Shriners Hospitals for Children

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

Shriners Hospitals for Children is a network of 22 pediatric non-profit hospitals across North America that provide all care at no charge.

History

In 1920 the Imperial Session of the Shriners was held in Portland, Oregon. It was during that session that the membership decided unanimously to pass a resolution to establish the hospital system.

The first hospital in this system opened in 1922 in Shreveport, Louisiana. The hospitals' treatment areas now include all pediatric orthopedics, including scoliosis, limb discrepancies, clubfoot, hip dysplasia, and juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, as well as cerebral palsy, spina bifida (myelomeningocele), and other neurological conditions that affect ambulation and movement. Three of the hospitals provide spinal cord injury rehabilitation that is developmentally appropriate for children and adolescents, with adventure and adapted sports programs, activity-based rehabilitation, aquatherapy, animal-assisted therapy, and other innovative programs. Four of the hospitals (Boston, Galveston, Cincinnati, and Sacramento) provide world-famous care for children with burns, as well as treating a variety of skin conditions such as Epidermolysis Bullosa and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis. The Boston, Chicago, and Portland hospitals also provide treatment for children with craniofacial conditions, especially facial clefts. All care at at Shriners Hospitals is provided by interdisciplinary teams who work closely together to integrate the expertise of all the appropriate healthcare disciplines in one building. Transportation to the hospitals is often provided free of charge by Shriner-drivers across the country. Children accepted for treatment become part of the Shriners Hospital system until their 18th birthday, and sometimes their 21st, eligible for both inpatient and outpatient treatment for all facets of their disability.

While the overwhelming emphasis of the hospitals is to provide medical care at no charge for children, the mission of the hospitals also includes research on the conditions treated and the education of medical professionals, including medical residents and fellows, nurses, physical, recreation, and occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, psychologists, social workers, and child life specialists.

Headquartered in Tampa, Florida, the hospitals, known as "The World's Greatest Philanthropy," are owned and operated by the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, also known as the Shriners. There is never any charge for treatment at a Shriners Hospital. There is no requirement for religion, race, or relationship to a Shriner. Patients must be under the age of eighteen, and treatable.