it accepts most major health insurance plans and participates in many managed-care plans, but exact coverage depends on the specific product and provider.

Submit a formal record request

A completed Authorization for Release of Protected Health Information may be sent to:

• Fax: 412-692-6068.
• Email: RecordRelease@chp.edu.
• Mail: UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, Health Information Management, 4401 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15224.

Medical-record fee

UPMC Children’s states that reasonable cost-based copying fees may apply and uses the Pennsylvania Department of Health medical-record fee schedule when applicable.

MyCHP currently lets families

• Message specialist care teams.
• View upcoming visits.
• Request eligible appointments.
• Attend specialist video visits.
• View immunizations and allergies.
• View laboratory and radiology results.
• Download discharge summaries and after-care instructions.

Parent proxy access

Proxy access allows a parent/legal guardian to manage a child’s information. Current MyCHP policy changes parent proxy visibility when a child turns 13 and ends automatic access at age 18, subject to applicable consent and privacy rules.

Current visitor limit

Current UPMC Children’s guidance limits visitation to two people in each of these areas:

• Inpatient units.
• Emergency Department.
• Outpatient surgery.
• Outpatient appointments.

Visitor ID requirements

• Visitors to inpatient and surgical areas need a hospital visitor badge.
• Adult visitors to inpatient/Same-Day Surgery areas must provide valid photo ID.
• Visitors ages 2-18 must be accompanied by an adult.
• Current policy states minor visitors must be able to wear a mask.
• Unit-specific isolation or safety rules may further restrict visitation.

Where to get a badge

Off-hours visitor badging is available through the Emergency Department patient-access desk.

Late-night entrance

The main Penn Avenue entrance has restricted access from 10:30 p.m.-6 a.m.. The Mid-Campus, Penn Garage/Grape elevator and Emergency/After-Hours entrances remain available 24/7 under current hospital guidance.

Mid-Campus Garage

The Mid-Campus Garage is the primary garage for inpatient families and visitors. It can be entered from 44th or 45th Street.

Penn Garage

The underground Penn Garage is primarily used for outpatient visits and Emergency Department parking. The Grape elevators connect the garage to outpatient floors 1-4.

Pay stations

Garage pay stations accept cash and credit cards. The current parking page says debit cards are not accepted at those pay stations.

EV charging

The Mid-Campus Garage has two reserved EV charging spaces on Level 2.

Valet

Valet parking is available when needed; use the main drive entrance from 45th Street. The current parking page does not publish a universal valet price, so ask the Welcome Center for the current charge.

Patient meals

Inpatients can use Dining on Call for items that fit the diet ordered by the medical team. Current hospital guidance allows orders from approximately 7 a.m.-8 p.m.. Dining on Call: 412-864-9700.

Laundry

Family laundry facilities are available on Floor 8 near the Orange elevators.

Interpreter and communication support

The Welcome Center can help arrange foreign-language interpreters, sign-language interpreters, listening devices and other communication support.

Five checks before driving

1. Confirm the appointment building and floor.
2. Allow additional time for current construction.
3. Confirm whether fasting is required.
4. Check referral/prior authorization.
5. Decide Penn Garage vs. Mid-Campus Garage based on the visit.