Pediatric Emergency Department—
A San Francisco First
by Kathleen Lewis, M.D., acting chair, Department of Pediatrics
Kathleen Lewis,
M.D.,
acting chair,
Department of
Pediatrics
For children with an injury or illness, a visit to the emergency room can be a scary
experience. In our pediatric emergency department—slated to open this summer—
our team will work with each family, trying to make such a hospital visit as positive and
comfortable as possible.
Opening at our Women and Children’s Center—
3700 California Street in San Francisco—the pediatric
emergency department will be the first of its
kind in the city that is tailored to the needs of
children. The emergency department will be focused
entirely on treating infants and children in a childfriendly
environment. Staff is backed up by in-house
pediatricians 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Our Child Life team works with families in the
emergency department to help their children cope
with the new environment and whatever treatment
is indicated.
California Pacific’s emergency department will
offer care for children up to 18 years old with
emergencies such as:
- Traumatic injuries such as broken bones,
athletic or head injuries or lacerations
- Chronic illnesses such as asthma, or recurrent
seizures
- Acute illness such as unexplained fever,
pneumonia, croup, fever, dehydration, severe
vomiting or diarrhea or abdominal pain
With our 27-bed pediatric unit and eight-bed
pediatric intensive care unit, children who need
additional medical care can be hospitalized in the
same building. Our pediatric units provide care
to thousands of families annually and are complemented
by a talented pediatric hospitalist and
nursing team, as well as our Child Life staff.
Look for news about the opening of our pediatric
emergency department in upcoming issues of
Healthy Kids!
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