We are champions for children's health, devoted to the well-being of America's 70 million children and their families, working together to ensure children's access to health care and the continuing ability of children's hospitals to improve health care services needed by children.
About the National Association of Children's Hospitals
The National Association of Children's Hospitals (N.A.C.H.) is a non-profit organization of 141 children's hospitals and is the sponsor of the Speak Now for Children in Health Reform campaign. As the public policy affiliate of the National Association of Children's Hospitals and Related Institutions, N.A.C.H. advocates public policies that benefit children's health and support the ability of children's hospitals to fulfill their missions of clinical care, education, research and advocacy to advance health care for all children.
About the National Association of Children's Hospitals and Related Institutions
The National Association of Children's Hospitals and Related Institutions (NACHRI) is a non-profit organization of 218 children's hospitals, large pediatric units of medical centers and related health systems in the United States, Canada and abroad. Driven by a vision of a society in which all the nation's children achieve their health potential, NACHRI improves the health and well being of children and their families through support of children's hospitals and health systems committed to excellence in providing health care to children.
About Children's Hospitals
Children's hospitals are the only hospitals in the world devoted entirely to the health and well-being of children. Whether freestanding acute care institutions, specialty and rehabilitation hospitals or hospitals organized within larger medical centers, children's hospitals provide quality medical care, every day, to children all over the country. They are the backbone of the nation's pediatric health care infrastructure.
While just five percent of all hospitals,children's hospitals treat 40 percent of all hospitalized children, acting as regional centers for children's health. Geographically dispersed, they meet the health care needs of children from distant rural areas to the streets of suburban America and inner city neighborhoods. Because they draw children from all over the country, children's hospitals treat the majority of children with chronic conditions or congenital abnormalities present from birth, such as heart disease.
Children's hospitals are also vital centers of education in pediatric medicine, training the next generation of pediatricians and family practice physicians, nurses, social workers, dentists and others who care for children. And as centers of cutting-edge research in children's health, these unique hospitals are responsible for lifesaving discoveries such as vaccines, gene therapies and specialized surgical techniques that not only benefit children, but adults as well.
Children in America are vulnerable, medically and economically. They have little clout in the marketplace compared to adults. Children's hospitals are devoted to protecting children and ensuring every child has access to high quality, cost effective, primary, preventive and specialty care services tailored to fit their needs. Although few in number, they provide a disproportionately large share of the nation's clinical care, health professions training and research aimed at producing the best possible outcomes for children.
